Fifteen years ago, Western SARE awarded Oregon farmer Scottie Jones to develop a Northwestern Farmstay USA website.
Today, the website highlights farms in 16 regions around the country and protectorates and includes 306 farms and ranches.
What’s a farm stay? As part of her Farmer/Rancher project, Scottie defined a farm stay as overnight lodging on a working farm, connecting urban residents to the land and their food source. Back in 2010, it was a new idea for many Americans, but there was growing interest by both travelers and producers seeking to diversify their operations.
The challenge Scottie proposed overcoming was how farmers could market their farm stay while more comfortable selling produce and livestock products. By the end of her project, FarmStay USA launched with 197 operations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and California. Scottie and her team of producers provided education to other farmers and ranchers about farm stays and the website.
Visitors to the website can now conduct a detailed search to find the best farm stay for them. In addition, there is a newsletter, blog, and podcast.
Scottie gives credit to her grant for helping develop a tool allowing her farm and other farms to remain profitable. She says, “for us, farm stays weren’t just a fun idea—they were a lifeline. In my case, the concept quite literally saved our farm. Opening our doors to guests gave us the financial and emotional support we needed to keep going. And as I looked around the country, I realized we weren’t alone. There were incredible farms and ranches doing the same thing—but scattered, hard to find, and operating without a shared platform.”
As Farmstay enters its 15th year, Scottie is passing the leadership baton to Cathy Barnes. According to Scottie, “she has been working with me for the past year and will be a shining light for new and refreshed ideas to help farmers with their agritourism ventures.”
Looking toward the future, Cathy says, “We’re excited for the next 15 years as we build on a strong foundation and expand to showcase not only lodging, but also authentic experiences and events on working farms across America. We’ve been developing meaningful partnerships and collaborations while revamping our library of resources to equip farms with the tools they need to welcome visitors and to help existing agritourism businesses grow and thrive. The future of farming is rooted in connection, and we are here to help those roots grow deeper and stronger.”
With the large growth of FarmStay USA, it’s clear that the movement is here to stay and an important tool in both connecting people with their food source and in maintaining economic viability for producers.
View Related SARE Grant:
- Development of a Northwest Farm Stay Website (FW10-029)