STEVENSON – Maryland farmers joined with hundreds of elementary school kids and state officials at a farm in Baltimore County on Tuesday to kick off the state’s fall agritourism season.
The event at a farm in Stevenson was designed to promote outdoor activities available on farms throughout the state — exploring corn mazes, taking hayrides and getting up close and personal with farm animals.
Among those helping to get the word out was Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Buddy Hance. Hance said that agritourism is on the rise in Maryland.
“Other operators see the success that farms like Rodgers Corn Maze have and when they look at the demographics they have around their farms they seen an opportunity, so they start to provide that service in their own communities,” he said.
According to a 2007 census completed by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 23,350 agritourism farms in the United States with revenues totaling $566 million. In Maryland, there were 231 agritourism farms with revenues of $7.3 million, and state officials say that number is continuing to grow.
Marylanders can find a complete listing of farms offering fall activities at www.marylandsbest.com.