56 S G M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 57 EXPERTS CORNER What Is Agritourism and Who Are the Beneficiaries? Rita Suiter FiveStar Customer Service Strategies In Georgia, agriculture and tourism are the state’s top two economic generators. Agritourism is a merger of the two, and it is alive and thriving. What exactly is agritourism? It’s a unique experience that combines traditional agriculture with tourism. It includes visits to working farms, orchards, ranches, wineries, and other agricultural operations. These destinations offer a variety of outdoor adventures as well as educational, entertainment, relaxation, hospitality, shopping, and dining experiences. The goal of agritourism is to provide an opportunity for the customer to enjoy, relax, engage, be educated, purchase products and be involved in activities; and for the owner to make a profit from the use of existing assets. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, tourists are taking shorter, closer to home vacations and seeking experiences as a part of their trips. Families want to strengthen their relationships by being together and create memorable experiences. In today’s technology-driven world, people are thirsty to get back to their roots, to enjoy the outdoors and awaken their senses to things from their heritage. People are starving for authenticity. Respect for the land and respect for ingredients. Respect for heritage and respect for the culture. Agritourism creates an environment whereby people can participate in friendly discovery and learning activities in natural settings. It blends entertainment and education and is also known as agri-entertainment. The benefits to agritourism are numorous. • FARMER Source of additional revenue • COMMUNITY An opportunity to showcase local products and host educational events for area schools and groups • ENVIRONMENT To preserve agricultural land • TOURIST Offering an outdoor experience The good news about starting an agritourism operation, you don’t have to start from ground zero. People are curious about what happens on a farm— so start with farm tours, farm stays, petting zoos, harvest festival, corn mazes, u-pick fruit, and other events with your existing resources. Wild Adventures in Valdosta started as a petting zoo (Liberty Farms in 1996), and is now a successful theme park. The only limit to an agritourism adventure is your imagination and commitment. As Paul Harvey once said, “God looked down on the earth, he created and said, I need a caretaker for this world I have made and so…God made a farmer.” FiveStar Customer Service Rita Suiter, the founder of FiveStar Customer Service Strategies, is a motivational speaker, customer service trainer, consultant, agritourism advocate and has clients in 17 states. Her clients range from destinations marketing organizations, agritourism entities, schools and universities, financial institutions, healthcare entities, governments, utility companies, and retail and wholesale businesses. She customizes her presentations and strategies to meet the needs and expectations of her clients. 5starcss@bellsouth.net fivestarcustomerservice.com “First and foremost, the food has to taste great and be healthy,” he says. “And by healthy I believe in fresh and not frozen, made from scratch.” Not to dismiss some southern favorites, Tyler says moderation is the key. “Of course, we are going to use some butter and sugar, but we also want our food to give vitality and not slow you down and cause health concerns.” While it would be difficult to find a southern restaurant that omits sweet tea as a beverage option, Tyler says he has found a healthy solution. “With our sweet tea we brew dried fresh spearmint with the black tea leaves, this creates a sweeter taste, and then we don’t have to add as much sugar.” All memorable meals need a great start, and at The American, there are plenty of options. While the Heirloom Tomato Pie, which features black truffle oil from Pecan Ridge Plantation in Bainbridge, is a popular choice, other crowd pleasers include the Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread, made with Georgia sweet corn, and Artisan Cheese Boards. “The cheese boards have taken off,” says Tyler, who graduated from culinary school at Florida State University. “We use a selection of Asher Blue, Griffin, Green Hill and Thomasville Tomme from Sweet Grass Dairy,” which is a South Georgia’s cheese producers. While the standard menu offers a selection of seafood, beef, and poultry, Tyler has also created specialty dishes that give a twist to some southern classics like the Cornbread Fried Chicken. Marinated in a little Creole and then finished off with a drizzle of honey sriracha glaze, gives this southern staple a little kick. Gaining a regional reputation, Tyler has showcased his culinary skills and fondness for using locally grown products through Connect Dinner events. Sponsored by Eat Y’all, the dinners are held throughout the South, and pair chefs from different regions to create multi-course meals that showcase regionally-based farmers and producers. Earlier this year, as a guest chef at the Union Public House in Pensacola, Florida, Tyler created beef carpaccio using Grady Ranch grass-fed New York strips, as one of five courses served at the dinner. “I seared and then smoked the strips before shaving them very fine to make the carpaccio,” he explains. “Then I used Sweet Grass Dairy’s Thomasville Tomme cheese instead of parmesan.” Tyler says the unique variation to the dish comes from the black garlic honey that is sourced from a farm in the panhandle. “With the black garlic added to the honey, it produces a savory beef that has a sweet and salty flavor.” Having been invited to participate in two Connect Dinner events, Tyler says, he has gained an even greater appreciation for incorporating locally sourced products. “The dinners encourage the chefs to get to know their producers. I am discovering more of the farms in the area and looking for ways to incorporate their products on our menu.” AT THE TABLE The American’s Cornbread Fried Chicken gives a twist on a southern classic CONTRIBUTED PHOTO