Reflections on another October in the agritourism sector

Reporter's note: My wife and I just returned from western Washington where we spent the month of October working at Biringer's Black Crow Pumpkins and Corn Maze outside Arlington (50 miles north of Seattle). This pumpkin patch and maze was started six years ago by Gary and Julie Biringer. Gary is the third generation Biringer farmer to be in what is popularly now called agritourism-"...any agriculturally based operation that brings visitors to a farm or ranch." Agritourism is also known by other names: agritainment; value added ag products; farm direct marketing and sustainable agriculture.

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