This website serves Farmers and Ranchers in the Kansas AgriTourism Industry.
For family outings, go to http://www.travelks.com

Welcome to Kansas AgriTourism!

This website has been developed specifically for Kansas farmers and ranchers involved in AgriTourism, rural properties where the traveler has an opportunity to experience farm and country life far from the hustle of the city.
The site is a project of the Kansas Agritourism Advisory Council, working in cooperation with:
the Kansas Agriculture Marketing Division and the Travel and Tourism Division of the Department of Commerce
and with financial assistance from Frontier Farm Credit.
We invite you to explore this website to find a variety of articles and resources that will help you succeed in agritourism.
If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Commerce, Travel and Tourism Division, and ask for the Agritourism Liaison.
The Kansas AgriTourism
Advisory Council
 
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Kansas AgriTourism News

December 2005

Greetings!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

We hope you and your guests are now all curled up in a comfy chair by the fireplace, with good friends and family.

As you listen to the pops and crackles, and watch the flames dance across the log, we hope you think back on all you have accomplished in 2005.

Next year is going to be another exciting year, as agritourism continues to grow and flourish in the state of Kansas. We hope you'll take advantage of some good workshops and books this winter to plan an exciting new year at your farm or ranch.

If you haven't already responded to our survey, please take a minute to click on the link towards the bottom of this page. We'd love to know how to make this newsletter, and our website, serve you better!

We wish you all the very best in this season, and in the coming year!

Becky Walters, Chair for the
Kansas AgriTourism Advisory Council

In This Month's Issue:

This month's featured Destination:
Prairie Elf Christmas Trees

Town Hall Tourism Meetings

TravelTalk e-Newsletter

This is Your Newsletter

This month's Feature Destination:
Prairie Elf Christmas Trees

December 2005

“I absolutely love this business. I live for the trees!” Kathy Heeb said. “I probably put in a lot more of my time and effort into it because I really like doing it.”

Kathy’s business is Prairie Elf Christmas Trees, located just south and west of Lawrence, Kansas near Lone Star Lake. Doing the majority of the work herself, Kathy has more than 6,000 trees planted, covering seven of the farm’s 145 acres.

“Our customer’s arrive at the barn, and we give them about a 10 minute wagon ride down to this beautiful setting where the trees are, where they choose and cut their tree.” Kathy said, describing the farm experience. “There’s a warming hut down there too, with a wood burning stove."

"After cutting their tree, the family rides the wagon with their tree back to the retail barn. Inside the retail barn they can warm up, and enjoy complimentary homemade cookies, hot cider, and popcorn while their tree is being shaken to get rid of dead needles and debris and wrapped in netting for transport .”

Kathy feels it is all about the experience that she provides her customer families.

“Our farm is out in the middle of nothing but farm land, and the trees are in this very nice, natural setting. My customers get a special feeling coming to the farm.

They are getting away from the noise and the hustle of the city—it’s almost like stepping back in time—to a place of peace and tranquility. I don’t think I need a Santa or reindeer or all that. It is a special family outing—an hour or an hour and a half of just the family together.”

The farm sells scotch, white, and Austrian pines. The hayride, the netting, and the snacks are free, although she does sell wreaths, garlands, swags, and a small assortment of Christmas related items, such as tree skirts and stands, watering elves, holiday dolls, and some very nice tin ornaments.

Click to Read About Raising and Selling Kansas Trees
at Prairie Elf Christmas Trees

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Town Hall Tourism Meetings

Becky Blake, Director Kansas Travel and Tourism, Stephen Koranda, President Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK) and Dick Carter, Executive Director of TIAK are preparing for a three day statewide tour.

Six meetings are scheduled around the state to present current tourism plans and discuss the future of tourism in Kansas.

These meetings are for all tourism partners in your area, you do not need to be a TIAK member to attend.

This is an opportunity to voice your ideas and concerns facing Kansas tourism.

If you have questions about these meetings please contact the TIAK office at (785) 233-9465.

Monday, December 5, 2005
Southwest Kansas Area – 9:00 a.m.
AmericInn, 3020 E Kansas Ave, Garden City

Northwest Kansas Area – 2:00 p.m.
Mt. Sunflower Bed & Breakfast, 229 N Gardner, Sharon Springs

Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Northcentral Kansas Area – 9:00 a.m.
Brown Grand Theater, 310 W 6th, Concordia

Southcentral Kansas Area – 2:00 p.m.
Kansas Learning Center for Health, 505 Main, Halstead

Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Southeast Kansas Area – 9:30 a.m.
Best Western, 101 State, Ft. Scott

Northeast Kansas Area – 2:00 p.m.
Riverfront Community Center, 123 S Esplanade, Leavenworth

Visit the Kansas Agritourism Calendar for Other Conferences

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TravelTalk- Kansas Travel and Tourism News

You can keep abreast of other Kansas Travel and Tourism News by subscribing to TravelTalk e-newsletter, an electronic publication of the Kansas Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Division.

"We are excited about this new format and our ability to communicate with you on a regular and timely basis," said LeAnn Stephens, the department's Tourism Communications Coordinator. "Our goal is to provide you up-to-date information on what this department is working on and what we see across the industry."

To subscribe to TravelTalk, send an email to Lstephens@kansascommerce.com with your name, organization name, and phone number, or call her at 785-296-6292.

Visit the Kansas Travel and Tourism Website

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This Is Your Newsletter

This newsletter, and the website, www.kansasagritourism.org, are provided specifically for Kansas farmers and ranchers involved in AgriTourism.

We research and prepare these resources specifically for you--providing information, news, and feature stories that we hope will help you make your business more successful.

If you haven't already done so, please take a couple of minutes to let us know how we are doing. We've written a very brief survey, to ask you about a few specific things, and we've provided space for you to share what's on your mind.

This survey will only take a few minutes of your time.

In advance, Thank You for letting us know what you want to see and read!

Click Here to Take This Short Survey

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To read previous newsletters, please visit our Archives.