Farmers, ranchers invited to attend agritourism seminar
Interested farmers and ranchers from Marion County are invited to attend an agritourism workshop Oct. 22-23 at Tampa. The topic is, "How to Make More Money on Your Farm or Ranch."
Business owners and community leaders who are looking for ways to revitalize their communities also are encouraged to participate.
The event is hosted by Tampa Community Association and Marion County advisory board for Flint Hills Resource Conservation and Development Council. It is being funded by the county.
The workshop will feature return-speaker Remelle Farrar of Canadian, Texas, who spoke at a preliminary meeting Aug. 25 at Tampa, and whose hometown was revitalized due to agritourism.
Farrar is director of the Texas Prairie Rivers Region Inc., and favors Marion County as the point to begin developing a multi-county region she is willing to advise.
Her group supports rural economic diversification with ag tourism and outdoor-based recreation. The region extends into northwest Texas, the Oklahoma Panhandle, southern Colorado, and several southwestern Kansas counties.
The model to be presented by Farrar supports value-added agriculture and ag-tourism initiatives for rural development, ideas promoted by the Kansas Department of Commerce.
At the workshop, Farrar will explore new ways to supplement income on the farm and revitalize small communities.
Peggy Blackman, chairman of Flint Hills RC&D Council and its Marion County advisory board, said the two-day event will give farmers, ranchers, and community leaders the opportunity to look at the full potential for the area's local and regional future.
"It's about opportunity and growth," Blackman said. "We know the needs of our communities better than anyone else and we have a stake in working toward a better future through our grassroots efforts and partnerships that serve our needs.
"Those partnerships will always include agriculture in sync with our unique natural resources and how it all relates back to the economic health of our communities. It's all the parts we like about our history and present lifestyle and that's what we want to live on."
Jim Clemmer, mayor of Tampa, is excited about the possibilities for his area.
"We're a very small place on the map but we have a couple things going for us," he said. "We have a big heart, we have an annual celebration, and we have deep wagon ruts on the Santa Fe Trail which ran right through here.
"When we bring all that together with our local people and find ways to work with others in the area, we're talking about new things for Tampa someday."
Sessions will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
To register for the seminar, call Marion Chamber of Commerce at 620-382-3425. The $10 registration fee includes a Friday evening barbecue, an 8 a.m. Saturday morning continental breakfast, and materials.
"There's been a lot of interest since the first meeting, so we're looking for a good turnout," Clemmer said.
