Business | Fall 2009
Bring the city to your farm.
By Jennifer Barber
Agri-tourism is the fastest growing segment of many rural towns
Getting lost on Mark Muchka’s land is a lot of fun. His two-year-old agri-tourism spot just east of Calgary features a corn maze as the centerpiece that draws urban dwellers to his farm.
"Building this business brought together three of our family’s passions,” says Muchka. "It combined our appreciation for the outdoors, our desire to work with people, and of course our love of farming."
In the summer of 2008, Muchka and his family left Edmonton to return to their family farm. They came with plans for a diversification project: The Calgary Corn Maze, an on-farm agri-tourism venture that capitalizes on the surging interest in country living.
Ventures like this are most often aimed at the urban public. Other examples include petting farms, U-pick operations and pumpkin patches. They provide a way for farmers to get more from their farm and a way for city folk to learn more about where their food comes from.
"We wanted our business to be successful, but we also wanted to share what we have learned through farming,” says Muchka. “A lot of parents connect visits to the maze with memories of their youth or a family history in farming. It helps them experience the farm and connects them in a real way with the land."
GPS is used to seed the maze. Like all farms, the Muchkas’ operation is at the mercy of the weather. But in the first two years of business their corn has been more than seven feet tall. They also had a kid-sized maze for younger visitors.
Setting up an agri-tourism operation like this takes the same kind of planning that goes into any successful business. Muchka gained insight into how to make his business thrive on a tour through the U.S. with 100 different corn maze operators. He also attended an agri-tourism conference earlier this year.
"Lots of farmers out there could help support their business with different on-farm activities,” he says. “We keeping adding to make the business more fun — we now have a petting zoo, corn cannons, a pumpkin patch and a playground. We are selling local produce and are looking at the potential for a farm market. With agri-tourism, there is always room to grow."
