Agritourism growing in area

By STACIE R. SANDALL

Hays Daily News

The phrase “agritourism” has slowly infiltrated the vocabulary of Kansas farmers and ranchers.

Agritourism is the act of touring agricultural places such as farms, ranches, dairies, pumpkin patches and research facilities. It is a chance for those who live outside the realm of agriculture to dive into the rural lifestyle, if only for a few hours.

It is a growing trend as more and more people want to spend more time with their families away from their home and in a more stress-free setting.

Agritourism is a chance for parents to help educate their children about how food is grown, and the farming ways of their ancestors.

Those in the profession can take pride in sharing their property and family heritage with the public and perhaps supplement their income at the same time.

For over 15 years, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau has been promoting agriculture attractions in Ellis County, but it wasn't until the fall of 2003 that information began circulating about agritourism from the Kansas Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism division.

In 2004, the that the first event for agritourism in Ellis County was held, said Ruben Schuckman, tourism marketing manager at the CVB.

The event was held at the Blue Sky Miniature Horse Farm of Hays. Schuckman said 387 people attended, and exactly one-third of them were from outside of Hays. Twenty-eight were from out of state.

Since then, much has been done to boost agritourism and the rural renewal that could follow.

Several area farmers and ranchers have been eager to find out what they could offer as a tourism activity, possibly something that could help them supplement their farm income with some revenue generated from tours or sales of products to tourists.

Through county farmers and ranchers, the CVB has organized what they call Full Moon Tours, April 24, which provides tours of several farms and ranches in the county.

The bus departs from Hays at the Vagabond Hotel and Restaurant parking lot, 2524 Vine Street, at 3:15 p.m. and heads for Victoria.

By 3:30 p.m., everyone will be enjoying a tour of Vernon Berens' antique machinery and horse drawn grain wagons.

Berens began restoring equipment in 1985, and currently has three buildings that house 20 horse drawn grain wagons dating between 1890 and 1930, 20 John Deere two-cylinder tractors dating between 1936 and 1956, and five horse-drawn surrey and doctor buggies from the early 1900s.

“I just love to have people look at the tractors and wagons. I want to share some of the past with tourists and young people, and share stories from the past,” said Berens.

Berens isn't looking to making any money off of the tours, though. Any funds that might come his way from agritourism, he said, will be donated to the school district or to local charities.

At 5 p.m., the group will Visit Leo Dorzweiler's farm and oil drilling operations on Catherine Road.

Will and Pam (Walter) Montgomery's farm is the next stop an hour later. Visitors will get to explore through the barn, machinery sheds and see a large chicken house with many different breeds of chickens.

Tourists can also participate in milking the family goats and feed the orphan lamb. Visitors can walk along the river and work their way up to the top of the nearby bluffs overlooking the valley.

There will be a hay ride that evening along the creek.

The Montgomerys raise cattle, chickens, wheat, milo and alfalfa on a farm that has been in the Walter Family for over 100 years. Her great-grandfather, Fred Walter, originally purchased the farm from the Union Pacific railroad in 1897 for $7 per acre. It has been an active farm ever since. Pam is the fourth generation on the farm.

The couple also has approximately 900 acres of grassland and cultivation.

“We had only recently heard of agritourism and thought we would try it. One of our goals is to make it profitable for me to be able to stay home with the kids,” Montgomery said. “My focus is on being home with the kids and keep them on the right path. it will be a lot of work, but it will be worth it.”

The Montgomerys have four children. Twins Ashley and Amanda are 14, Laura is 6 and Luke just turned one.

At the Kirk Dickenson Ranch by Gorham, a catered meal begins at 7 p.m., along with a visit of the Saline River Valley.

“The sun will set about 8:45 p.m. with a full moon rising about 9 p.m. People can enjoy an evening in the country watching a spectacular full moon rise,” Schuckman said. “The coyotes will be howling and the crickets and frogs will be singing as the sun sets over the hills west of the Sweetwater Canyon. Birds, rodents and other animals are sure to be seen in the wooded areas along the creek and valley.”

The bus will depart at 9:30 p.m. to head back to Hays.

Reservation must be made in advance by calling (785) 628-8202 to purchase a ticket for $20 per person. The fee includes the transportation, tours, meal and refreshments.

There are plenty of other agricultural hot-spots in the area to tour.

Blue Sky Miniature Horse Ranch 6 miles north of Hays, owned by Marion and Donna Schmidt, is a popular agricultural hang-out.

Rob and Donna Soneson of Ellis have the Cottage Lane Pumpkin Patch, where visitors can have a hay ride, pick pumpkins, run through crop mazes and much more.

Last year, Donna Schmidt and Donna Soneson attended a workshop called “Cultivating Agritourism: How Farmers, Ranchers and Tourism Professionals Plant the Seeds for Profit” put on by the Kansas Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism, and were able to incorporate some of the ideas on their farms.

Big Creek Horse and Carriage, owned by Bob Denning; Lazy H Ranch, owned by Maurice Roth; Mid America Rodeo Company, owned by Charles Reese, and K-State's Agricultural Research Center, all of Hays, are other places to visit.

Grants Villa in Victoria was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Grant played a large roll in the development of the area by bringing the first Aberdeen-Angus cattle in 1873.

Owners Paul and Lucy Baier provide information about how the villa was built and the naming of his colony Victoria after the Queen of England.

Reporter Stacie Sandall can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 136, or by e-mail at

ssandall@dailynews.net.