For generations, American farmers have plowed the fields, milked the cows and slopped the hogs to the seasonal rhythms of nature. In Western North Carolina, a meaty living could be wrest from this hardscrabble land with the constant backbreaking toil associated with a traditional farming lifestyle. 

Could those old farmers of yore ever have imagined people actually wanting to pay money to experience some of the most onerous and monotonous tasks they ever had to perform?

Many farmers today understand they can’t put all their eggs in one basket. 

Darnell Farms would like to expand to offer more for families when they visit, but it needs support from the community to make it happen. 

Ten Acre Garden in Canton has created an experience for visitors. They can come pick their own seasonal berries — blackberries, blueberries, strawberries — or pick their herbs or flowers from Garth Kuver’s Genesis Gardens on the property.

Farmers interesting in tapping the potential of agritourism can attend an all-day workshop on Thursday, Jan. 27, at Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.

Put on by the N.C. Cooperative Extension, “The Business Side of Agritourism” will explore the myriad ways farmers can boost their income. It can be as simple as setting aside part of the crop for a pick-your-own operation, or as involved as hosting tourists for week-long farmstays.

As the public grows more and more interested in visiting farms and buying directly from growers, farmers are responding accordingly. They are adding hiking trails and campgrounds on their land, turning their homes into a bed and breakfast, or luring people to their farms with hay rides and corn mazes.

The program will feature experts from across the state, as well as local farmers who will share their experiences. Cost is $40 per person and includes lunch and resource materials. 828.255.5522.