White County’s Tourism Advisory Committee launching a new initiative to map local farm stands to boost tourism and support the local economy.
President Wayne Howell said the initiative serves as a way to reach the community through retail involvement. Howell said the committee intends to produce both digital and paper versions of the guide to be distributed at the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.
“As a local, I’m unaware of many of these farm stands that are being presented just for the same reason,” Howell said, “I don’t visit them, but if I wanted to visit them, I would need some guidance.”
Howell said the project currently has eight locations signed up, though one owner indicated there may be 24 additional stands in the region. Howell said the mapping will begin at the Chamber of Commerce and move outward into the community.
“If they know they’re on a regularly supported print or digital support ad or some kind of paper to bring people to their farm stand, I think it’s just like any business,” Howell said. “They can expect repeat business because people are now finding them when they never had.”
Howell said the guide could benefit short-term rental guests looking for unique local spots during their stay. Howell said the resource will also highlight producers of fresh eggs, honey, and seasonal vegetables.
“For the folks that think about clean eating, it’s a strong thing to support,” Howell said. “It’s another source for folks to find out who’s producing what, from honey to some folks are making second products out of their goat soaps, or there’s other things you can do with honey and wax.”
Howell said many of these stands are located off the beaten path and are often missed by those who do not drive the back roads. Howell said the committee is currently accepting applications from any operating farm stand to be included in the guide.
“We’re just trying to reach out to the community, get the community involved, let it create some impact for those visitors through tourism, see some economic growth out of that,” Howell said. “And that’s really what we’re trying to do, is tie those two together.”
Howell said the committee will review applications based on business hours and offerings to create the final map.
