US farmers turn to Airbnb, corn mazes to outlast agricultural downturn
US farmers turn to Airbnb, corn mazes to outlast agricultural downturn
BLANCHARDVILLE, Wisconsin, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A dead-end dirt road cutting through rural Wisconsin leads to a pasture dotted with shaggy-coated Highland cattle, fluffy Icelandic sheep and a vintage Airstream trailer that farmer Brit Thompson turned into an Airbnb to capitalize on an explosion of urbanites looking to spend time in the countryside.
Her guests, mostly Chicago-area professionals, offer a steady flow of income in an increasingly unstable agricultural economy.
Thompson, who also raises animals for meat at her farm, Pink River Ranch , opens new tab, is one of many farmers turning to the $4.5 billion agricultural tourism industry, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, and offering activities and overnight stays as consumer demand for rural experiences grows and farm income declines.
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Keep in mind, these people don't need more money.
The farmers? They don’t actually make very much money if they are independent. The middlemen and the corporate farms are the big winners.