New Connections

One of the most commonly cited benefits of NAFDMA are the connections and friendships made among members.  It can be hard to be in agritourism.  When attending local agriculture events, wholesale or commodity growing is the "norm."  While everyone can connect over crop failures and agriculture best practices, many farms don't manage a direct customer base.  Being able to connect with someone who understands having a customer complaint on Facebook or cleaning a bathroom after a particular busy day can provide you with the reminder that you are not alone.


The two people in the photo above, Hugh McPherson and Becky Walters, are some of the biggest supporters of NAFDMA and the agritourism industry as a whole.  I am lucky to count these two people as friends.  Who do you have as friends and supporters?  Within our organization, we have developed the Members Only Facebook group which facilitates those friendships, connections, hard-to-answer questions, and camaraderie.  Do you have someone you count as understanding you and what you do on a daily basis?  If so, send a text, make a phone call, or make plans to get together with them soon.  Knowing others understand you and your day-to-day difficulties makes life incredible.

RECENT ARTICLES

How is your Lipstick?

By angie • June 1, 2026
Guest post from John Stanley

Big Sales in Small Spaces: Toy Display Solutions for Farm Stores

By angie • May 29, 2026
For our industry spotlight this month, we are excited to share ideas and info from The Toy Network . Insights from The Toy Network Whether you’re an established farm store or just starting out and you’re interested in carrying toys, our Toy Stack and Die-Cast displays may be an ideal solution when dealing with limited space. In retail, it’s all about sales per square foot. With our Toy Stack display, you get 24 different impulse items in just two square feet! It would take more than 40’ to merchandise the same number of items on a shelf. The Toy Stack is an important profit center for your farm store business, as the items in the display average less than $2.50 at wholesale. In addition to The Toy Stack, our Die-Cast display features 13 different vehicles that can all be merchandised on our metal die-cast display. We offer a pre-packaged assortment of vehicles and have more than 200 high quality die-cast vehicles to select from when you need to fill in on your display. Stop by our user-friendly ecommerce website and shop our more than 4,000 products where at just $250, we offer free freight, or visit us on Faire. Furthermore, if you’d like to have one of our 85 sales reps across the country stop in to meet with you, please let us know. More information is available at www.thetoynetwork.com .

The New PAUSE Initiative from NAFDMA Supports Agritourism Operators

By Christine Hawks • May 22, 2026
 In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, we have launched a new web page to encourage community connection and support those needing mental health tools and resources. You'll find a curated collection of online inspiration and resources for navigating the stress of owning and managing a farm, developing a work-life balance and encouraging everyday mindfulness. The resources featured here are accessible and available to all regardless of membership with NAFDMA as part of our PAUSE initiative. Emphasizing your mental health and wellness, PAUSE stands for: Priority, Awareness, Unplug, Support and Exhale. NAFDMA debuted its PAUSE initiative at the 2026 Agritourism Convention and Expo with the PAUSE Wellness Lounge - an intentional space to rest and recharge during the Convention.