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Within the confines of the Highland cattle pen, two children romped across the sodden turf: one spirited among the free-roaming calves, the other painstakingly brushing the shaggy fur of each animal.
Yellowing leaves and a chill in the late October air hinted at the approaching winter, which can grind some agricultural operations to a glacial pace and constrict farmers’ income.
But at Luckie Farms, reindeer jockeyed for apple slices. Pigs scrambled through the mud. And the human staff prepared for holiday visitors, who would come and go through the year’s end.
Farmers are realizing that there's value in having people visit their farm," owner Tara Luckie said. "There's a change happening that I've seen personally because I think farmers are more open to nontraditional ways of producing income."
Farmers in the U.S. are facing tough times, due in part to rising prices for inputs like fuel and fertilizer and uncertainty around international trade. And they're entering winter, their industry's sleepy season. To help relieve financial pressure, some Washington farms, like Luckie’s, are turning to farm stays and other agritourism activities as added streams of revenue.
"Across the country, we know that farmers and ranchers are not doing great," said Addie Candib, Pacific Northwest regional director and Western managing director at national nonprofit American Farmland Trust. "That has been particularly challenging in Washington state."
In the Puget Sound region, expensive land and high labor costs pose additional difficulties, according to a 2024 American Farmland Trust survey.
"The margins are really thin," Candib said. "No one's going to pay $20 for a bunch of kale."
But not every producer agrees that increased farm tourism is the best path forward, fearing it could supplant traditional production agriculture. Ben Tindall, executive director of Washington-based nonprofit Save Family Farming, described some “tension” in the agricultural community over the issue.
While many producers recognize agritourism as a viable tool, Tindall said it can complicate farm liabilities and neighborly relations.
“It shouldn’t become something that … farmers have to rely on to survive,” he said. “Ultimately, we want to see agriculture production stay the central operation of agricultural land.”
Farm stays
Revenue diversification can mean resiliency — especially during tough growing seasons. Agritourism can expand and strengthen a farm's customer base, Candib said, bringing families back year after year.
Her organization partnered with Airbnb to launch a new program extending grants up to $10,000 to farmers who want to get involved in agritourism activities, such as overnight stays or apple-picking experiences.
“A ‘Farm to Stay’ Grant can be what helps keep a family on their land through a bad season," said Jordi Torres Mallol, Airbnb regional director for the Americas, in a statement. "Sharing a room in the farmhouse can offset increased costs and bring tourism dollars to communities that visitors have traditionally overlooked."
In Washington, farm stay listings are "increasingly popular," with host earnings up over 300% since 2018, according to data provided by Airbnb and American Farmland Trust. It shows the typical host of an Airbnb farm stay in Washington earned around $8,100 from visits last year.
Farm stays are a boon at A Shepherd's Retreat in Arlington. Lynne Green, owner of the 36-acre farm, raises sheep for meat, which pays to feed 51 ewes, 49 lambs and seven horses.
Green, who hails from Kentucky, also trains border collies and offers equine-assisted coaching.
"But what really pays the mortgage is the Airbnbs," she said on an October afternoon, sipping hot coffee from a mug inside the property's old dairy barn.
Upstairs, the barn apartment — two bedrooms and one bathroom — overlooks the farmhouse, which can host up to eight guests. Though snow already dusted the surrounding mountains, the empty accommodations felt toasty.
Both stays are marked as "guest favorites" on Airbnb's booking platform.
May through September is tourist season, due to the property's proximity to North Cascades National Park. "November comes to a screeching halt," said Green, 66, though the property often sees bookings for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She and her late husband, Scott, bought the farm in 2016 after living abroad. Her husband died two years later.
Green said she's happy to see the original homestead occupied by guests, particularly because the farmhouse was built for multigenerational use.
"Them being here is helping me have more peace and space," she added.
Holiday agritourism
With pellet treats at the ready, Tegan Ramey, a farmhand, coerced the alpacas at Luckie Farms into gingerly approaching the afternoon's few visitors: a mother with kids.
Despite the quiet period, Ramey, 20, was chipper during a tour of the property. Here are the horses. There are the longhorns. Aboard a covered trailer pulled by a blue tractor through pasture and mud puddles, Ramey answered questions from a Seattle Times reporter, bumping along.
Not every day is so nonchalant — especially with the holidays ahead.
"Our big thing is winter, which is unique," said Luckie, 42. "A lot of (farms) don't do a lot in the wintertime."
Toward the year's end, Santa Claus makes an appearance for photo opportunities, and the barns are decked in their holiday best. The Highland cows, yaks and reindeer especially enjoy the cold weather, Luckie added.
She and her husband, Scott, bought the 75-acre farm seven years ago, following in the footsteps of their grandparents, who were wheat farmers.
Starting with beef production, the couple didn't originally set out to participate in agritourism. The property maintains a 120-year history as a working farm.
But slowly, the Luckies invited friends and family to experience a day in their lives. From there, they expanded to welcome the public.
Now, no matter the season, there's something for visitors to do.
Luckie Farms leases around 9 acres to a family of flower growers, and it sells dahlias and other varieties from springtime through the first frost. The summer and fall are packed with tours to greet the alpacas, pigs, donkeys, horses and more.
The operation also offers the chance to cuddle its Highland calves. Other farmers didn't understand the decision, Tara Luckie said, but the experience attracts visitors.
Luckie Farms no longer sells beef, making much of its money from tourism instead.
Field trips take place from January through March, the slowest time for farm work. Next year, she plans to transform the large, white dairy barn into a wedding venue and community space.
'Keep that open door'
At Left Foot Farm in Eatonville, Pierce County, owner Jeremy Foust believes it's crucial for city dwellers to get outside and know the source of their groceries. That's why Foust, 49, embraces farm stays and visits to the property.
He and his family bought the 5-acre site in 2009, transforming it into a goat dairy.
"I never had owned goats before," Foust said. "It blossomed from there."
Initially, he balanced the farm with a full-time job running a mountaineering company at the nearby base of Mount Rainier. But for the past decade, farming has consumed all of his attention.
Now, Foust estimates that he's milking dozens of goats and caring for a flock that ranges between 1,200 and 1,700 hens. Left Foot Farm sells various breeds of goats, alongside goat milk, eggs and handmade soaps and lotions.
Three cabins — booked through Airbnb, Vrbo and the farm's own website — let guests spend extended time on the property. Agritourism peaks during the warmer seasons.
"It makes the busier times busier," Foust said.
That financial boost cushions the farm in the winter. However, opportunities still crop up in the chilly months, particularly at the start of the year when visitors are eager to welcome the baby goats.
Foust tries to stay mindful of the community's needs, responding to concerns like speeding by guests. But he believes Left Foot Farm's proximity to the Puget Sound region — around 50 miles from downtown Seattle — is strategic.
"It's incumbent upon us farmers to just keep that open door, he said.
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