Illinois farms supplement incomes by hosting RVers

 

By PHYLLIS COULTER

FarmWeek

Kathy Albert has found a profitable and enjoyable way to add customers to her alpaca business in Rio in Knox County.

She is not alone as dozens of Illinois farmers and entrepreneurs capitalize on the option of joining Harvest Hosts, a North American-based organization that provides RVers with a safe place to stay the night in return for shopping at their businesses.

“I’ve had over 100 good experiences in the year I’ve belonged,” said Albert, owner of Heartland “Criations” Alpacas LLC.

Harvest Hosts is a network of farms, wineries, breweries and distilleries and attractions across the nation, which invite RVers, who are members, to stay overnight at unique places.

Albert, who has raised alpacas for 24 years, said she was initially reluctant to sign up because she was worried a guest might start a dangerous fire. Other alpaca farmers she consulted told her she could set rules, one being “no fires”.

“I would love to travel if I could be home at night,” Albert said of the drawbacks of being a livestock farmer.

Her other passion is antiques and she hosted an Antiques and Artisans Market July 6 and is planning a fall open house for Sept. 28-29.

 

Big spenders

Amy Wertheim has also seen a big boost to her business from Harvest Host at RGW Candy and Wertheim’s Gardens in Atlanta.

“Last year we had the most successful with 327 rigs,” she said. That’s up from 150 from their first year four years ago. This year, in May alone, they had 67 rigs.

Active hosts average $10,000 in income from the RVers, a Harvest Host spokesperson said.

For Wertheim, each guest spends an average $71 on her products, which include chocolate, herbs, garden produce and readymade frozen entrees.

 

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The Logan County farmer said location is a big reason for her success. She is halfway between Springfield and Chicago, near Route 66, which draws both national and international travelers. It is also a stop for those coming and going to Florida, celebrating graduations at Illinois State University in May, attending the Illinois State Fair in August, or Abraham Lincoln sites throughout the year.

In April and May, many of the guests to her pet-friendly location have dogs competing in dog shows in the St. Louis area. Some have five to seven dogs that need some space to run.

“It’s kind of unique,” Wertheim said of the clientele she attracts.

She seldom has negative experiences with guests. Harvest Hosts helps monitor reports of problems and can ban troublemakers. Making and enforcing sensible rules makes things run smoothly, she told FarmWeek.

 

Still waiting

Not all the farmers who signed up for the program successfully attract RVers. Regenerative Life Farm founder Jarrod Yantis signed up as a host over a year ago and hasn’t seen an influx of guests yet. He had hoped Harvest Hosts would add profit to his farm to cover the labor costs of full-time employees.

“We would like to draw on some of the several thousand campers who are in the area every year,” said Yantis, who produces eggs, pastures 270 chickens and grows multiple market garden crops on his 19-acre property near Lake Shelby. The lake is the biggest draw for tourists, he said.

Yantis added that the view of the pond, which helps irrigate some of the 20 crops he grows, is part of the scenery that he hopes will attract RVers.

 

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Winery business

For Dave Poland of Hidden Hills Vineyard and Winery meeting the guests is a big bonus. “They come from all over. I was quite the traveler in my day, and I’ve been to most of the places they are going to or coming from,” said Poland, of rural Knoxville, close to Galesburg.

“Harvest Hosts really took off for us this year. We’ve had a few dozen RVers already with one or two every week,” he said.

The farm’s events with live music on the weekends are usually a big draw. People are also drawn to the eight acres of pet-friendly vineyards. Coming soon, his new corn maze will add to his agritourism offerings including wine tastings. The RV shoppers make it worthwhile belonging to the program, Poland said.

 

This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.

 

**Editor’s Note: If you find the story here of value, consider clicking one of the Google ads embedded in the story. It costs you nothing but Google will give the website owner a few cents. This is a way to help support local news at no cost to the reader.