HANNIBAL (WGEM) – The Show-Me State’s two hottest industries – agriculture and tourism – is taking off right here in the Tri-States this week. It’s part of the Missouri Farm Bureau’s annual conference that connects farmers across the state.
Each year, Missouri’s Annual Agritourism Conference takes place in a different part of the state. This year you can find it in Northeast Missouri for the first time ever. The conference creates opportunities to visit farms and businesses to learn from one another. The dozens of visitors were up bright and early so they could visit nine of those in Hannibal, Monroe City, New London, and Frankford.
At one of those locations, Sweetwater Distillery’s owner Andy Utterback gave attendees a tour and answered any questions as they sampled the many hard liquors made in-house.
“The barrel does a lot of work for you,” Utterback explained to visitors. “So you can really put some rough liquor in one of those barrels.”
The tour ended at the Orchard where the group had the chance to try a local farm-to-table cuisine.
“We’ve had a full day of bus tours, touring different agritourism businesses,” said one attendee Matt Moreland, owner of Red Barn Ranch in Harrisonville.
Moreland said his favorite stop was the Orchard.
“I love history,” Moreland said. “This place is really neat. I think this barn was built in 1850.”
Moreland, who also chairs MFB Agritourism Committee said the goal for this conference is to network and inspire one another.
That’s the case for Show Me HH Farms owners Kathy and Kent Brown.
“The last [conference] we went to, we had met a lady [who makes soap],” Kathy Brown said. “So now, she puts our sunflower oil in her soap.”
Kent Brown said this conference is a great way to connect with other agribusiness owners.
“We absolutely all tie together,” Kent Brown said.
Mississippi Marketplace owner Linda Studer is another Show Me HH Farms client.
“We have met some really fabulous people here,” Studer said.
Studer said Monday’s tour has been a learning and teaching opportunity. Her shop was one of the stops.
“They’re looking to either enhance their business, grow their business or make things better for them,” Studer said. “So we got to talk a little bit about that.”
Other participants, like new Hannibal business owner, Nikki Barr, said this is a way to boost their own business and branch out.
“It’s kind of a one-way street where you’re constantly running into people,” Barr said. “So I definitely think there will be collaboration in the future and growth for everybody.”
Tuesday is the final day of the Agritourism Conference. Attendees will gather once again for a recap and share ideas on what worked and what didn’t work through their own business experiences.
Here were all the stops on Monday’s tour:
- Java Jive (Hannibal)
- Mississippi Marketplace (Hannibal)
- Langhorne Meats and Provisions (Hannibal)
- Blue Skies Farm (Hannibal)
- Show Me HH Sunflower Farm (Hannibal)
- Peno Creek Pumpkin Patch (Frankford)
- Buzzed Aster Apiary (New London)
- Double Hearts Ranch (Monroe City)
- Sweetwater Distillery (Monroe City)
- The Orchard (Hannibal)
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