Staff writer
Farms can be ideal settings for seniors to enjoy a break from their daily environment and get their hands dirty again.
Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman is planning an agritourism conference for the spring, and multipurpose farming will be one of the topics.
Among the people she hopes to get lined up as speakers is Judith Poey, a gerontology expert, to give a presentation on multifunctional farming. One concept of multifunctional farming is called care farming. With care farming, the farm opens its doors to senior citizens, developmentally disabled, or others to spend the day helping out with chores. A pay-per-day service, the farm owners not only provide a great atmosphere, they make money doing it.
Rosanna Bauman, whose family runs the 180-acre Cedar Valley Farms at Garnett, will talk about her family’s operation.
“She teaches how you can do so much with so little,” Huffman said.
Huffman also wants to bring in Sue Stringer, byways and agritourism manager for the Kansas Council on Travel and Tourism.