Farmers offering on-site vacation rentals to combat rising costs
As farmers across the country face rising costs, some are turning to tourism to bring in money beyond their traditional agricultural operations. At Lynette Ralph's horse ranch in Missouri, vacationers can spend the night in a small cabin, wake up to views of the horses and get a firsthand look at ranch life. Guests can explore the property, pet and feed the horses or pay extra for horsemanship and riding lessons. "You have access to the farm life, the horses, the barns," Ralph said. THE $1,600 LETTUCE: CALIFORNIA GROWERS WARN OF ‘MASTER PLAN’ STRANGLING FAMILY FARMS For Ralph, welcoming guests is about more than offering a unique getaway. The income from offering short-term vacation rentals on site has allowed her to keep her ranch operating. "If I didn't have the short-term rentals associated with the riding program, I would have to probably liquidate, sell the horses, sell the property," she said. Airbnb and American Farmland Trust are launching a new gra...