STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Farms are the most prominent symbol of agritourism, but the industry contains numerous types of enterprises and entertainment.

The agritourism sector also creates additional income streams for producers and entrepreneurs and has been a proven community development tool in Mississippi, especially in rural areas.

Fall marks the time of year when this activity is at its peak, and one easy way to experience it firsthand with minimal advance planning is the Mississippi Hills Farm to Fork Foodie Trail. This 35-stop route across 19 full counties and parts of 11 others encompasses a variety of agritourism examples in the state’s northeastern quadrant.

Stops include the farms where commodities are grown and produced, and the restaurants, farmers markets and local stores where goods are sold.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service Center for Government and Community Development partnered with the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area to curate the trail.

“The idea behind Farm to Fork was to share the area’s agricultural and culinary story with first-time visitors to the state and to show people who live in Mississippi something about food systems that they may not have known,” said Rachael Carter, MSU Extension tourism specialist and instructor with the center. “The locations aren’t limited to farms and restaurants. The trail also has a meadery, florist, creamery, apiary and a coffee roasting business, along with a selection of farmers markets.”

One of the stops along the food trail is Blue Truck Coffee in Macon. Owner Jeanette Unruh said agritourism assists in bringing new customers to her business.

“We have a lot of people come through that are not from this area,” Unruh said. “We benefit greatly from people stopping by who tour one of the local farms and in return, they tell their friends about a day trip they took that included Blue Truck Coffee.”

The most direct approach for families to learn the importance of agriculture in a setting for all ages is to visit family farms that feature activities for all ages. Dozens of venues registered with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce are open to the public.

Many agritourism farms, like Moseley Meadows in Canton and Williams Family Farms in Wiggins, cater to young agritourists by featuring activities including pumpkin patches, hayrides, play areas, corn mazes and guided tours.

“This will be year number nine for us, and we have grown from when we started out with a folding table and a pop-up tent for an admission booth,” said Neal Williams, who runs Williams Family Farms with his wife, Amber. “We pretty much book out our months of October and half the month of November in school field trips, and we employ every young person that wants to work.

“Someone once asked me what exactly we grow,” he added. “I said, ‘I grow memories.’ That’s our slogan, and that’s really what we do.”

Agritourism also encompasses summer-oriented operations. U-pick farms are perfect for those looking for hands-on agricultural experience. Locales like Sandy Run Farm and Nursery in Purvis, Brown Hill Farm in Lucedale and CM Farms in West Point offer an assortment of fruits, vegetables and flowers that customers can pick themselves.

Petting zoos are also a key feature of agritourism. Venues such as Heavenly Grace Farm in Kiln, Red Bird Farms in Kosciusko and Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo feature both farm and exotic animals.

Later in the year, Christmas tree farms, such as Green Hills Christmas Tree Farm in Natchez and Pine Mountain Christmas Tree Farm in Walnut, allow visitors to choose and cut their own trees.

According to MDAC, agritourism generates about $150 million a year in the state.

More information on the Mississippi Hills Farm to Fork Foodie Trail is online at https://mississippihills.org/food-trail/. For more information on agritourism venues across the state, visit https://www.msagritourism.org/.