More people eating their way through Maine
Food is an increasing draw in Maine both for tourists and locals wanting to know more about where what they eat is sourced and produced.
The interest shows in the approximately 100 Maine farms that will participate in Open Farm Day this Sunday and the fact that 58% of tourists visiting Maine cited food or beverage as a reason for staying overnight, according to a 2014 Maine Office of Tourism study cited by the Press Herald.
The 26th Annual Maine Open Farm Day will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, with the aim of giving the public a chance to learn about the business of agriculture by seeing demonstrations and displays of farm-raised products (also for sale) and animals and crops.
"Since the last Census of Agriculture, the market value of Maine’s agricultural products has increased 24%,” the Lewiston-Auburn Sun Journal wrote in quoting a statement from Gov. Paul LePage. “At a time when the number of farms in the United States is declining, the number of Maine farms has increased to 8,174, up from 7,196 in 2002. This growth coincides with renewed consumer interest in locally grown foods.”
The Sun Journal said events like Open Farm Day have a fairly significant impact on agritourism in Maine. It cited U.S. Department of Agriculture figures noting that in 2012, income from agritourism and recreational services in Maine grew to $1.8 million from $1 million..
At the same time, culinary tourism, which can involve agritourism, restaurant tours and cooking classes, is thriving. The Press Herald noted that 61% of the overnight tourists in Maine last year were attracted by eating lobster or other local seafood. Another 54% liked local Maine foods like blueberries, maple syrup and apples, while 36% wanted to savor unique Maine foods like whoopie pies.
Mainebiz wrote about the trend in a November 2013 article about Kennebunkport pizza chef and instructor Julia Strauss of Jillyanna's Woodfired Cooking School.
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