Some farmers are expanding their income by offering RVers the chance to camp on-site and experience a little farm life.
Through Harvest Hosts, an online platform that connects RVers with unique overnight stays, agricultural operations are welcoming travelers, increasing exposure and creating new opportunities to connect visitors with rural communities. According to Harvest Hosts, members have generated over $200 million in revenue for local communities.
Tucked off of state Route 1, James River Cellars and Winery is offering more than wine tastings. Founded in 2001, the family-owned winery began as a hobby before growing into a business venture. In 2020, the winery joined Harvest Hosts and began welcoming RVers.
“Growing up, my family used to take RV trips, and I loved it,” said Mitzi Batterson, James River Cellars owner. “So, when this opportunity came across my desk, I thought it sounded great.”
Batterson explained that before platforms like Harvest Hosts, many RV travelers would often park overnight in parking lots or rest stops. Now, travelers have a more comfortable, experience-driven alternative.
“Harvest Hosts has been nice for us because it helps increase traffic on the weekdays,” Batterson said.
RV parking is available in the winery’s large grass field at the front of the property, and can be booked online. Guests can enjoy wine tastings, guided tours, a gift shop and live music on Friday nights. Many also explore nearby restaurants, shopping and attractions.
“We made our own tabletop QR code that visitors can scan to see a list of restaurants, RV places and facilities in the area,” Batterson explained.
“It’s been a fantastic program.”
In Fauquier County, Whiffletree Farm offers road-weary RVers a different kind of overnight stop. Travelers can settle beneath a shady oak tree and trade traffic noise for the quieter pace of a working farm.
“People are going from Florida to Maine, and they’ll need a place to stay,” said Jesse Straight, who owns the farm with his wife, Elizabeth.
The Straights have raised their family on the property and built a regenerative operation spanning 82 acres, plus 800 rented acres for beef cattle. The farm’s location off one of the East Coast’s busiest traffic corridors made Harvest Hosts a natural fit.
“And I thought it’d drive a little traffic and a little exposure,” he said.
RVers quickly discover it’s more than a place to park. Visitors can tour the property, which includes an old racetrack where prized thoroughbreds once trained. Rolling hills, picnic areas and a pond offer tranquil moments along the way.
“And it’s satisfying to see people having a good time, enjoying the beauty of our farm, and hearing about their travels,” Straight said.
Staying at a working farm where guests can collect eggs, visit sheep, goats, hogs and dairy cows and shop for pasture-raised meats, eggs and local honey creates consumer connections and learning opportunities.
“I think our culture is very segregated from agriculture and lots of people never see food being raised or understand how it works,” Jesse said. “It’s a good thing to have that exposure.”
Read more in Virginia Farm Bureau’s Summer Cultivate magazine.
