E-I-E-I-Oh? New Agritourism Business Has Opened Up In Northfield!

Looking for something to do with your littles? Maybe you want to take the kids somewhere where they can both learn and play that's outside? It seems that parents of those that are young, and those young at heart have a new place to check out in the Northfield area! Windy Willow Farm Adventure is just opening up, with come limited hours right now, but it certainly appears like there will be plenty offered for those who come out.

The University of Minnesota Extension Rice County 4-H Facebook page turned me on to this new 'agritourism' business that is opening up just East of Northfield. There are pedal cars, animals, slides, and other activities for kids to enjoy, and as parents/adults plenty for us to learn about too.

According to the businesses website Windy Willow "is a family-owned and operated business located just east of Northfield, Minnesota. We strive to offer a high-quality educational and exhilarating experience to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas."

The business will also be offering camps for kids, which you can learn about here.

The USDA classifies agritourism as "a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism in order to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and/or educating the visitors and generating income for the farm, ranch, or business owner."

The agritourism industry, according to 2019 numbers from the USDA has generated "revenue" that has "more than tripled between 2002 and 2017, according to data from the Census of Agriculture. Adjusted for inflation, agritourism revenue grew from $704 million in 2012 to almost $950 million in 2017."

I prefer to get most of my knowledge on things, tongue and cheek of course, from The Office, did you know Dwight Schrute was a big proponent of agritourism?

Congrats to Windy Willow!

Gorgeous! The Historic Cutler Mansion in Duluth Is On The Market For Under $1 Million

Featuring a limestone facade and a castle-like appearance, one of the most recognizable homes in Duluth is the Cuter Mansion. Recently, this historic home went on the market for just under $1 million.

Dwight Cutler, a building materials mogul, obviously spared no expense when commissioning the construction of this residence, which was built in 1912. The exterior stone was quarried from Lake Erie’s Kelly Island and the woodwork throughout was skillfully crafted.

The mansion features 8,484 square feet including 12 bedrooms and 7 baths on a large, treed, corner lot. It also provides 4 attached garage spaces.

What's interesting about this listing is that it could be a revenue generator for the new owner. It was built as a single-family residence, but has since been converted into a four-plex.

Each unit of the four-plex features large living spaces, spacious bedrooms, full kitchens, and private laundries. It also provides gorgeous common spaces.

The home is currently being used as a rental, but it could also be used as a multigenerational home, possibly a bed and breakfast, or even converted back into a single-family home.

There are a lot of great options for the new owner. Take a look at Duluth's Cutler Mansion, which went on the market for $849,900.