On Saturday, April 1st 2017, agriculture students from across the country visited our area of Delmarva as part of an educational tour program. They were attending the 97th National Block & Bridle Convention in Arlington, Virginia which was co-hosted by the University of Connecticut and American Society of Animal Science, and the theme focused on “A scientific voice in agriculture”. We were honored and excited to have been contacted months previously and selected as one of the four tour stops on Maryland’s eastern shore which included: · Oyster Hatchery · Dairy Farm · Alpaca Farm · Spocott Farm Our contact at the American Society of Animal Science had informed us that there would be three separate groups arriving, each to include approximately 90 students. We had scheduled them a few hours apart to allow Phil to speak to each group for approximately 30 minutes, offering background and details of operations of the alpaca farm, care of the animals, medical aspects, etc. Following his presentation there was an opportunity for to ask questions and general discussion. Each group was at our farm for approximately one hour, and all participants seemed engaged and excited to visit and learn about the animals. Some of the topics covered were animal husbandry, business aspects of farm operation and we had a wonderful time interacting with such interested young people. We feel that our location here on Delmarva is rich with such opportunities to bring future visitors, not only in the categories of tourism and vacation experiences, but also in the capacity for educational programs. Considering that there are so many varieties of agriculture, farming and locally-made products which can be found across the eastern shore portions of Maryland and Virginia, as well as Delaware, it seems that we would be ideally positioned for the creation of a “multi-state” Ag Trail or Agritourism Experience. While there are a few small programs already in place, such as the Kent County, MD “Farm and Country Driving Tour” and the “Virginia's Eastern Shore Artisan Trail”, there appears to be no combined effort which brings together so many of these experiences and sites which could attract visitors to our entire Delmarva Peninsula. We believe that there is great value in marketing the unique aspects of this area and would be excited to reach out and connect with others who share this goal. Sincerely, Phil & Vickie Liske www.OutstandingDreamsFarm.com Facebook Page Twitter Instagram Email Phone: 410-673-2002 24480 Pinetown Road Preston, MD 21655