Membership

Become a member of the SLO County Farm Trail

A large group of people, including children, adults, and seniors, gathered outdoors in front of a gazebo and a wooden sign that reads 'FARMstead ED,' during a community event in a park on a clear day with trees and buildings in the background.

Every farm tells a story

FARMstead ED’s San Luis Obispo County Farm Trail is about sharing stories with people seeking agriCULTURAL experiences in SLO CAL

OUR GOAL is bringing together local farms and producers as a collaborative network of collective marketing efforts which introduce visitors and local consumers to the growers and makers on the SLO County Farm Trail map, our annual Open Farm Days Weekend, farm tours and workshops at each farm.

A group of people, including a boy, riding on a tractor with a trailer through a wooded area during the day. Some people are waving and smiling. The surroundings are green with trees and bushes.

What’s your farm’s story?

We invite you to become a trail member

By joining, you will gain increased potential to welcome more guests to your farm who are interested in what you grow and the products you make.
Come share your story and share a bigger voice for SLO CAL agriCULTURE.

Become a Member

Membership

We have two types of trail members:

Trail Member
Farms / Ranches / Makers

Collaborative Member
for those who support the Trail Members

Trail Members Eligibility: To be eligible for a Trail Membership, you must be currently engaged in local farming, ranching, and/or producing products derived from local agricultural ingredients in San Luis Obispo County and must have a physical location that can be represented as a dot on the farm trail map open to the public or can be open for Farm Trail happenings. Note: year-round open to the public is not required to be eligible, though the ability to welcome the public for/participate in Farm Trail activities is.

Collaborative Members Eligibility: To be eligible for a Collaborative Membership, you must be a local business or organization that celebrates and works in partnership with SLO County agriculture; i.e. agricultural organizations, financial institutions, suppliers, farm to table restaurants, etc. One of our goals is to make the connection between the Trail Members, the Collaborative Members, and their businesses.

Membership Fees

  • Returning Member Annual Rate: $350, due by 10/15/26

  • New Member Annual Rate: $400, due by 10/15/26

Become a Member

Benefits

Annual Membership Benefits Include:

  • + Positioning on the printed SLO County Farm Trail Map

    + Trail Members will be represented as a dot on the printed map with a full listing of their farm or ranch

    + Collaborative Members will have a name listing on the printed map

    + Logo and link listed on our website’s membership page and in our consumer newsletters

    + Your happenings, tours, workshops, etc. shared with us will be promoted via our consumer newsletter and social media platforms

    + Opportunity to join the Local Roots program; a platform where consumers find more information about booking hands-on agricultural experiences with your farm directly

    + Exposure to DMOs (Destination Marketing Organization, i.e. Visit SLO CAL, Travel Paso, CA Grown), hotels, & travel groups who market the Farm Trail to potential visitors

    + The opportunity to participate in Open Farm Days 2027 and/or at least (1) FARMstead ED SLO County Farm Trail event throughout the year

    + Priority consideration for participation in select SLO County Farm Trail Farmers’ Marketplaces throughout the year

    + Opportunities to participate in media and travel industry FAM (familiarization) Tours and local DMO promotions

  • + Listed as a featured Farm Stay / Place to Stay on our “Places to Stay” page on the website (if applicable)

The Numbers

  • Annually 15,000 maps are circulated to visitors, local hotels, businesses, visitor centers, chambers of commerce, DMOs marketing teams, and all farms on the map

  • 23,000+ website visitors annually

  • 8,400+ social media followers (Instagram & Facebook)

  • 6,300+ engaged newsletter subscribers

  • $30K+ value of our advertising and marketing efforts promoting the SLO County Farm Trail

    • For approximately $1/day your business benefits from the collaborative and collective marketing efforts of the Farm Trail.

  • 4,000+ guests have attended Open Farm Days activities, marketplaces, dinners, tours and demos over the past 6 years

  • 12 years in action promoting our locally grown and made

  • FARMstead ED is one of 7 members of the CA Open Farm Passport funded by USDA Agritourism Specialty Crop Grant

What our partners say about us…

  • A middle-aged woman wearing a large straw sunhat, pearl earrings, and a denim jacket, smiling at the camera. She is sitting outdoors against a red wall with a green bench.

    "As a trail member, our awareness into different markets has been magnified by the promotion and awareness generated by FARMstead ED. It is a great organization that truly represents the farms, makers and purveyors of our community and we are proud to be members!"

    Martha Van Inwegen
    Life Elements

  • Smiling elderly woman with short gray hair, wearing a light blue button-up shirt, against a light blue background.

    “Local farming exists and thrives in SLO County. Your Farm Trail map is a great expression of this and is also a unifying instrument for local farming and production operations to have a larger voice and presence within the community.”

    Karen Tallent
    The Groves on 41

  • Smiling woman with glasses and shoulder-length hair outdoors with green foliage background.

    “Joining FARMstead ED literally put us on the map. Previously we struggled with getting the word out about our farm and what we do. Since joining, our workshops and farm tours consistently sell out. We have also met quality collaborators in which we use their products as ingredients for our own products.”

    Tina Ballantyne
    Giving Tree Family Farm

  • A smiling man with a beard, wearing a navy blue baseball cap and an olive green T-shirt, standing against a light-colored background.

    “We love being a part of the farm trail and FARMstead ED does an amazing job showcasing the local farms on the central coast. We are grateful for their support and awareness they bring to the community and tourism.”

    Chris Batlle
    Mighty Cap Mushrooms

  • A smiling woman with blonde hair and glasses, wearing a white shirt and a black apron, standing against a dark background.

    FARMstead ED has truly enriched our journey as a farm, and we are grateful to be part of such a passionate and dedicated community.

    Gina Hambly
    Hambly Farms

  • A woman with curly gray hair smiling outdoors, wearing a floral patterned shirt, with green foliage in the background.

    FARMstead ED is such an incredible opportunity for all  local Farms to have guidance, exposure in the industry and top notch representation! These are key for the lifeblood of our farms and are things that most small farmers may not be able to achieve on their own. To all Farmers: FARMstead ED and Lynette together are an amazing collaboration of all things right in support of our farming world.

    Karen Roach
    Olea Farm

“The story of family farming underscores a legacy of sustainability ”
— Amanda Zaluckyj