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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Fall is one of the busiest times of year for farms across New York. But behind the apple picking and pumpkin patches, farmers are facing rising costs, labor challenges and pressure to stay profitable. Some are finding new ways to bring customers onto their farms and turn a day out into another source of income.

For some farms, growing the crop is only half the business. They're also finding ways to bring people to the farms to experience it firsthand. But not every farm has the same resources to make that transition.

At Becker Farms in Western New York, the harvest is just the beginning. Families can pick their own produce, visit farm animals and enjoy seasonal attractions. For co-owner Mindy Vizcarra, that experience has become an important part of the business.

“We have the wine, the beer, the cider, the events, the activities, the pick-your-own, the homemade pies, homemade donuts," said Vizcarra. "So, we do a lot of things so that hopefully by the end of the year, we’re OK. So, we’re still in the black at the end of the year.”

That diversification reflects a broader trend. A 2024 report from the New York state comptroller found income from agritourism and recreation on New York farms increased 78% between 2012 and 2022. But across the state, the number of farms fell by nearly 14% over that same decade.

“Running the U-pick operation is a really viable way to continue apple farming in a year and a kind of era where the apple industry is really struggling," said co-owner of LynOaken Farms Katie Oakes, who juggles multiple jobs on top of having to pick her kids up from school every day. LynOaken Farms is just down the road from Becker Farms. 

“This is proven to be successful for us; where the families are coming out, they want to be out here," said Oakes. "They’re happy. They’re creating memories with their family.”

But at LynOaken Farms, that transition comes with limits. After the broader family farming company closed in 2024, Katie and her husband continued operating the U-pick orchard. She said labor costs and wholesale prices had become a major challenge when the business sold apples to grocery stores.

“It's almost impossible to find local workers," said Oakes. "We used to use the H-2A program that would bring in migrant workers. It can be difficult to find people that are able to work in such a short season.”

Becker Farms has also faced rising labor and operating costs. But Vizcarra said selling directly to customers and turning excess fruit into products like hard cider and wine help extend the harvest beyond the fall.

“We wanted to be able to retail and sell our products directly to the public, so that has insulated us somewhat from the problems of labor, harvest labor, particularly," said Vizcarra.

Two farms just minutes apart, facing some of the same pressures, but taking different approaches. Agritourism can create another revenue stream, but keeping a family farm alive still takes more than a successful fall season.

“The agritourism aspect, as far as making the farming part of the attraction, has really just exploded," said Oakes. "And we're glad to be a part of it.”

And for farmers, the challenge is making sure those visitors return year after year, while keeping the agricultural operation itself sustainable. For many family farms, however, the future may depend on finding the right balance between growing food and creating an experience.