On a surprisingly mild, cloudless February morning, Jim Pope stands in front of a metal gate and whistles a lilting call down a long, narrow cluster of trees.
After a minute or so he spots them in the distance—two tall, gray-feathered figures darting in and out of visibility. After a few more whistles the two emus finally emerge and begin trotting in Pope's direction, gathering speed and determination as they approach like a pair of Velociraptors.
"I originally had no interest in emus. Heard they could be real vicious," says Pope, reaching into a sack of large feed and scattering it on the ground for the hungry birds. "But these two are relatively friendly."
The birds are more than just a quirky curiosity of Pope's—they're an economic necessity. For the last five years, Jim and his wife Joan have increasingly relied on the growing trend of agritourism, the business of inviting the public onto farms for recreational enjoyment or education. The emus are just one example of the many living attractions and activities that now bring customers to Pope's 10-acre namesake farm in Waterford, Camden County.
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/...-means-of-agritourism-for-south-jersey-farmer
After a minute or so he spots them in the distance—two tall, gray-feathered figures darting in and out of visibility. After a few more whistles the two emus finally emerge and begin trotting in Pope's direction, gathering speed and determination as they approach like a pair of Velociraptors.
"I originally had no interest in emus. Heard they could be real vicious," says Pope, reaching into a sack of large feed and scattering it on the ground for the hungry birds. "But these two are relatively friendly."
The birds are more than just a quirky curiosity of Pope's—they're an economic necessity. For the last five years, Jim and his wife Joan have increasingly relied on the growing trend of agritourism, the business of inviting the public onto farms for recreational enjoyment or education. The emus are just one example of the many living attractions and activities that now bring customers to Pope's 10-acre namesake farm in Waterford, Camden County.
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/...-means-of-agritourism-for-south-jersey-farmer