In this episode of the Hort Culture Podcast, hosts Brett, Alexis, Jessica, and Ray are joined by returning guest Savannah Columbia to discuss her master's thesis research on specialty cut flower workshops, consumer behavior, and the rising "experience economy" within agritourism. Savannah framing her study around the concepts of search, experience, and credence goods, explains that hands-on agritourism activities—such as floral arrangement, wreath making, seed starting, and flower drying—function as "experience goods" because their quality and value can only be evaluated by consumers after the event takes place. She points out that consumer interest in these interactive farm experiences has risen sharply since COVID-19, aligning with massive growth in the cut flower industry; national census data shows a 60% increase in farms reporting cut flower sales, and Kentucky's own cut flower directory expanded exponentially from 35 growers in 2020 to roughly 159 by 2026.

To better understand what drives this market, Savannah conducted a three-part survey tracking consumer experiences before the workshop, immediately following the event, and four weeks post-experience across nine flower growers in Kentucky and North Carolina. Her research maps out "pre-decision variables" like price, location, demographics, and travel distance alongside long-term consumer relationships. The hosts reflect on how these findings mirror their own real-life behaviors, discussing how modern consumers often prioritize purchasing memorable experiences or experience-based gifts over physical items, concluding that these workshops serve as a vital tool for farmers looking to establish a high consumer lifetime value.

FLORAL ENCOUNTERS: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF EXPERIENCE GOODS AND PROMOTERS IN SPECIALTY CUT FLOWER WORKSHOPS

Center for Crop Diversification 

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service

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