There is something about visiting a farm that has a universal appeal . Just stepping out into greenspace , away from congested streets and unending noise , fills the soul with a fresh perspective .

The efficient , steady work by farmers and ranchers and the abundance of their production are clearly on display . Nearly all guests at a farm enjoy themselves – especially children .

Some proprietors greet newcomers with agritourism adventures , offering amenities such as regularly scheduled rides , games , food and entertainment . Visitors also learn about contemporary agriculture . In return , the proprietor charges admission , generating additional income and enhancing the stability of the operation .

But there is a risk involved . Trent Mathews knows it firsthand . He and his wife , Sharon , established a corn maze on the family ’ s farm in Santa Rosa County in 2009 . Their venture was so popular that they drew nearly 13,000 visitors in their first year .

Despite this success , one of their guests suffered a broken ankle soon after they opened the maze . The injured party sued for damages , forcing the Mathews family to spend a considerable sum for their legal defense . Fortunately , they were able to hang on to their liability insurance .

“ It was a scary situation for us because it was brand new to us to have someone on the farm and have an injury occur ,” Mathews said . “ That lawsuit was a three-year process . It

cost us money and a lot of time . Our insurance premium tripled .”

The couple worried about the prospect of similar lawsuits in the future . “ Things like that are beyond our control ,” Mathews explained . “ A farm is not a controlled environment . We have armadillo holes , ant beds and other variations in the ground . If we continued to have minor accidents like that over time , we would not be able to get insurance . And that would put us out of business .”

The threat of such a lawsuit was apparent more than a decade ago to family members who operate the Adams Ranch , based near Ft . Pierce . In 2000 , after a young woman

accidentally fell and broke her arm during a paid tour , her parents sued the ranch owners . As a result , the family decided to end all such tours on the property .

Mike Adams , president of the ranch , said even though the suit ultimately failed , “ it cost us time and angst and family turmoil because we had to shut down our tour business .

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