Agritourism doesn’t always begin with a business plan.
Sometimes, it begins with curiosity, necessity, and a willingness to say yes before you know exactly how things will unfold.
In episode 11 of the Agri-Tourist Podcast, host Jennifer Ross sits down with Jyl and Rico Rivera, the husband-and-wife team behind Blueberry Tree House Farm and Buffalo Tree House.
What emerges is a story not just about blueberries or treehouses—but about building experiences that reconnect people to nature, to each other, and to themselves.
Becoming a Blueberry Farmer Overnight
Nine years ago, Jyl didn’t plan to become a blueberry farmer.
She and Rico were renting a property for Rico’s treehouse construction business when they learned the land—with a struggling u-pick blueberry field—was about to be sold. Rather than uproot their work, they took a leap and bought the farm.
“I was Googling how to prune blueberry bushes,” Jyl laughs. “I had no idea what I was doing.”
Armed with grit, past experience in vegetable farming, and a deep work ethic, Jyl took over care of nearly 2,000 mature blueberry bushes, hand-pruned every year and naturally irrigated by a spring-fed hillside.
The blueberries became the foundation—but not the final vision.
When Agritourism Solves a Problem
Early on, the farm struggled with visibility. The blueberries were tucked far off the road, and few people knew they existed.
The solution didn’t come from advertising—it came from experience design.
Rico, a lifelong builder and creative thinker, suggested adding a treehouse-style playground to attract families. Once local mom groups discovered it, word spread quickly.
“The kids could play, the parents could relax, and everyone could stay longer,” Jyl explains.
That single decision sparked a chain reaction:
- Playground → more families
- Families → community gatherings
- Gatherings → live music
- Live music → food, drinks, and eventually a café
Agritourism grew organically, one idea at a time.
Blueberry Jams, Music, and Momentum
Live music nights—nicknamed Blueberry Jams—became a turning point. Thursday evening concerts drew hundreds of people who could pick berries, listen to music, and let kids roam safely.
“People loved that they didn’t have to choose between doing something for their kids or something for themselves,” Jyl says.
The farm evolved into a multi-sensory destination—part farm, part gathering place, part creative escape.
The Blueberry Treehouse Café: Built for Peace, Not Pressure
In 2022, the couple opened the Treehouse Café, an open-air structure built primarily from reclaimed wood and steel, much of it supported directly by trees.
The design philosophy was simple:
- No straight lines
- No flashy finishes
- Nothing that pulled attention away from nature
“We wanted people to feel like they were in the tree canopy,” Rico explains.
The café overlooks the blueberry fields, glows softly at night, and offers an entirely different experience depending on the time of day. Visitors describe it as peaceful, magical, and grounding—often without realizing why.
“It’s the forest,” Jyl says. “Being surrounded by trees changes people.”
Forest Bathing, Without the Buzzword
Though the couple doesn’t market it this way, what visitors experience aligns closely with forest bathing—the proven mental and physical benefits of immersion in nature.
Stories of emotional impact are common:
- A widow experiencing joy for the first time since losing her husband
- Families reconnecting without phones
- Couples choosing the farm for proposals and milestone moments
“If that was the only thing we ever accomplished,” Jyl says, “it would be enough.”
Feeding Families—Simply
The café menu stays intentionally simple:
- Charcuterie boards (including playful kid versions)
- Panini sandwiches
- Brick-oven pizza with blueberries
- S’mores kits for fire pits
- Local beer, wine, coffee, and baked goods
“We never wanted to be a restaurant,” Jyl explains. “We wanted to be a place.”
Everything reinforces the experience—nothing competes with it.
Treehouses, Airbnbs, and What’s Next
Rico’s treehouse construction business, Buffalo Tree House, builds high-end treehouse homes and rentals across the country—many used as Airbnb destinations.
At the farm, plans are underway to open treehouse Airbnb stays, supported by new infrastructure and regional development funding through New York’s Forward program.
The vision doesn’t stop there:
- A restored general store in the nearby hamlet
- Additional treehouse stays
- Seasonal art and interactive installations
- New ways to surprise returning guests
“The model works,” Jyl says. “But it only works because everything connects.”
Raising Kids Inside the Dream
Perhaps the most meaningful impact is happening quietly.
Jyl and Rico’s children—now teenagers—work on the farm, interact with customers, and participate in real business decisions.
“They understand margins, responsibility, and people,” Jyl says. “That’s an education you can’t teach in a classroom.”
The message they’re passing on is simple:
- Don’t play small
- Don’t fear risk
- Build the life you want—even if it looks unconventional
Why This Story Matters
This farm didn’t grow because of a single attraction.
It grew because of values:
- Respect for nature
- Creativity without over-commercialization
- Experiences that serve entire families
- Willingness to evolve
Agritourism, at its best, isn’t about adding more.
It’s about listening—to land, to people, and to possibility.
To listen to episode 11 of the Agri-Tourist Podcast with Jyl and Rico, click here.
