It wasn’t the grapes. I’ve picked wild grapes in the woods near my home. 

No, what made the grape harvest in Portugal spectacular was the expansive view over the glistening ribbon of the Douro River below, and the smell of good rich dirt mixed in with the sweetness of ripening fruit. It was the sound of buzzing bees and guitar music off in the distance. 

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, immersive trips across the country and around the world. Learn more here.

Mostly, though, it was realizing that this place had been here for centuries with people doing the same work our small group of travelers were doing that day–bending over, releasing stems of bulging red orbs from their vine and placing them in a bin so they could be carried up the hill to the building that would turn them into a delicious wine.

We were standing in the stream of history, a continuum that has defined the culture and society of the Douro Valley; it was the feeling that in addition to traveling to one of the most beautiful spots in Europe, we were traveling through time. 

Close to the Earth

The harvest at Quinta Nova is one of the highlights of our annual trip to Portugal. Quinta Nova was the first vineyard in the storied Douro Valley region. 

I once owned a lavender farm in Texas and was amazed by how thrilled people were to get their hands into the plants.

It’s important to me to include agriculture visits on trips as much as possible. I’ve seen the awe and serenity agri-tourism inspires from both sides–as a traveler and a farmer. I once owned a lavender farm in Texas and opened it up for people to cut their own flowers. I was amazed by how thrilled people were to get their hands into the plants, how transported they were by the heavenly scent. People flocked to our farm for an escape from the city and to discover something essential–a closeness to the Earth, I believe–that they may not have known they needed.

Getting Holistic 

I’m not the only one who has seen the benefits of getting yourself into a field. The global agri-tourism market is growing at a rate of 11 percent per year, according to market statistics provided by Grandview Research. Their surveys showed this growth is driven by a demand for more authentic, rural and food-based experiences, especially those connected to sustainability and culture. Vogue magazine calls it “the latest wellness travel trend.” 

It’s one thing to see truffle hunting on the screen and another thing to experience it for yourself.

Anthony Bourdain successfully used food as the best way to explore culture, and introduced millions of TV viewers to new countries through what they grew and ate. It’s one thing to see truffle hunting on the screen and another thing to experience it for yourself–as guests did last year on our fall trip to Umbria (we also harvested olives). And eating traditional food in a restaurant in a destination is fabulous, but you’re still a few steps removed from understanding the role that food plays in society and history.

Here are some places where NextTribe zeroes in on agriculture—with women showing us the way whenever possible, as told through testimonials from our travelers.

Wine Time

“During our three days of heaven at a Relais & Chateau winery hotel in the Douro Valley, we actually had to work for our wine! Just kidding…but we did have the fun and privilege of learning about grape harvesting first hand when issued hats, buckets, and shears and set loose in the oldest vineyard in the region. Some of us snapped more photos than grapevines, but we got the job done.” –Laura Ross, New York City

Hot House Tomatoes

In Iceland, we visit a tomato farm inside a massive greenhouse. (How else are you going to grow tomatoes in Iceland?) We ate inside a greenhouse filled with tomato plants, then learned afterward about what they have to do to grow the tomatoes in such a climate.

Just imagine having a beautiful dinner surrounded by tomato vines and lettuces of all colors! 

“Two of the best restaurants I have ever been to were in Iceland! (And that’s saying something because I’m from New Orleans!) The reason they were so special was not only the food but the ambience!  They were both in greenhouses where they were growing their own produce with the help of Geothermal heat!  Just imagine having a beautiful dinner surrounded by tomato vines and lettuces of all colors!  Exquisite!” –Cathy Schneider, Austin, Texas

Reading the Tea Leaves

In Southern India, we spend a lot of time on or near the water, but we also explore how things grow in this fertile land. 

The experiences brought India’s history and the current time together in a manner that was so magical and informative.

“We did a deep dive into tea culture, visiting a plantation where we walked through tea fields that climb up the mountainside, and visited a tea factory (which has been operating since the British colonial era) where tea leaves are dried, sorted, cut and graded for sale.  We also went to a spice farm where cardamom and pepper are grown, and then helped a group of women sort cardamom by size and quality. Both experiences brought India’s history and the current time together in a manner that was so magical and informative.” –Suzanne Robinson, Leawood, Kansas

Chocolate Heaven in the Rainforest

Our adventurous trip from the Amazon to the Andes in Ecuador offers more than one opportunity to see how locals tap into nature’s bounty to create products for export, and support their economy. ”The lodge we stayed at in the rainforest is starting a chocolate business. We got to see and participate in the whole process on a small-scale farm–from growing and harvesting the cacao pods to roasting, peeling, grinding and finally creating (and tasting!) the delicious end result of all that work.”– Brandi Andrade, Asheville, North Carolina

Mountain Wisdom

A region as culturally rich as Appalachia has a vibrant food scene. On our Asheville trip, we go straight  to the source of some of the best local ingredients on a foraging trek through the woods with a local biologist. We gather mushrooms, nuts, berries, greens and learn the natural healing qualities of various plants.

It’s a way to connect to a time when we all were closer to our food.

A high-end local restaurant then prepares what we’ve harvested as part of our meal that night. It’s a way to deeply connect to the land we’re visiting, and to a time when we all were closer to our food, and grandmothers and mothers passed this forest wisdom on to their children. “That tradition is gone, mostly, but at least for one day we can get a better understanding of how our ancestors fed and took care of their families.” Katherine Adams, Houston, Texas.