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ANCHOR INTRO: For decades, American have been moving away from their food. Nearly 24 million Americans live in "food deserts", without close access to purchase fresh produce. And many millions more only buy their fruits and vegetables from large supermarkets, where produce may have traveled across the country to land on the shelf. But recently, a local food moment has been growing in the US, as an increasing number of consumers look to buy their produce directly from local farms, where they know exactly what they're buying and how it was grown. Our correspondent Rebecca Foster visited one orchard in the state of Maryland, where average Americans pick their fruit straight from the land, to find out why this movement is gaining in popularity. SCRIPT: REPORTER VOICEOVER: Tyler Butler is not your average farmer... He does not pick his own raspberries or apples. Instead, he has his customers do it for him. Having farm visitors harvest their own food is part of a growing business model for many farms, that turning to alternatives from traditional wholesale farming in order to turn a profit. SOT SUPER: TYLER BUTLER, 3RD GENERATION FARMER, BUTLER’S ORCHARD “You can demand a higher price by having a high quality and inviting your customers on there through festivals, through different events, and the pick-your-own experience. People are willing to pay more for a great experience with their food.” REPORTER VOICEOVER: This has signaled big profits for some farms, with the US Department of Agriculture reporting over $704 million dollars in agritourism revenue in 2012 - a number that has only increased over the past few years. But while industry insiders like Tyler see financial gains, his customers are just looking for a fun day out on the farm. SOT SUPER: KATHY PECHAN, CUSTOMER "We love the experience of being out here in the fresh air, the Vitamin D from the sun, and we just love the whole experience of being able to pick our own, take it home and do what we want with it.” SOT SUPER: MARY HARRIS, CUSTOMER “There is something about picking out the ripest fruit, and making sure it tastes good, and... its also just fun!" REPORTER VOICEOVER: Butler’s Orchard has been in the pick-your-own business since the late 1950s - but recent years have seen an uptick in community interest. And while the farm attracts all types of visitors, experts like Tyler suggest millennials are driving the trend. SOT SUPER: TYLER BUTLER, 3RD GENERATION FARMER, BUTLER’S ORCHARD "Primarily it’s kind of my age group, it’s the millennial age group. We want to know where our food is coming from. We have young families, we want to to know what we’re putting in our bodies, we want to meet our farmer, we want to buy local and support our local business." REPORTER VOICEOVER: And his customers seem to agree… SOT KELSEY HARRIS, CUSTOMER: "People my age are interested in eating more locally. They look at the model they’ve grown up with like Wal*Mart and getting their food from big box stores and they look to their neighbors and they want to support their neighbors." ON CAM REPORTER SUPER: REBECCA FOSTER As summer winds down, berry picking season is drawing to a close, but these apple trees are ripe for the picking, ensuring customers keep coming to the farm, and keeping profits turning well into the colder months ahead. I’m Rebecca Foster in Germantown, Maryland, for Rudaw.