While conventional analyses of farm hospitality upsides and downsides exist, the emotional labour requirements of such service-intensive activity are frequently overlooked. Ignoring this emotional component and its consequences (e.g. identity loss vs. reinforcement, emotional harmony) can explain project fates. By applying emotional labour to farm-based hospitality, we draw new insights. Farmers can benefit from guests’ emotional support and become ‘makers’ rather than ‘takers’ of emotional rules. From a policy perspective, increasing the farmers’ emotional literacy can facilitate a better match between their characteristics and agritourism projects.