Blog – Page 17 – Hugh McPherson

04 Jul 2019

Maple Lawn Farms “Autonomy & Its Price”

Agritourism, Family Business, Maple Lawn Farms, Seasonal Business

American farmers feed our country and the world. It is a patriotic act done quietly, competently and consistently each day. The Blueberries PRIME Right Now Orchard & Market Hours: Blueberry Patch OPEN NOW 8AM-5PM Weekly: Hours are Mon-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Winery Hours: Sat 12PM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM YES - We are open on July 4th, 8AM-5PM! Blog "Autonomy & Its Price" Happy 4th of July. The birth of our country built on the principles of freedom and autonomy. Agriculture is a business and lifestyle that provides freedom and autonomy, but like everything worthwhile, it comes at a price. The United States of America came…

22 Jun 2019

Moving targets – Marketing. Part 1 of 3.

Agritourism, Marketing Tools, Seasonal Business

"Moving targets - Marketing" - Part 1 of 3. Hey, [[ contact.first_name | default: 'Friend' ]], In agriculture, we have lots of moving targets; when will the rain hit, when with the rain stop, what are the leaf wetting hours, when can I plant, and on and on and on. In marketing our products, events, and crops we have lots of moving targets as well. We have to grow it, price it, market it, and finally sell it to be successful. In the world of experiences, such as your corn maze or festival you have the additional step of delivering a fun,…

21 Jun 2019

Life on the Farm: “691,200,000,000 kernels of corn”

Agritourism, Family Business, Maple Lawn Farms, Seasonal Business

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwAcdYIjW9w The Sweet Cherries & Blueberries Ready Friday! Orchard & Market Hours: Cherry Orchard & Blueberry Patch OPEN NOW 8AM-5PM Weekly: Hours are Mon-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Winery Hours: Sat 12PM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Life on the Farm: "691,200,000,000 kernels of corn" Farms are entities that last beyond a single individual. It hit me when we were planting new peach trees that my Dad, who is 76 and works hard every day, might not see the end of these trees' 20+ year life span. The innovative grain elevator that he designed and built in 1968 or so, is finally at the end of its lifespan and…

01 Apr 2019

Maple Lawn Farms & Fun Park Closing, a new direction for 2019.

Family Business, Maize Quest Corn Maze & Fun Park, Maple Lawn Farms

A new direction for this family farm. Hey Gang, This doesn't happen often, but every generation is different, so we're taking a new direction at Maple Lawn Farms. Kids will be kids, and my kids, the 6th generation at Maple Lawn Farms have spoken - it's time for a different phase. Our kids just aren't into the whole, "Crazy Farmer Hugh & Mazes" stuff, so they have opted for a new path: Beef Cattle. We'll be tearing out the slide, the labyrinth, though the bamboo will stay in place. The pedal kart track is leaving as well, and the corn box will remain, but as a…

22 Mar 2019

Transforming into Transformational – Haunt & NAFDMA Part 3 of 4

Agritourism, Marketing Tools, Seasonal Business

This is Part 3 in a 4 part series I've been working on since the NAFDMA convention (that's North American Farmers Direct Marketing Assoc. or FarmersInspired.com) in an effort to encapsulate and explore all the ideas I uncovered and make them useful. This blog series is meant to be responsive and interactive, so please, when I ask seemingly rhetorical questions or really hard questions at the end of each, take up the challenge and answer back by email! I want you to be disturbed by these questions, to shock your brain into a creative mode. Hope you enjoy! "Transforming into Transformational" Hey gang, "Transforming…

26 Feb 2019

F&B is the driver / My faults laid bare.

Agritourism, Marketing Tools, Seasonal Business

This is Part 2 in a 4 part series I've been working on since the NAFDMA convention (that's North American Farmers Direct Marketing Assoc. or FarmersInspired.com) in an effort to encapsulate and explore all the ideas I uncovered and make them useful. This blog series is meant to be responsive and interactive, so please, when I ask seemingly rhetorical questions or really hard questions at the end of each, take up the challenge and answer back by email! I want you to be disturbed by these questions, to shock your brain into a creative mode. Hope you enjoy! F&B is the driver / My…

23 Feb 2019

You’re totally fighting for less time, totally.

Agritourism, Maize Quest Corn Maze & Fun Park, Marketing Tools, Seasonal Business

This is Part 1 in a 4 part series I've been working on since the NAFDMA convention (that's North American Farmers Direct Marketing Assoc. or FarmersInspired.com) in an effort to encapsulate and explore all the ideas I uncovered and make them useful. This blog series is meant to be responsive and interactive, so please, when I ask seemingly rhetorical questions or really hard questions at the end of each, take up the challenge and answer back by email! I want you to be disturbed by these questions, to shock your brain into a creative mode. Hope you enjoy! You're totally fighting for less time,…

16 Jan 2019

Other known associates.

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

Other Known Associates. Hey Gang, In the world of law enforcement, criminals are often tracked down by listing "Known Associates" or "KAs" Essentially, the officers determine the whereabouts, motivations, and likelihood of action through association. They are looking for the 'internal state' of a suspect, based on the external interpersonal connections the suspect makes. If the police were to look around your life, look into your "Other Known Associates," what would they discover about your internal state? In researching Mastermind Groups for last year's Sunflower Mastermind, I found the near-origin, certainly the modern popularization, of the Mastermind concept in the work of Napoleon Hill, specifically…

10 Jan 2019

2019 NAFDMA’s current lack of judgement.

Agritourism, Maize Quest Corn Maze & Fun Park, Seasonal Business

Really? Again? Shouldn't you know better by now than to do THAT? Hey Gang, I don't know what's happening, but the current board and staff of NAFDMA are showing a real lack of good judgment. I came to NAFDMA for the first time in 1999's convention when I was 24 years old. I had been asked to speak about Public Relations, which I thought I could do well. Upon arrival, I found out I was speaking after Jane Eckert, media professional, consultant and, then, actively involved with one of the largest farm market operations in the industry. I was terrified. My presentation went OK,…

05 Jan 2019

So what do you do now?

Agritourism, Family Business, Maple Lawn Farms, Seasonal Business

"So what do you do now?" Hey, I got out of the maze mobile in front of our farm market and office, and it was utterly silent. At 9:06 am, I was over an hour late for my usual Saturday arrival and, though a weak pang of guilt was niggling in the back of my mind, the silence reconfirmed it was OK; I was OK. We are closed in January. Farm market, maze complex, and wine tasting room are all shuttered through the dreary Pennsylvania winter months. Our farm is not, as anyone who has visited can attest, near a busy town, busy…