Family Business – Page 4

15 Feb 2022

“Connective Tissue” What I learned at NAFDMA pt 1 of 3

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

Did you get to ride the Mini-SuperMegaSlide in the booth?! Many dared and most survived at the NAFDMA Expo - Biggest ever?! What a convention. NAFDMA in person was a wild ride of a family-reunion-dance-rave-business-masterclass-dinner-party with some of my favorite people in the world. Someone asked, "Why is NAFDMA so different?" My answer was the structure of the convention that has been in place since my first convention waaaaaaaaay back in 2000. Put the Bus Tour first. The Bus Tour allows a huge convention to shrink first from 600 to 55, then to the people next to you. You are immersed with your Bus Group at…

02 Feb 2022

A run, a funeral, a dinner, a birthday

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

I started running again once my son joined cross-country, but he'll brow-beat me if I run indoors on the treadmill. The run. The night before, the night before. I laid out my Hokas, hat, and gloves by the door; my shorts, compression shirt, reflective shirt, and socks on the floor of my closet. Off to sleep. 5:58 AM. The alarm goes off, stumble to my feet, everything assembled goes on and off to the kitchen. I fumble around making breakfast. Cracking eggs, sizzling breakfast meat, load the plates, then they go in the microwave - safe from the kitties - because you…

12 Jan 2022

6 flights canceled, 20 hours of driving, two special girls.

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

Minutes after this picture, the Illinois wind blew my little rental car into the left hand lane, luckily no one else was there! "I have class tomorrow!" It was all planned out. I would take my daughter back to school, out for groceries, unload her into the apartment to which she now refers (marginally hurtfully as it may be) as "home." It was halfway to my speaking gig at the Illinois Specialty Growers conference, so with a few connecting flights - no big deal. ...until Tuesday morning. Thirty-five minutes before we departed for the airport, the first flight cancelation dinged through my phone. Rebooking, canceled, my…

07 Dec 2021

“Intensify the experience.”

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

One of the 'intense' and purposeful vistas created at Vala's Pumpkin Patch with trees and landscaping. In Part 1, we covered the incredible timeliness of Pricing Strategy Bootcamp that encouraged many of us to increase prices BEFORE inflation arrived. Price increases allow better profits with fewer guests to manage. In Part 2, we lamented the "Death of Novelty," about the continuous reinvestment and ingenuity required to feed the public's insatiable desire for a new product, food, or experience. In Part 3, we can make a big difference by dialing up the intensity. We're going to look at intensifying the experience. "Intensify the experience."…

30 Nov 2021

“The un-timely (timely) death of novelty.”

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

As humans, we have always been on an endless quest for novelty.The question is: How do we use that quest in our businesses? Thanks for letting me write this stuff. I I certainly could be wrong, but there seems to be nothing to do. In Ecclesiastes 1:9, King Solomon writes that "There is nothing new under the sun." It is a cry for novelty, and purpose, from a man who, throughout the book, indulged in every excess in his search to quench the unquenchable desire for novelty, meaning, and satisfaction. Is this why it seems like people keep demanding more no matter what we, as…

23 Nov 2021

“I was completely right, for once.”

Agritourism, Family Business, Seasonal Business

It's been a few weeks since October, so, hopefully, you've been able to unplug your brain a bit as we start a three-part series reviewing lessons from 2021. Thanks for letting me write this stuff. I think we might agree that there are few things more gratifying than being 'heard,' and this blogging is a great way to share ideas. As a boy, I often ridiculed, then later marveled at, my mother's journaling. It seemed so pointless! Why would you write down what has already happened, when you were there when it happened?! Only much later, actually, in the month after she died…

15 Nov 2021

Battle tested by the industry in 2021 with HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of slide riders at DOZENS and DOZENS of farms!

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

Hugh takes the guesswork out of the new stuff for you, mainly by making all the mistakes so you don't have to... Super Mega Ride-n-Slide® is a hit! Deadlines are set: December 1st, 2021 - Scheduled for April DeliveryDecember 31st, 2021 - Scheduled for May DeliveryAfter that - Currently IN DOUBT. Don't miss out creating NEW combo tickets, up-sells, and "Unlimited Ride Passes", PLUS saving on your taxes (a potential 28% savings), and getting installed for Spring festivals. Dec 1st orders should be to your farm in time for Strawberry season! The containers filling up & overseas shipping take a long time, so connect…

04 Nov 2021

Winterizing your friends and kids with FUN.

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

Frost-tipped maple leaf I found this chilly morning. The seasons are changing quickly on the way into our final weekend. Hot apple cider anyone? LAST WEEKEND is Nov 5-7, 2021 -> Farm, Maze & Winery Open Hours Farm Market: Mon-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Bakery: Fri-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Winery: Sat 12PM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM - Stock up! Final Weekend! Maize Quest: Friday & Saturday 10AM-10PM with Flashlight Nights, Sun 1PM-7PM You might have noticed the temperatures are dropping down winter-low this week. I almost always forget one garden home reel, one outdoor faucet, some potted plant, and have it freeze solid in the first big cold snap. I'm determined not to go through that this…

28 Oct 2021

Memories, like fruit, are perishable.

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

Zooming down the slide, eyes-wide, smile? Can't hide it.... LAST WEEKEND is Nov 4-6, 2021 -> Farm, Maze & Winery Open Hours Pick-Your-Own: Mon-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Farm Market: Mon-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Bakery: Fri-Sat 8AM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Winery: Sat 12PM-5PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Maize Quest: Friday & Saturday 10AM-10PM with Flashlight Nights, Sun 1PM-7PM I love the picture above. It captures exactly what we strive for in all our work—that moment of pure joy. Mom and child zooming down the slide faces alight with glee. Maybe that's Dad watching and savoring the joy of the family as he, too, must have just had a wild, fun ride. It…

21 Oct 2021

Footprints in the sand or it’s not really about pumpkins.

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

Join a thoughtful, thankful Farmer Hugh for a walk in the labyrinth. We finally had a day without a preschool tour, which is a little sad, but somewhat refreshing after going 7-days straight for a month and a half. I was walking through the Fun Park, making my list when I was captivated again by the labyrinth. I know, it doesn't seem like the most exciting attraction, but I just love it. It's calming, beautiful, and relaxing, so I walked in. As I walked, I realized that my collegiate daughter was walking through her most demanding semester, just as we were on our…