We love to be asked questions! For the past 17 years we have been asked literally thousands of questions from “Is this the home farm?” to “What do you do with all the leftover pumpkins?” For my first blog, I thought I would answer the two most frequently asked questions.
Each year, the most common question asked by our guests as they arrive at the farm is “What’s new on the farm this year?” The answer to the first question actually allows me to answer the second most frequently asked question, “What do you do when you close for the season?” Many people seem to think we close up, sit down and relax just waiting for opening day the next year. Back when we started 17 years ago and both worked full-time off the farm, that statement was very true, the biggest thing we had to worry about was getting everything put away for the winter (that task took a couple days) and then sometime before spring we just needed to order seed.
Now it takes us weeks and many farmhands to put away and winterize everything we use for our May through October farm adventures. Nowadays it also seems we are constantly planning and thinking ahead, even forward several years. During the winter, we travel to conferences to get new ideas and meet with farmers who are also in this business. This past year we went to the Great Lakes Expo in Grand Rapids, MI in December, The Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference in WI Dells in January, The MAiZE Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina in February and lastly to St. Louis to the Midwest Haunt Show in March.
I don’t want to give away too many of the surprises that will be unveiled this summer and fall but I can say that the UPS truck has been stopping and I will be taking my truck and trailer out to Pennsylvania to bring back a load of goodies at the end of this month.
Please don’t stop asking questions. We will always try and get you an answer. Till next time, keep thinking spring! It’s gotta come soon!
