NAFDMA member spotlight: Walters Pumpkin Patch

NAFDMA members come from across North America and even across the pond. Their farm direct & ag tourism businesses range from smaller, seasonal operations to large year-round establishments. 

We like to spotlight our members and this month our feature members are Becky and Carroll Walters from Walters Pumpkin Patch in Kansas.

Their tag line is "Where Fall Begins!" and you can visit them on-line  at  www.walterspumpkinpatch.com

Becky, how would you describe your business? In the past we have been a 6 week, fall agritourism destination. We have the u-pick pumpkin patch & gourds with all the unusual varieties that we grow here on our farm. We do the hay rides, designed corn maze, have a PumpGun Cannon which shoots an 8 lb pumpkin about 1/2 mile, the pedal cars, and pedal boats, Mountain Boo the underground slide, and a jumping pillow.

We are adding a mining adventure and graveyard golf this year. On Friday and Saturday evenings during October we convert the old grain elevator into a Haunted elevator, and offer a flashlight maze as well. We're not just a field of orange pumpkins, and we're not just for kids.

The Walters business though is morphing into a corporate gathering, wedding and reunion facility too during the spring and summer. We are one of the events for the national windmillers convention here in June, and have several weddings, and a class reunion coming up early this summer.

What is exciting you about the summer of 2009? We've outgrown our facility and are adding more for our visitors to do and see while they are here. Our growth is exciting for us, scarey, but exciting!

How long have you been a NAFDMA member? We joined NAFDMA the year they went to North Carolina if anyone can figure out when that was! (You shouldn't ask these questions of an old person!) It was 2003 Becky and you're not that old, you just have more important things on your brain this time of year. :)

Why do you belong to NAFDMA? We are getting to experience new places that we would never travel to by ourselves. And the people that are members are just the best of the best. (We agree!)

We have learned so much sitting on a bus, talking over dinner, or while visiting with a vendor at the trade show. NAFDMA is about the learning process, but it's people make it a great organization.

As a hobby pumpkin business many years ago, Carroll & I went to visit Weston Red Barn (Steve and Cindy Fry) to see what they did that made them so great. Steve spent over an hour with us just talking about their business and suggested we go to a NAFDMA conference. After showing Carroll the NAFDMA website, he finally agreed to "try the conference" and we were members ever since. Thanks again to Steve and Cindy for putting us onto the NAFDMA experience.

Your most unforgettable NAFDMA memory is ... probably the rock quarry that we visited in North Carolina. I thought it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen! I came back to Kansas wanting my husband to dig me a quarry!

Thank you Becky and Carroll, we hope your year is prosperous and healthy!

Roseabella's Garden images

NAFDMA Celebrate Excellence Winner - Websites

Today we would like to spotlight the winner of the 2009 ‘Celebrate Excellence Website Contest’, Rose Merritt, from Rosabella’s Garden Bakery in Bow, WA. www.rosabellasgarden.com

Rose managed to find some time this spring (not an easy thing for a farm marketer to do) to tell us about her website and business.

NAFDMA: Rose, love the picture of you, Allan and Lili Bella. It’s fun and really sets a tone. Your web site has great photography. Can you share with us your philosophy regarding the use of images?

ROSE: The American Gothic photo of Alan, myself and Lili Bella was done as a joke for a local group here in our Valley called Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland. We asked for the lifesize cardboard cutout when they were finished with it at their annual dinner, so they gave it to us along with photos by a local artist on CD. We liked the message the photo conveyed so we submitted it to the web designers. Apparently, they found it befitting as well.

Our main desire for our website was authenticity; we wanted the website to convey exactly what we look like and what we do as a mom & pop small family farm. The website tells our story.

NAFDMA: What feature on your website are you most proud of?

ROSE: I like that our photos and address and contact information appears on every page, just the way Jane Eckert and John Stanley have been preaching to us at NAFDMA for years. I also love all the food and flower photos. I took all the photos for our website except the American Gothic.

NAFDMA: How do you generate traffic to the website?
ROSE: Since we chose a destination website over a commerce one, we generate most of our traffic during apple season. Folks who are seeking U-Pick apple farms google and find us. We pay to be aligned with Puget Sound Fresh farm guide and the famous Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in our area, both of which give us great exposure as a destination. Folks see our beautiful country red barn, rustic bakery items and gorgeous flower gardens on the website and they put us on their "must visit" list.

NAFDMA: Words of advice for those looking at starting a website or making improvements?
ROSE: Be sure to reflect your authenticity by using real life photos. Cartoons and clip art are poor substitutes. Put your address and a map in plain site, preferably on every single page. Once folks turn the page they seldom turn back. Make customers want to find you. Put your face on the line. Beautify your place and make it as unique to you as possible. Make it worth the trip, especially if you are off the beaten path like we are.

NAFDMA: What’s your biggest challenge with your website?
ROSE: Good web designers are busy and tend to put you in a queue. It took over 2 years to get my website launched. Ask about all costs involved; they can be expensive especially monthly upkeep. They didn't reveal that part to me. We are unable to go in and make changes to our hours to reflect our slow seasons without paying a fortune. Designers are in it for the money so try to get it done right the first time. Recessionary times are challenging so most of us need to cut expenses where we can.

NAFDMA: How long have you been a NAFDMA member?
ROSE: We have been members for about 10 years now. I missed a few as they seem to be getting very expensive and I now have to pick and choose. It's hard to afford much travel during a recession when customers have curtailed their spending and we must do likewise.

NAFDMA: Why do you come to the NAFDMA convention?
ROSE: To refreshen our business. I am always seeking solutions to everyday business challenges such as: people who use us as a restroom stop or dog potty stop or to dump their auto trash. We struggle daily to find positive ways to deal with such issues. On the NAFDMA trips, I try to network with others for good insights to affect positive behaviors.

NAFDMA: Why would you encourage others to attend?
ROSE: It could change their way of doing business. There is always room for improvement and positive change. When this many people come together and talk and share, you can't help but learn new ways of doing business. Everything helps. We were really in trouble in our business by the time we started coming to NAFDMA. Our eyes were opened, new energy and creativity awakened, and over time we were able to apply our new knowledge and reinvent ourselves. We are still in business when others around us have disappeared.

Thank you Rose! We hope to see you in Lancaster in February 2010.

Learning from owners and vendors and staff, oh my?

The Advanced Learning Retreat (ALR) is a relatively new educational product for NAFDMA developed in response to our member's need for more 'in-depth, in-season learning'.

In true NAFDMA form some of our senior (length of membership not age) members have risen to the occasion and offered outstanding retreats at their businesses. This is no easy feat, when  you are in operation.  But it makes for the most candid , open learning experience you can get in this industry.  

The first Advanced Learning Retreat was held in 2006 at Saunders Farm. In 2007 at Vala's Pumpkin Patch and in 2008 at Whitehouse Fruit farm. 

In 2009 our hosts are Jan and Greg Huber from Huber's Orchard and Winery.  Meet and learn from Jan, Greg, their family, staff and vendors over 2 days of sharing and network building. Enrollment is limited as the ALR provides a detailed, in-depth, intimate learning environment. 

 

What will you see at Hubers? Where will you learn? at the: Huber's Farm Market  Family Farm Park  Winery  U-pick  Plantation Hall  Bakery  Ice Cream Factory  Cheese Shop  Starlight Distillery  In the over 550 acres of orchards, fruits, vegetables, Christmas trees, pumpkins, and vineyards

Join us this July, from the 12-15th in Starlight, Indiana.  Our all-inclusive package details will be available on our website in June at  NAFDMA    

Visit our hosts at: 

Huber's Orchard and Winery

Joe Hubers Family Farm and Restaurant

NAFDMA Advanced Learning Retreat

DATES TO SAVE: 
July 12 - 15, 2009; includes your travel time. 
LOCATION: Huber's Orchard and Winery, Starlight, Indiana on July 13 & 14. 
MORE: Plus a bonus visit to Joe Huber's Family Farm and Restaurant

Celebrating what is right with NAFDMA

NAFDMA’s board of directors (BOD) is responsible for our organization’s strategic planning decisions. For our contact information see our website. www.nafdma.com

In mid April the BOD held a spring planning retreat at which we reviewed our values, mission and goals. We also participated in an extensive strategic planning process.

It’s was tough. It was controversial. It was rewarding!

One of the side benefits of the process was the team-spirit that it ignited within our board. We are renewed. We are poised for the future We are excited about the coming year and our 25th convention in Lancaster, PA.

Our Vision:

NAFDMA is a worldwide leader in advancing the farm direct marketing industry. We are renown for: -Cultivating creativity & innovation...
-Building strength through relationships ...
-Investing in the future of agriculture.

Our Mission:
The North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA) advances the prosperity of its members and the farm direct marketing industry through education, networking, participation and innovation.

Our Goals
1. Provide mechanisms and structure for NAFDMA members to benefit from sharing and developing ag diversification and marketing ideas.
2. To identify emerging trends, innovation and creative concepts of value to our members business development.
3. To educate NAFDMA members regarding theses concepts and practices.