A Season of Grattitude

Circumstances as they are...
Circumstances are the external actors in your life. They act upon you from the outside seeming to control, yet their effect on you is completely determined by you.

I read a lot of motivational books and a universal theme running through them is maintaining an "attitude of gratitude."

Gratitude is an internal emotion. It can only be felt by you. That feeling can be shared through altruism, good manners, a sincere "Thank You", or directly through your actions, but it can only be felt by you.

Gratitude in every season.
We learned a lot this season and the most important was a new-found appreciation for each guest. We are not the highest attended farm in America by any means, but we host tens of thousands of guests each year.

When circumstances reduced attendance, we heard and saw the disappointment in our guests as we closed from safety. In the big picture, we like so many of you, have created a place people love to visit; love to enjoy with their families! They wouldn't be disappointed if it wasn't important to them!

We are thankful that we can do what we do. Sure, the weather sucks sometimes, but sometimes it doesn't. Marketing works, and it doesn't. Guests are great, and they aren't. I don't know about you, but I would not trade this job for any other in the world.

We in the agritourism business have got the best thing going. I truly believe it and I'm thankful for every season no matter what.

What did you learn?
As you have time, sitting 'round the fire, think about what you learned this year. Here are a few of our gems from 2009:

• We learned that we found another great radio station for advertising because we broke our record for the weekend of October 7-8.
• We learned to efficiently structure our staff scheduling to minimize payroll.
• We learned it's better to call the day off then keep the payroll clock running.
• We learned that integrating Facebook into our web site and marketing plan was an effective way to "Buy & Hold" guests with our traditional marketing efforts.

Thanks for listening.
On a personal note, I would like to express my gratitude for you reading this email series, providing feedback, and encouraging me to continue. I sure I'm not alone in feeling a bit isolated in the microcosm of our farm and maze business. Writing to you is how I reach out to think, grow, and re-energize.

It has been great being able to connect with you and I look forward to being of service to you and hopefully create value for you in the year to come.

Thank you and Happy Holidays from all of us.

Have a great week. - Hugh