I was thinking about what the best topic is to cover at this time of the year and I figured that most people in our business are already very involved and very busy with all things agritourism. I hate to say it, but all the information that involves getting ready for your busy season may be too late! The time has come, and the days are full.
But if you are here and you are reading this, let me take this week to simply encourage you with some reminders about why it’s all worth it.
You are getting people back to the basics of life. We have drifted far from the farm so to speak. With that we have lost the connection to hard work, the reality of where food comes from, the true connection to others apart from technology, the outdoors and all it has to offer and so much more! Remember you are providing a service to people who desperately need it. A hayride is just that to you, but to the person whose neighbor’s house is just feet away, it is a fulfilling experience. It is a memory. What you communicate is vital. And remember, you are part of the experience. Make sure people remember you in a very positive way.
You are doing something that will bring fulfillment and joy. There are things we do in life to pay the bills that become just something to “pay the bills”! There are other jobs, like agritourism, that can be the greatest job ever. Granted, when you are in the middle of October and you have been going days with very little sleep, you look forward to the end! But, there are very few jobs that offer such a wide variety of just plain fun! My kids loved being part of agritourism and for them, it is part of their childhood. The family is priority and agritourism unites a family like no other business. Enjoy the ride and remember you could be sitting in a cubicle!
You are developing a wide variety of skills. Here at Agritourismideas.com, we know we must cover a huge range of topics because agritourism requires us to learn a variety of skills. Can I give you a small list?
Food Service
Management
Bookkeeping
Construction
Animal care
Baking
Sales
Marketing
You and I know that the list is much longer. But you are growing and being stretched in ways that you don’t realize. Learn all you can!
4. You are developing people. Your staff and your guests are your investment. I know that we think a lot about the financial bottom line and return on that investment, but we need to think about the return on our investment in people. If we honestly think about the definition of success, it has little to do with the amount of money we accumulate and more with how we impact others. Don’t forget that you are building into people’s lives all the time whether you are doing so intentionally or not. And you are making a positive impact or a negative impact. Twenty years from now your staff may be able to attribute some of their life success to you and the way you have built into them.
Hope these things help today and for the next several weeks when you’re not sure why you ever got into this business! Don’t lose sight of the goal and the people you are impacting. Everything else is just part of the bigger picture. Get some sleep!