Jul 9, 2009

Learning Retreat Will Study Diversified Farm Market

When it comes to farm marketing and agritourism, Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyards is the total package. You don’t often see an operation with as many dimensions, said Charlie Touchette, executive director of the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA).

There are plenty of farm markets out there with fruit stands or retail stores or play areas or wineries or bakeries or u-pick fields that lack some other component, but that’s not the case with Huber’s. The Starlight, Ind., orchard has a little bit of everything, Touchette said.

“It’s an amazing operation,” he said. “They’re so thorough.”

That’s why Huber’s was chosen to host NAFDMA’s 2009 Advanced Learning Retreat, scheduled for July 12-15. The annual retreat gives participants an in-depth look at successful farm marketing operations.

Touchette toured Huber’s a few weeks ago in preparation for the retreat, and he was blown away by the “magnitude and depth of all the elements.” The orchard will definitely have something for everyone, he said.

Jan Huber, a member of the family that owns the orchard, thinks the educational experience will go both ways during the retreat.

“We’ll probably learn as much from the people attending as they’ll learn from us,” she said.

Participants will spend two days on the farm, but even that won’t be enough to see everything. At least they’ll get to see it while it’s open and busy, however. July is a tough time to bring farm marketers together, but if they can break away from their own businesses to study another it should be worth their time, Jan said.

There will be plenty to see – and not just fruits and vegetables. The Huber Web site, www.huberwinery.com, lists some of the farm’s activities: the family farm park, café, tasting bar and gift shop, bakery, ice cream/cheese shop, rental space (for weddings, meetings, etc.), distillery (for making brandy) and winery.

All sectors of the business complement one another, and each has its own particular draw. Together, they bring in more than 400,000 visitors annually, many of them from three nearby metropolitan areas: Louisville, Ky., Cincinnati and Indianapolis, Jan said.

The Web site details the orchard’s history, which goes back to 1843 when Simon Huber, a German emigrant, settled in southern Indiana and started a farm. Six generations later, the Huber family is still living and working on the farm, which has expanded to more than 600 acres.

Cousins Greg and Ted Huber currently run the family business. Ted handles the distillery, winery and 60 acres of vineyards, while Greg, Jan’s husband, oversees the orchard and farm market. Jan manages the office. Ted’s wife Dana handles marketing and public relations. Jan and Greg have three kids, including a son who just graduated from college and is returning to the farm. Ted and Dana have two sons.

There are 25 year-round employees, but they hire up to 100 in the busy season, Jan said.

All questions will be answered during the retreat, but the biggest question Touchette would like answered is this: What does it take to have quality diversification on a farm?

The Hubers have shown what it takes, but they’ve also proven that nothing happens overnight. It’s taken them seven generations to get where they are, Touchette said.

“Don’t push faster than your business can handle,” he said. “Ride the wave that you’re on. That’s something the Hubers do really well.”

There’s still time to register for the Advanced Learning Retreat. For more information, visit www.nafdma.com or call 888-884-9270.