Page B—Grower and Marketer, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 20, 2000
(Continued from Pago 7)
“We also like to put a face
with the produce they are
purchasing,” she said.
“When they purchase their
next apple, they can remem
ber the person who gave them
the tour.”
Many of the school chil
dren travel from the Mechan
icsburg and Harrisburg areas.
However, local children also
come to tour the farm.
“It amazes me how little
these children know about
agriculture and fruit grow
ing,” said Hollabaugh. “It’s
really important to get local
kids to see where their food
comes from.”
Another way the Holla
baughs educate the commu
nity is by hiring young people
to work at the market.
“We had a girl working for
us since she was 14 who is
now a sophomore in college,”
said Hollabaugh. “This year
will be the first summer she
hasn’t worked on the farm,
and she said she would really
miss it. If she wouldn’t have
been exposed to fruit farming
here, she would have never
known about it.”
The Hollabaughs stress
customer service and home
grown produce in their mar
keting tactics. They
emphasize that customers are
coming to a working farm to
buy their produce. They re
quire their employees to keep
a smile on their face and to be
willing to help customers
with their questions and
needs.
“Now, with the education
room, we can take customers
who have a lot of questions
back there and show them
the observation hive to ex
plain fruit growing,” said
Hollabaugh. “Customers
know that when they come
here, they’re coming to
growers who can answer their
questions.”
Mist Sprayers
We offer a complete line of low volume
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vegetables, orchards, nurseries, tall
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For free brochure contact:
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Rt. 3, Box 73 • Quinter, KS 67752
913-754-3513 1-800-864-4595
www.swihart-sales.com
Adams County Fruit Farm And Market
Emphasizes Ag Education
The Hollabaughs advertise
their market and its events
through direct mail, along
with newspaper advertise
ments and cable television
ads.
“We have a database of
about 5,000 people that we
mail direct mail pieces to sev
eral times throughout the
year,” said Hollabaugh.
Two years ago the Holla
baughs launched their own
Website, www.hollabaugh
bros.com, which allows their
customers to place orders on
line.
“The website has really
helped to expand our gift box
business,” said Hollabaugh.
They sell tray-packed gift
boxes in 10 different varie
ties.
“Our claim to fame is that
we grow everything that is in
the box,” said Hollabaugh.
“A lot of area businesses
order them for their custom
ers and clients.”
The Hollabaughs host fruit
festivals to bring in new cus
tomers and educate them
about fruit growing. In
August, they conduct a two
day peach festival. Then,
during the second weekend in
October to tie in with the Na
tional Apple Harvest Festival
in Ardentsville, they host an
apple festival.
This year will be the 10th
year for the peach festival.
“When I became actively in
volved in the farm, it seemed
that people just naturally
came here because it was
apple country,” said Holla-
baugh. “But I wanted them
to know that it was peach
country, too.”
The event started as a
Sunday event and has grown
to a two-day event with live
entertainment, free wagon
tours, and a variety of peach
samples. The festival usually
draws several thousand
people.
“We don’t charge for
either of our festivals,” said
Hollabaugh. “But we do
accept donations for the Hos
pice of the Good Shephard in
Gettysburg. That has gone
over surprisingly well with
our customers.”
This year the Hollabaughs
will be part of the State Hor
ticulture Association of
MECHANICSBURG
(Cumberland Co.) Last
year’s drought brought a
couple of observations on
sales figures for one irrigation
supply company: “fabulous”
and “great,” said Jay
Watson, president of Watson
Irrigation and Contractor
Supply, Inc.
The company, starting its
eighth year, employs four full
time. Watson supplies resi
dential lawn sprinkling and
water gardening systems to
landscapers. The company
also supplies reels and center
pivots and portable irrigation
systems to the agricultural
market.
Pennsylvania’s (SHAP)
annual summer orchard tour
July 18-19. The tour features
different farms and facilities
in Pennsylvania with fruit
growers from Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and other states
invited on the tour.
The Hollabaughs will also
be the hosts of this year’s
Adams County Farm City
Festival Sept. 9. This event
typically draws 1,000 people
and educates visitors about
agriculture practices in
Adams County.
As current ag committee
chairperson for the Gettys
burg/Adams Area Chamber
of Commerce, Hollabaugh
was approached by the Farm
Irrigation Supply Company:
1999 A ‘Great’ Year
Watson also supplies dust
control equipment used to
wet down roads in construc
tion and other sites.
About 70 percent of Wat
son’s market is in residential
and commercial turf man
agement companies, with the
remainder in agricultural
supplies, noted Watson.
Watson handles Hunter,
Toro, and Rainbird for resi
dential irrigation.
Nelson Big Gun sprinklers
and Rainbird sprinklers are
the major agricultural sprin
klers, according to Watson.
The company distributes
equipment made by Kifco
Ag-Rain, Havana, 111. and
City Day committee early
this year.
“We’re still in the planning
stages,” said Hollabaugh.
“But we’re planning to have
wagon rides, tours, and apple
picking. The committee will
also be bringing in animals to
educate guests about animal
agriculture.
“Whenever we get some
one in our market who is
really interested in learning
more, I just talk and talk,”
said Hollabaugh. “I get really
excited about educating our
community. Our customers
know they can trust us
we’ll give them honest an
swers about our growing
practices and any food safety
issues that arise.”
Hobbs Reel-Rain, Suffolk,
Va., for agricultural irriga
tion needs.
The company services
about 300 customers all
within a 100-mile radius of
Harrisburg, said Watson.
The largest sales volume in
cludes Toro irrigation equip
ment for landscapers.
Last year proved memora
ble for the company, with
good sales throughout the
drought for both aspects of
the business. Sales slowed
only when lawn watering re
strictions went into place.
The restrictions “definitely
affected everybody’s business
as far as irrigation,” Watson
said.