As you may have noticed, a location upgrade is not the only change coming to The Farmstead in 2019. In fact, this move is about more than just WHERE to find us—it is about WHAT we are becoming. From our early start as simply “The MAiZE” to the more comprehensive experience of the last decade as “The Farmstead,” our brand of fun has evolved to reach more people with a more rewarding experience. Now, coming home to our farm, we’ve added “Lowe Family” to the Farmstead brand.
A family name on a business can carry a lot of inferences. In some cases, that name implies a legacy, inheritance, or mark of a well-known and influential individual. It can denote a badge of distinction or exclusivity. None of those factors apply in our case. Our family is not large: just Hillary, me, and our three kids. Our heritage, while honorable, carries no notoriety in this area. By any of those measures, the decision to attach our family name to The Farmstead is sure to raise eyebrows.
On the other hand, perhaps the change can convey something really important to the people who matter most—our visitors. For us, The Farmstead is not just any business—it is sharing a piece of who we are. Now more than ever, as we invite the public to our home farm, it’s personal. This farm, this dirt, these crops are the product of sweat, tears, and prayers 365 days a year. Quite the opposite of an exclusive retreat, the total purpose of Lowe Family Farmstead is to expand the circle of people who have a connection to the place by Farming Fun and Harvesting Memories.
This connection starts with our loyal team of managers and their families who make The Farmstead possible. It grows with hundreds of seasonal workers who carry out the vision. And it becomes real with every visitor who comes to pick a pumpkin and takes home a memory.
Earlier this summer, a manager’s daughter was walking in the Farmstead parade entry carrying the full pride of ownership that comes from growing up at the farm. Looking down at her new Lowe Family Farmstead shirt, seven-year-old Oakley asked, “Mom, are we part of the Lowe Family?” Yes, Oakley. Yes, you are.
And that is our invitation to all… at Lowe Family Farmstead.