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Employee Training Sept 12, 2014 at 5:00pm (approx. 45 mins.)
Thanks for your commitment to Brown’s Harvest this fall season! Brown’s is a Family Farm that has been growing tobacco and other crops for over 150 years in the Windsor area. This is our 37th season for providing hayrides and pumpkin picking to the community. Our goal is to provide a fun, clean, and safe place for families to come and enjoy this special time of year. At the same time, it is important for us to provide quality local products that are associated with this time of year. We grow our own Pumpkins, Mums, and gourds. We make our own cider donuts in our commercial kitchen on property and we bake our own pies.
A number of years ago, we started supporting charities that directly effect children, beginning with Alex’s Lemonade stand. It is important for you to become familiar with the charities we support. Info may be found through our website or the charity’s direct web site.
Charities we are supporting:
- Alex’s Lemonade Stand
- Shriner’s Hospital in Springfield, MA.
- Andrew Races
- Autism Speaks
- Mary’s Place
- Windsor Food Bank
We donate a portion of our pumpkin sales to each. Alex’s is simply the sale of lemonade by volunteers and direct donations.
October is also ANTI-BULLYING Month. We have hooked up with Spookley the Square Pumpkin the past number of years to get this important message to the kids. It is a story that helps kids realize the importance of accepting each other’s differences. We’ve featured Spookley in previous years through growing an actual square pumpkin and having the book and DVD available for sale. We will be having a movie night with Spookley on Friday October 5th, 6:30-8:00.
The season is fun, intense, and goes by quickly!
We have high expectations from all of you helping out:
*Excellent customer Service. Please greet each customer, even if it’s just a “hello” or “good morning”, “let me know if you have any questions”, etc. It’s important to make that personal contact. Brown’s has been complimented on our wonderful, friendly, staff! (By the way, if a customer insists on tipping, please donate it to one of the charities Brown’s support, Alex’s is usually the best bet and let them know you are contributing).
*Please arrive on time and prepared for what’s going on at “the patch” that day. If the weather is poor, times may change, so please remain flexible.
Conversely, if weather is great, be prepared for staying a few minutes longer to accommodate the customers. Busy weekends may end at 6:15-6:30pm.
I will try to send out the weekly schedule through e-mail. Please check your e-mail and if you’re not sure of when you are working please call me.
*If you don’t know the answer, or are not sure of something, please ASK.
*Refrain from using your cell phone during work time, including TEXTING, and never use it in front of a customer. I know we’re all glued to our cell phones, but it is distracting and rude to our customers.
*10-15 minute breaks are allowed if working 6 hours or fewer. If working longer you may take a half hour, unpaid. Please eat away from customers and not near the check out area. You may store lunches on the bottom shelf of the cooler—if there’s room.
*Friends are welcome to visit to say a quick “hello”, but not for too long. J
*Keep busy. We are a clean and neat place. That means there is always a piece of trash to pick up, mums or pumpkin displays to refill or adjust. Wagons end up out in the parking lot— a lot. Mums need straightening and watered. Counters and scales need wiping, constantly. So, if everyone pitches in, we can keep it clean and neat. Much of our business is through “word of mouth”, hopefully, it’s 99.9% good words! It is helpful to us if you spread the word on events happening, or sharing photos from the Farm on Facebook or through your daily travels.
Encourage friends, customers, and family to “Like Us” on Facebook. We will be sending out reminders of Farm Happenings through Facebook and e-newsletters, as well as our website.
Although we try to remain traditional, we are always seeking new ideas and ways to improve. We welcome you to share your thoughts and ideas as well as to pass along comments from customers. This is a team effort!
Answers to some commonly-asked questions:
Q: Do you make the Donuts?
A: Yes, we have a commercial kitchen located on the Farm and bake them fresh daily—often through out the day.
Q: Do you bake the pies?
A: Yes, and we sell them frozen, ready to bake, as well. They are made from local apples and pumpkins and are flash frozen to stay fresh until ready to bake.
Q: Do you grow your own Mums?
A: Yes, we start them in the Greenhouses the first week in June.
Q: Do you grow all the pumpkins?
A: Yes, we have many fields that cannot be seen from the road or the Farm Stand. We rotate our crops and grow the pumpkins, gourds, and squash in different fields. We harvest them and bring them up to the stand. We do not keep them out in the fields to pick for two reasons. 1. To protect from Frost and 2. For safety reasons. (pumpkins grow on vines).
Q: Is there really a “Farmer Brown”?
A: Yes, of course. Mr. Brown is the 4th generation to Farm in Windsor.
Q: How long are you open for?
A: We are open daily 10:00am-6:00pm through October.
We offer Hayrides weekdays, by appt. for groups of 15 or more.
We appreciate your time and commitment for this Fall Season. Contact Kathi Brown
