Allin's Orchard and Country Market

by Brandon A
(Newcastle, Ontario, Canada)

For the last 50-60 years, my family and I have been running a home business called Allin's Orchard and Country Market. Our home and our business are situated in Newcastle, Ontario, Canada, a small town that sits approximately 40 minutes east of Toronto. We are a farm that grows and sells apples, pears, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and much, much more. For years, we operated simply as a farm, selling what we grew to various stores and markets, but in 2001, we decided to expand and really take our business to the next level.

By this, I mean we made the leap by opening our own store right next to the house in which we live in order to sell our own products, and thus, create more revenue. In hindsight, this was a brilliant decision, as business is very strong to this day. On an average day, we sell approximately 30-40 boxes of apples, as well as a large assortment of other fruits and vegetables. However, what makes our home business so special is that it's only run by members of our family. The only people we employ are our own. We do this to try to keep a sense of family, and a real sense of hospitality in our business, which has gone over well with our loyal customers.

Having said that, it hasn't been an easy road. We often find that we overwork ourselves, which is perhaps due to the lack of hiring employees outside of our family. We are always very tired when apple season comes to an end, perhaps due to the sheer volume of work that needs to be done before that time. The only advice I have for those who want to follow a similar path is to just be prepared to put in the hard work you'll need to, and do whatever you can to keep yourself motivated and determined to succeed. By doing so, you will succeed.

Stuart's comment: It's interesting how you expanded your home business beyone the initial farm enterprise. A key part of building any successful home based business is spending time on the entrepreneurial vision to identify a long term profitable strategy.

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