Written by: Michelle Murray, Birdsall’s Ice Cream
Marc and I love to research anything related to ice cream…and honestly, food in general, so when the opportunity to tour Hansen’s Dairy in Hudson, IA presented itself, of course we wanted to be part of it!
The family-owned farm (since 1864!) was so interesting to visit and the tour gave us a background of the business as well as a hands-on opportunity petting cows (all named and very well taken care of). We were inside the milking barn and later as an added surprise, we were even lucky enough to see their mascot, the kangaroo, with kangaroo friends!!
Besides learning more about another business and getting to know some of the key people in their organization, the time spent with others from our own area was invaluable. There’s nothing like a shared experience to bring people together. And when it includes cows, kangaroos, and cheese curds, count us in again and again!
If you’re on the fence about joining an upcoming Ag/Industry Tour, don’t be! Sign up. Go. You’ll gain a new perspective about a business you may never have heard of…or one you’ve been wanting to discover more in-depth! You might even come away with new ideas and inspiration.
Even if you initially think you have nothing in common with another business, sometimes that is exactly the time to break out of your comfort zone and see things from a different perspective. A business owner is a business owner…and discovering the “wonders and the woes” of another can suddenly make things click for you. (If nothing else, it gets you out of your own world for a day and you come back to your own business with a fresh outlook!)
We are so lucky to have great opportunities like this with the Greater Mason City Chamber of Commerce!