In the midst of last fall’s hubbub, we had a special experience when Ferndale Market was announced a finalist for a Minnesota Family Business Award through Twin Cities Business. My wife, parents and I rubbed shoulders with fellow families in business, swapping stories on the commonalities among us.

Of course, the third generation doesn’t deserve the credit for our family business. That’s reserved for my grandparents who got us started, and my parents who stayed the course, adapting when needed to keep us in the game. As I’ve surely said before, my grandparents were, in many ways, pioneers in turkey farming, but they’d never believe that their names – Fern and Dale – would adorn our market (much less a pack of turkey hot dogs!). I’m sure this isn’t quite the business they envisioned, but it’s absolutely one they’d recognize. And we’re still here! We made it through WWII, the 1980’s farm crisis, and converting our hatchery into a bright green local foods market.

I’m fortunate that my family is still hard at it. My parents still show up for work every morning, and my sister heads up all of our marketing work. Katie’s the one deserving the credit for all the on-brand things you see, including our newsletter!

I bet most of the family business attendees that evening would agree; if there’s any secret here, it’s expanding the family to include a great team and trusted partners. We wouldn’t be here otherwise. Whether it’s an early customer that gave us a shot, an employee that invested decades here, or a partner farm that believed in what we’re doing – they’ve all earned the recognition too.

Cheers to all the family businesses and the communities that make them go. Thanks for being a part of ours!