Growing a Business through Innovation

[Link]By Kari Schoenike, District 2 Promotion and Education Representative

To make it as a farmer or a business owner these days you have to be innovative. So how do you develop a farm business that enhances the customer experience and positively represents agriculture at the same time?

I interviewed Jennifer Hinkel from southeastern Wisconsin to get some answers. Jennifer and her brother Christopher now own their farm and agritourism business. In recent years, they have added a haunted trail and more harvest activities to broaden their customer base. They are challenging themselves each season to be better and connect with more people. Here's some insight from Jennifer that might help your farm grow, too.

Q: How did your business start?

A: My parents started planting Christmas trees shortly after they bought the farm in Franklin back in the 1990s. They opened for business starting in 2000 and this year will be our 25^th year of being open for Christmas tree sales.

During the Christmas season, we offer pre-cut and cut your own Christmas trees, fresh handmade wreaths, a gift shop and a photo backdrop to professional photographers who utilize our farm for holiday family photo sessions.

In recent years we have stopped planting new Christmas trees and are beginning the shift from Christmas trees to focusing on fall offerings and other offerings throughout the year. We planted our first pumpkin patch in 2019 and opened for self-serve u-pick and pre-picked pumpkins. We also had a small roadside stand in addition to the pumpkin patch field where customers could visit.

Our first few years were very low key as we tested the waters to see if there was interest for this type of business in our area and if it was something we wanted to expand. Guests enjoyed the additional fall offerings in addition to visiting us in the winter for their Christmas traditions.

In 2021, Christopher offered the first haunted trail on our property to again see if this was something that we wanted to move into. Our first years of self-serve pumpkins (2019-2021) and first year (2021) of Buffalo Bill's Haunted Trail were low key and we didn't charge admission. In 2022, both Christopher and I knew that we wanted to focus our efforts to expand Buffalo Bill's to become a fall destination as well with the addition of a pumpkin patch, family friendly activities and an adult focused outdoor haunt.

While we love the holiday season, we only have so much farmland and have begun switching the land from Christmas trees to pumpkins and adding more space for fall activities and offerings because it makes sense for us.

Q: What made you decide to continue your family business?

A: Christopher and I grew up with the business and always enjoyed welcoming families to our farm during the holiday season. We love seeing the joy on visitors' faces when they find their tree, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate by the campfire, or tell us the stories of how they have been coming to our farm for years. We have always wanted our farm to be a family experience and a place to experience the farm environment as the farmland in Milwaukee County continues to dwindle. We both knew that we wanted to stay active on the farm and to expand our offerings to other events and seasons besides the Christmas season.

Q: What have you and Christopher done to innovate?

A: Since taking on an even more active role managing the fall and winter business, we have dove into expanding our reach on social media, implementing new technology, building out our website further, expanding our activity offerings each year and continually working to improve our guest experiences.

Q: What plans do you have to continue expanding further?

A: Each year we continue to add new events, activities and food items for our visitors to enjoy. This year, we hope to host more school field trips and birthday parties to offer our farm to our local community to learn, have fun and make lasting memories.

Provide a brief timeline of the business from inception to now.

1990s
Rose & Bill Hinkel purchased the farm

2000
Opened for first year of Christmas tree sales

2019
First year offering the pumpkin patch
(self-serve pre-picked and pick your own pumpkins)

2021
First year offering the Buffalo Bill's Haunted trail
(no admission charge)

2022
First official year of Buffalo Bill's Haunted Trail & Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Farm

2024
First year offering field trips and birthday parties at
Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Farm & hosting a Christmas
wreath decorating class

This article orginally appeared in the 2025 August | September Rural Route issue.