Berrien County fruit grower’s PR savvy earns praise
Berrien County fruit grower’s PR savvy earns praise
Berrien County fruit grower’s PR savvy earns praise
Berrien County fruit grower’s PR savvy earns praise
Berrien County fruit grower’s PR savvy earns praise
Herb Teichman wins MFB Ag Promoter of the Year Awar
This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.
GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 3, 2008 — In more ways than one, Herb Teichman is a spitting image of the ideal recipient the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) had in mind when it developed the Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award three years ago.
Throughout his career, the Eau Claire fruit grower – perhaps best known as founder of the International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship – has found innovative and meaningful ways to engage the public and teach them about agriculture.
In honor of his work, Teichman received MFB’s 2008 Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award on Dec. 3. The award recognizes a Farm Bureau member who does an outstanding job of voluntarily promoting agriculture and educating the non-farming public about the industry.
The award, along with a $500 grant to support future promotional efforts, was presented to him during an awards ceremony at the MFB 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids.
Teichman, who owns and operates Skyline Orchards and Tree-Mendous Fruit Farm, was nominated for the award by the Berrien County Farm Bureau and chosen by the MFB Promotion and Education Committee from a field of 16 candidates nominated by county Farm Bureaus across the state.
According to the Berrien County Farm Bureau, Teichman is a visionary who saw the potential of direct farm marketing and agritourism long before their boom in popularity today. The farm’s conversion to a U-pick apple operation more than 30 years ago is a testament to this, as is the farm’s unique “rent-a-tree” program which allows families to pick from the same fruit tree year after year.
Another case in point is the cherry pit spitting tournament in which contestants compete to see who can spit a cherry pit the farthest.
Teichman came up with the idea of making a sport out of cherry pit spitting back in 1974 when he was looking for “something to do” with cherry pits. The competition began small as a “neighborhood get-together” and quickly grew into an annual event that attracts hundreds to the farm and heralds the start of tart cherry harvest in southwest Michigan. The game is even a recognized competition in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Besides being entertaining, the championship helps promote Michigan cherries and educates consumers on the nutritional benefits of the fruit, according to Teichman, who calls cherry pit spitting a “nutritious sport” and says “cherry pit spitting is like a good sneeze; they’re both therapeutic.”
Teichman’s farm is also a favorite “pit stop” for farm tours. Over the last three decades Teichman has laid out the welcome mat for thousands of visitors ranging from school children to senior citizens and entire families. It’s also not uncommon for Teichman to host foreign visitors who want to learn more about Michigan’s fruit and tourism industries. To date, the farm has hosted visitors from more than 10 countries.
On top of all this, Teichman has given numerous presentations and demonstrations on agriculture and tourism at various conferences, meetings and other special events. He’s also become a seasoned spokesperson, conducting dozens of interviews with high-profile media, including Martha Stewart Living magazine, which profiles him in a story about apple varieties in the October 2008 issue.
“Herb is a great role model and a great volunteer, and is well deserving of the Michigan Farm Bureau Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award,” said Miriam Barbott, chair of the Berrien County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee. “This man wasn’t too busy. He made the time, for the betterment of Michigan agriculture.”
MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.
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Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3213.
Herb Teichman wins MFB Ag Promoter of the Year Awar
This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.
GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 3, 2008 — In more ways than one, Herb Teichman is a spitting image of the ideal recipient the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) had in mind when it developed the Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award three years ago.
Throughout his career, the Eau Claire fruit grower – perhaps best known as founder of the International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship – has found innovative and meaningful ways to engage the public and teach them about agriculture.
In honor of his work, Teichman received MFB’s 2008 Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award on Dec. 3. The award recognizes a Farm Bureau member who does an outstanding job of voluntarily promoting agriculture and educating the non-farming public about the industry.
The award, along with a $500 grant to support future promotional efforts, was presented to him during an awards ceremony at the MFB 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids.
Teichman, who owns and operates Skyline Orchards and Tree-Mendous Fruit Farm, was nominated for the award by the Berrien County Farm Bureau and chosen by the MFB Promotion and Education Committee from a field of 16 candidates nominated by county Farm Bureaus across the state.
According to the Berrien County Farm Bureau, Teichman is a visionary who saw the potential of direct farm marketing and agritourism long before their boom in popularity today. The farm’s conversion to a U-pick apple operation more than 30 years ago is a testament to this, as is the farm’s unique “rent-a-tree” program which allows families to pick from the same fruit tree year after year.
Another case in point is the cherry pit spitting tournament in which contestants compete to see who can spit a cherry pit the farthest.
Teichman came up with the idea of making a sport out of cherry pit spitting back in 1974 when he was looking for “something to do” with cherry pits. The competition began small as a “neighborhood get-together” and quickly grew into an annual event that attracts hundreds to the farm and heralds the start of tart cherry harvest in southwest Michigan. The game is even a recognized competition in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Besides being entertaining, the championship helps promote Michigan cherries and educates consumers on the nutritional benefits of the fruit, according to Teichman, who calls cherry pit spitting a “nutritious sport” and says “cherry pit spitting is like a good sneeze; they’re both therapeutic.”
Teichman’s farm is also a favorite “pit stop” for farm tours. Over the last three decades Teichman has laid out the welcome mat for thousands of visitors ranging from school children to senior citizens and entire families. It’s also not uncommon for Teichman to host foreign visitors who want to learn more about Michigan’s fruit and tourism industries. To date, the farm has hosted visitors from more than 10 countries.
On top of all this, Teichman has given numerous presentations and demonstrations on agriculture and tourism at various conferences, meetings and other special events. He’s also become a seasoned spokesperson, conducting dozens of interviews with high-profile media, including Martha Stewart Living magazine, which profiles him in a story about apple varieties in the October 2008 issue.
“Herb is a great role model and a great volunteer, and is well deserving of the Michigan Farm Bureau Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award,” said Miriam Barbott, chair of the Berrien County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee. “This man wasn’t too busy. He made the time, for the betterment of Michigan agriculture.”
MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.
-30-
Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3213.
Herb Teichman wins MFB Ag Promoter of the Year Awar
This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.
GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 3, 2008 — In more ways than one, Herb Teichman is a spitting image of the ideal recipient the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) had in mind when it developed the Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award three years ago.
Throughout his career, the Eau Claire fruit grower – perhaps best known as founder of the International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship – has found innovative and meaningful ways to engage the public and teach them about agriculture.
In honor of his work, Teichman received MFB’s 2008 Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award on Dec. 3. The award recognizes a Farm Bureau member who does an outstanding job of voluntarily promoting agriculture and educating the non-farming public about the industry.
The award, along with a $500 grant to support future promotional efforts, was presented to him during an awards ceremony at the MFB 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids.
Teichman, who owns and operates Skyline Orchards and Tree-Mendous Fruit Farm, was nominated for the award by the Berrien County Farm Bureau and chosen by the MFB Promotion and Education Committee from a field of 16 candidates nominated by county Farm Bureaus across the state.
According to the Berrien County Farm Bureau, Teichman is a visionary who saw the potential of direct farm marketing and agritourism long before their boom in popularity today. The farm’s conversion to a U-pick apple operation more than 30 years ago is a testament to this, as is the farm’s unique “rent-a-tree” program which allows families to pick from the same fruit tree year after year.
Another case in point is the cherry pit spitting tournament in which contestants compete to see who can spit a cherry pit the farthest.
Teichman came up with the idea of making a sport out of cherry pit spitting back in 1974 when he was looking for “something to do” with cherry pits. The competition began small as a “neighborhood get-together” and quickly grew into an annual event that attracts hundreds to the farm and heralds the start of tart cherry harvest in southwest Michigan. The game is even a recognized competition in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Besides being entertaining, the championship helps promote Michigan cherries and educates consumers on the nutritional benefits of the fruit, according to Teichman, who calls cherry pit spitting a “nutritious sport” and says “cherry pit spitting is like a good sneeze; they’re both therapeutic.”
Teichman’s farm is also a favorite “pit stop” for farm tours. Over the last three decades Teichman has laid out the welcome mat for thousands of visitors ranging from school children to senior citizens and entire families. It’s also not uncommon for Teichman to host foreign visitors who want to learn more about Michigan’s fruit and tourism industries. To date, the farm has hosted visitors from more than 10 countries.
On top of all this, Teichman has given numerous presentations and demonstrations on agriculture and tourism at various conferences, meetings and other special events. He’s also become a seasoned spokesperson, conducting dozens of interviews with high-profile media, including Martha Stewart Living magazine, which profiles him in a story about apple varieties in the October 2008 issue.
“Herb is a great role model and a great volunteer, and is well deserving of the Michigan Farm Bureau Agricultural Promoter of the Year Award,” said Miriam Barbott, chair of the Berrien County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee. “This man wasn’t too busy. He made the time, for the betterment of Michigan agriculture.”
MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.
-30-
Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3213.
