Black Gold Farms Hosts Tour To Show National Bloggers How Potatoes Go From Field To Plate

Grand Forks, ND – Black Gold Farms recently hosted five food bloggers at their farm in Arbyrd, MO in the middle of harvest to provide a first-hand look at the process of growing and shipping fresh potatoes. This tour was just one part of Black Gold Farms efforts to establish relationships and create credibility with national food bloggers. This opportunity also provided a transparent experience into their farming operations that the bloggers eagerly shared with their followers and consumers of potatoes.  Through the reach of the bloggers, they have been able to help Black Gold Farms tell their locally grown, fresh potato, family farm story to consumers economically and truthfully.

The bloggers that participated have a collective reach of over 249,000 followers, and the entire tour experience created nearly 1 million impressions on social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Leah Brakke, Director of Marketing at Black Gold Farms remarked, “There seems to be a disconnect with consumers today in regards to agriculture and understanding the process of getting produce from the field to store shelves.  We wanted the main focus with this tour, to have the bloggers really understand the critical components to the farm, to meet the people who do the work, and to see the processes and our products.”

Brakke continues, “From that new understanding and connection, they were then able to authentically share their own personal experiences with their followers. They enthusiastically showcased our family and the Black Gold Farms brand in their own voice that was unique to them and their readers. Nothing was off the table, so they asked the hard questions about pesticide use and sustainability as well as asking about working with family and growing up on the farm. The openness of this dialogue allowed for them to create content that was educational, but yet had a conversational and fun story.”

The tour, led by Leah Brakke, John Halverson, VP of Operations and Glen Reynolds, National Director of Produce Sales, gave the bloggers a first-hand experience of what it takes to grow and harvest potatoes, from field to package—and even to potato chips. They were able to walk the fields, learn the nuances between potato varieties, experience a harvester in action and see inside a packing facility and chip shed.

“When a company is willing to spend their time to open their doors to educate consumers about their products, something amazing is going to take place. And the greatest reward is meeting the faces behind the brand,” remarked one of the bloggers during the tour.

Black Gold Farms has made a commitment to reach out to consumers to educate them on potato production, the benefits of red potatoes and also to tell their farming story behind their brand. This time was well spent, as it resulted in a personal connection with thousands of followers. Black Gold Farms will continue to engage by using the power of social media to connect with consumers and bloggers as they grow their brand and introduce new and innovative products.

Black Gold Farms is a fourth generation family farm and grower, shipper, marketer of all types of Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes and peanuts with an extensive network of farm locations throughout the United States. Black Gold Farms is committed to doing business that provides for ongoing quality, innovation and transparency with all of their business partners.

Source: Black Gold Farms