It’s been nearly two growing seasons since we named our farm Laurentide, after the prehistoric ice sheet that sculpted this valley more than 12,000 years ago. Since that naming, we’ve talked about a brand identity that could elevate our farmer’s market stand and our website. Last fall, we asked our eldest son, Nick, to take on the job of designing our brand identity. He left behind a career in design and brand marketing to pursue studio art, his lifelong dream. But lucky for us, he stepped back into his old shoes and agreed to tackle the job.
Over the long pandemic winter, Nick worked on several concepts, exhibiting a Fred Rogers level of patience. Were we difficult clients? Well, Gary and I didn’t bicker as badly as Frank and Estelle Costanza but we didn’t see eye to eye like Mike and Carol Brady either. (Okay that was a lot of TV references in a single paragraph. Done now.)
Nick would say we were putting the cart before the horse because as a business, we did not yet know who or what we wanted to be. In other words, what to grow, and how to sell it were questions we couldn’t answer last summer. Our inexperience coupled with a global shutdown made it near impossible to predict a path forward.
We knew he was right.
Another few months of growing under our belt and we know our salad greens are a big hit. Our bread, too, makes people weak in the knees. We have a knack for delicious vegan salad dressings and flavorful pestos. We can’t ignore the beauty of the flowers and flowering shrubs already planted here, and are expanding with cut flowers and an entire field devoted to peonies.
Lastly, and perhaps more importantly, we believe deeply in sharing our yields with those in need. Our son Walter, who is running this operation, wants to create a sustainable not-for-profit mission to donate to local communities in need. He coined the hashtag #FeedingThe414 and he puts his back behind his passion. He has planted kale, chard, and spinach that will go directly to Milwaukee food pantries.
Here below are some images that tell the story of our brand identity.
Gary and I came into this project with different ideas for our visual identity. He loves the midcentury-modern baseball scripts with fun swashy underlines. Something that would look authentic painted on the door of Betty, our 1953 Ford pick-up.
I wanted something more romantic. Maybe because this farm feels like a fairy world, I was after a mark that would harken back to the 1890s golden age of agriculture. The merry milkmaid and her contented cow. God Speed the Plow.
Here is the seal designed by Nick. I think the most appealing aspect of this whole property is the way the very spoiled chickens roam around like Wisconsinites at an all-exclusive resort in Cabo. Of course we have a couple baby roosters in the coop today and we are curious as to who will most resemble our icon.
Nick is still working on labels that will go on pesto and boxes of greens. He informed us that arugula is an aphrodisiac and thinks that would make good copy. It might explain why we are so damn happy here!
Bouquets of lilacs and anemones for the farmer’s market tomorrow. I wish you could see the inside of the barn. It’s filled with lilacs and the scent is divine!
This is the design we will be using on the banner for our farmer’s market stand. Come find us at the Oconomowoc Farmer’s Market tomorrow!
Our market sign, letting everyone know about our Buy-a-box / Give-a-box donations. Our partner last month, Groundwork Milwaukee, is a non-profit land trust working to turn unused urban lots into garden plots. (I’m the one who chalk painted the sign, obviously, given the monster size of the chicken on Betty’s hood. Where’s Nick when we need him?!)
Nick graduated with a BA in Fine Art from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Studio Art from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He currently resides in Oshkosh with his wife Jane, who is a research scientist with Kimberly-Clark.
When it comes to our future, here’s something we may just be figuring out. To a certain degree, the terrain itself is going to dictate our purpose. It will take several seasons for us to understand what wants to grow here. What will thrive in this soil. Mother Nature will end up with the final word on our branding package. Stick around for the journey. It’s going to be unpredictable!
One last teaser for an upcoming blog post about Nick’s oils. He painted Dirty Lisa, above, who hangs in the foyer of the log house addition. I’m so proud of his talent! It’s also such a thrill to see each of our children making their marks on this place. Gary and I could never have predicted the joy that would bring us.