Business Spotlight: Acker Farms

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The Acker Farm forever planted its roots in the farming industry. Don Acker, an Ellsworth native, and his wife Mary started their farming business in 1973 in Iowa. The lifestyle of farming had won Don over at an early age as his father, Wayne was a farmer. The unfortunate death of his father led him on his own path to dive into the agriculture community. The helping hands of family and friends allowed Don to stand on his own feet and start his journey. The best advice Don got at the start of his career was “Surround yourself with good people and work with them.” The Acker family returned to the Ellsworth area in 1987- the start of their journey.

Farming is both a lifestyle and a business. It takes dedication every day and attention to detail. When asked what the best advice for a beginner farmer, Don replied, “You can’t give up your dream, pay close attention to the numbers, and treat people with respect.” Every farmer has an abundance of dedication and inner drive which can be learned by others and applied to their own aspirations. For Don, this dedication to farming created a family affair. This partnership between Don and his two sons, Jay and Cal, is the most rewarding part of his career. He spoke endlessly about how much gratitude he has for the industry for allowing him to work with his sons and watch his grandkids grow, “It doesn’t get any better than being a grandpa!”.

Farming is a way of life for Don, which is no surprise. When we had asked Don, “If you weren’t in farming what would you do?” with a long pause, he responded, “I would work for a seed company.” Safe to say he has and will always be passionate about farming along with building relationships within the community. What’s next? Ackers plans to implement their succession planning to keep their family business moving forward. He wants his community to know that farmers do everything they can to produce quality products.

Interested in showcasing your business on our newsletter? Contact us today!

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Business Spotlight: Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters and Construction

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In 1999 Bruce Andrews started a business adventure in Maiden Rock, WI. His cousins at the time owned a roofing company and expressed the need for gutter services. Without hesitation, he went down to the bank to get a loan for a gutter machine. The beginning of Bruce Andrews Seamless Gutters was established and in 2015 moved to Bay City, WI.

After the company’s foundation was built, he was able to grow his staff and services. These services grew from gutters only to an all-exterior construction company that has a specialty in gutters, Leaf Lock Gutter Protection, and roofing services. When asked “What makes your company different than others?”, Bruce confidently said, “We do it right the first time!”.  Being a local resident in the community and local business owner, Bruce prides himself on taking care of his clients.

Don’t let the name fool you! The family-owned and operated business has done an exceptional job diversifying from a gutter and exterior construction company to a rental equipment and storage company to Sunrise Coffee on 35. What’s next for Bruce? He is happy to announce that an online sales portal will be available on his website for the public to purchase product parts and accessories.

Where can you find Bruce and his team? You can follow them on Facebook and visit their website to get in contact for a quote.    

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News Brief

Weather and climate disasters are on the rise in 2023.

2023ClaimsRecordDownload
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Protection for College Students

As a parent of a college student, it is a stressful and exciting time. As your insurance partner, we want to calm your stress and inform you about the benefits of renter’s insurance. Many insurance carriers consider your college students on campus dorms, an extension of your home. If they have valuable items or expensive electronics, you should highly consider a renter’s policy.

In contrast, if the student lives off-campus, there will be no coverage under your homeowner’s insurance plan. Please have your student get in touch with The Service Agency. Landlords have coverage but that doesn’t cover you as a tenant. Their insurance only covers the structural damage not the damage to your personal property. These policies are extremely affordable since they only cover your property and not the dwelling or structure.

Paying for college tuition can be a headache, we want to cover you in case a tragedy occurs. We want to minimize our insured risk of a financial crisis. You are working hard for your degree, let us work hard to protect you and your belongings.

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Midwest Fall Festivals and Events

We are falling for fall! The Midwest offers numerous fall events and festivals. See below family activities to try:

  • Sever’s fall Festival was established in 1997 and is in Shakopee, Minnesota. The festivities run on Saturdays and Sundays from September 16th to October 29th from 10 am to 7 pm. You can purchase tickets on Sever’s Website. They have endless activities; corn maze, giant slide, corn pit, jumping pillows, petting zoo, pumpkin blasters, etc.
  • Govin’s Farm Fall Fun is a family operation located in East Menomonie. Their fall activities include a corn maze which runs September 23rd to 24th, September 29th to October 1st, and October 6th to 8th. They have a haunted trail that runs Friday and Saturday nights between October 6th to October 28th. You can buy tickets online at their website.
  • Fresh Acres Farm, Corn Maze, and Pumpkin Patch are in Monticello, Minnesota. They are open for business on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays now through October 29th. They cater to families and organizations for groups or field trips. Learn more about all they offer and purchase tickets on their website.

Did you know that The Service Agency offers special event insurance? Are you a local farmer that hosts corn mazes, hayrides, pumpkin pickings, etc.? If so, connect with one of our agents on getting proper coverages for your event and venue.

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Goodbye Summer. Hello Fall.

Happy Harvest Season!

While many of us relax while sipping on our cup of coffee and eating everything pumpkin; many farmers are in the fields harvesting to feed their local communities. Harvest season starts in September and goes on till November. During the season be aware of the increase in tractors and equipment hauling on rural roads. It is legal for farmers to drive tractors and equipment on public roads to get from field to field.

As a driver help mitigate highway fatalities by being aware of your surroundings at all times of the day. According to Iron Solutions by Randall Reilly, “Two thirds of high fatalities involve slow moving equipment were rear end collisions.  Many of these fatalities occur at night when drivers did not see slow moving equipment on the road until too late.”

As a farmer, play your part in properly inspecting your vehicles before entering public roads. Ensure they have the proper signage, and all features work such as lights, flashers, etc. When hauling equipment have another person following you with flashing bright lights. If you have any questions regarding risk management and resources to help implement safety protocols, reach out to The Service Agency.

Come together as a community to make all roads safe by doing your part.

Support local farmers.

Resources:

Iron Solutions by Randall Reilly, 2023, “Tractors on the road: Slow Down – Here’s Your Sing”. Tractors on the Road: Slow Down – Here’s Your Sign – Iron Solutions

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