A local couple who built their roadside blueberry business into a regional attraction have been recognized with a lifetime leadership achievement award from the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association.
Bill and Diane Parks of Parks Blueberries have operated the business for more than 30 years and Bill Parks says the award reflects on the entire family.
"They helped us plant the plants, tend to the plants, pick the crop, sell the crop and all those good things," he says. And there are a number of things essential for the business, "The first would be having good product, the second would be having great people to talk to the customers."
Parks says have a company that sells direct to the customer eliminates a lot of distribution and retail levels and helps increase profit margins for the owners.