Farm4Profit Podcast
Farm4Fun w/ Andrew Blake
Episode Summary
Andrew Blake the Founder of Blake's Hard Cider joins us for a little fun. Not only do we have a good time, but we also get to learn about his family's multi-generation farm in Michigan and the over 40 different crops that they grow. This episode is entertaining from beginning to end and you won't want to miss the fun we had!
Episode Notes
- Remind people to hit SUBSCRIBE –
- Today’s Listener Review is brought to you by Brandt where nobody works harder than Brandt to keep you productive and profitable. We like to think that no podcast tries to do that more than Farm4Profit, so let’s see what you had to say about it!
- aanderson_80, 07/29/2021 - Summer Series
- Really enjoying the summer series you guys are doing! Even though it’s more focused on the farm4fun spin off there is still a lot of insightful content that comes out of it. These guys put out some real good stuff!
- Commercial – Estes Concaves
- Working to help stop rotor loss (saves up to $30k per 1000 acres of soybeans)
- Increase profitability by being able to combine faster with less grain damages
- XPR2 Concave – one concave for all your crops
- Andrew Blake – President of Blake Family of Companies, Blake Farms, Blake’s Hard Cider in Armada Michigan
- Blake Farms
- 75th anniversary this year
- Started in 1946 with Gerald and Elizabeth who had 13 kids (grandpa & grandma)
- 800-1000 acre working farm and orchard (40 apple varieties) with a Cider Mill, Funland, Tasting Room, and Hard Cider Production Facility.
- Other crops include Pumpkins, strawberries, lavender, sunflowers
- Andrew
- Dad is Paul (twin to Pete)
- Andrew grew up helping on the farm
- Michigan State University – economics and pre-law
- His idea to explore hard cider
- Blake’s Hard Cider
- Began in 2013
- Available in 20 states
- Largest Craft Cidery in the Midwest and 9th in the US
- Cider Dayze – August 28-29
- KanJam – stein holding – giant jenga – fowling – cornhole –
- Carmel Apple Cider tied to Kinder Cider – the give back program – Carhartt matched funds
- What makes a cider independent and “craft”
- They made their cider “lighter”
- Part of a program to make their whole company lighter
- Some employees shed over 100 pounds
- Married with family – just had a child
- 40 under 40 by Crain’s Detroit Business
- Social media and running a business open to the public
- Had a campaign rally for Trump and Police blown up in their face in 2020
- Has his own podcast (35 shows)
- “Everything Borrowed” with Andrew Blake
- Features leaders and innovators from a variety of industries sharing ideas
- beer poster challenge-have you seen people making those with Blake’s cider?
- What's on his mind?
- Other hobbies?
- Who is/was the coolest person you met along the way?
- What do the most successful farmers have in common?
- BW Fusion Reminder