Here is a sampler of unusual fruits showing up on temperate climate farms and in nurseries. Their rarity in your location, of course, depends on your growing region.

Sea Buckthorn (Hipprophae rhamnoides)

A very productive northern fruiting plant, sea buckthorn, also called sea buckthorn berry or simply sea berry, is actually widely grown and yet very few in America are aware of it. It’s an attractive small tree or shrub native to the Russian Far East. It grows up to ten feet, with narrow silver leaves, spaced seven feet apart unless creating a hedge with plantings three to five feet apart. It is very hardy to minus 50 degrees F., and is easy to grow and resistant to disease. Prolific round yellow-orange fruits from the female plants are very high in vitamin C. In Europe they are made into sauces, jellies and used as a base for liqueurs. The juice is tart and is sweetened or blended with other fruits. Branches are also used in florist displays and the cosmetic and medicinal industry uses oil of the kernel and pulp.

Quince, Tree and Bush (Cydonia oblonga)

On Dog Mountain Farm in Carnation, Washington, owners David & Cindy Krepky have added quince to their sustainably operated community supported agriculture farm, which offers a large variety of better known vegetables, fruits, herbs and cut flowers as well. Nurseries offer several varieties of quince tree, some of which describe the fruit of the quince as a wonderful pineapple-like flavor. Value added products made from quince include jelly and jam, and they are sometimes mixed with apple cider. Almost every rural family had a fruiting quince tree in the early 20th century. The trees grow up to15 feet, some closer to eight to 10 feet, are self fertile with large white blossoms in late spring, and big bright yellow fruit ripening in fall. The late blossoms allow them to avoid spring frost damage. The quince bush is a winter hardy, disease resistant shrub also covered in fall with pineapple and/or citrus flavored fruits used to make jellies, jams or syrups.

Huckleberries (Vaccinium species)

Closely related to blueberries, huckleberries are rarely found in nurseries and yet huckleberry jams, pies and preserves are considered highly prized products. Sometimes more often called wild blueberries in the eastern U.S., they have much the same growing requirements as blueberries. Their berries are small and have a distinct wild flavor. Varieties native to the Pacific Northwest coast, sub-alpine and mountain regions are available, with some being evergreen, and some deciduous. There is at least one variety that grows well in USDA zones 4 through 10.

Kiwis (Actinidia species)

Although becoming well known, the kiwi is still considered a very special fruit, especially with the added novelty of being grown locally and organically. Native to Asia with the fuzzy kiwi introduced from New Zealand and hardy varieties from Russia and Japan, the vines are fast growing, with a variety of sizes of bright green-fleshed sweet fruits. The fuzzy, larger kiwis are hardy in the Pacific Northwest, but colder climates can grow the Arctic Beauty and the Arguta Hardy Kiwis. A male vine is needed for the females to set fruit, with one able to pollinate up to eight females. The fruits ripen in fall, and are usually picked after the first frost, still hard, when they can be stored in refrigeration for months, and then set out to soften. Growers report no significant pest or disease problems, with mature vines producing 25 pounds or more of fruit.

Lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)

Lingonberries are a native European evergreen ground cover. Each plant grows from 12 to 18 inches and when planted in groups, they eventually form a dense mat, which can choke out weeds. They are a delicious cranberry-like fruit ripening in late fall, about the size and shape of a small blueberry. Some varieties are very productive and easy to grow. They’re used for sauces, preserves, pickles, syrup, jelly and wine. They are self-fertile although better production is reported from growing more than one variety. Extremely hardy, growers say they withstand even arctic temperatures. In warm climates, they can produce in semi-shade, and in fact may do better in these circumstances, making them a good second crop under larger crops such as orchards or forest crops trees, although they do need acid soil and cannot take overwatering.

Medlar (Mespilus germanica)

Botanically somewhere between a pear and a hawthorn, the medlar is native to the eastern part of the Mediterranean and the eastern part of Turkey, the western part of Iran and around the Caucasus. Grown in Europe for thousands of years and productive in USDA zones 5–9, the tree is self-fertile, growing up to 10 feet. The fruits are one-inch in diameter, look a little like a crabapple, and are harvested after the first frost. Similar to pears in that they are a fruit that is not picked ripe, the medlar fruit is still quite hard upon harvest. During a process called ‘bletting,’ the fruit is stored in a cool, lighted place to become rich, soft and spicy, described by some growers as having a flavor of cinnamon applesauce and with a wine-like undertone. When fruits are developed enough for eating they are enjoyed raw, made into jelly, folded into whipped cream, and some connoisseurs use them in Old English recipes. Because of their natural storage and need for ‘bletting,’ farmers can offer their customers a late fall or winter crop when other crops are finished.

Mulberries (Morus)

The mulberry is a self-fertile fruit tree that produces abundantly with varieties that are reliable in USDA zones 4–9. The fruits resemble long raspberries or blackberries, and are used most often as fresh fruits, in baked goods, wine and preserves. The trees need full sun, and can be maintained at 15 feet. One warning is that fruit-eating birds are particularly fond of the mulberry, and their brightly colored juice stains very easily, so don’t plant a row of these over your customers’ parking area! The trees produce a summer crop, July through September, and the fruit is described as chewy, sweet and highly flavored with a pleasing, unique aftertaste.

Nanking Cherry (Prunus tomentosa)

A cherry relative, the Nanking cherry is considered a ‘tart cherry bush.’ It is a beautiful flowering shrub that produces edible tart-cherry-like fruit. Products from the fruit are commonly fresh fruit, pie fillings and jellies. The fruits ripen in summer and are around ½ inch in diameter. The plant is also sold as a wildlife and windbreak plant. This deciduous shrub grows in USDA zones 2–8 and matures at six to 12 feet. It is native to Asia, tolerant to drought, and requires a soil that is well drained.

Elderberries (Sambucus species)

Elderberries are shrubs that prefer full sun, and are considered to be the easiest of all fruits to grow and care, and also possibly the most consistently productive. Extremely prolific, both the blossoms and berries have been used for centuries in cultures throughout the world for both medicinal and edible products including baked goods, cordials, jellies, tea and wine. The teas are also used in baths as an herbal treatment and the berries have also been used in dyes. Most recently, the elderberry has been explored and come to the forefront as a possible treatment for winter ailments, and the fruit is reported to be higher in vitamin C than oranges. As a nursery plant, the elderberry can be sold as a multi-purpose plant with many uses for both humans and as a wildlife sanctuary plant, as birds enjoy the berries, also.

Pomegranate (Punica)

The Pomegranate can be grown as an arching shrub or small tree. Although mostly adapted to desert climates, needing good drainage and hot summers to produce a crop of fruit, some growers sell them as potted porch plants to bring indoors to finish ripening. They thrive in USDA zones 4–10 but in cooler climates are brought inside to obtain the large ripened red fruits, which are juiced or eaten fresh in a very special manner. The seeds within each fruit are covered with sacks that are juicy, red and sweet, which are eaten and then the seeds are discarded. The trees are self- and insect-pollinated and are harvested usually starting early October. The cool fall nights help develop the bright color. The trees are thorny, and mature trees are reported to yield more than 15 tons of fruit per acre.

Paw Paws (Asimina triloba)

Paw paw varieties can grow as small tree to 10′ tall, with some native varieties reaching 40 feet or more. Their leaves are long and tropical looking. Native in much of the eastern United States, they are not well known in other parts of the country, although they grow and produce well in most of the nation, USDA zones 5–9, including the Pacific Northwest. The fruits are three to six inches long, oblong, and the pulp is described as tasting like vanilla custard. They are harvest when fruit color turns from green to yellow, and the soft fruit is most often eaten with a spoon, with the large seeds discarded. They grow naturally as an understory tree but can also grow in full sun, making them a possible secondary tree crop among other tree crops. In areas of much hot dry sun, the younger trees do better with partial shade. Fruits are harvested usually in late September and October.

Mayhaw (Crataegus aestivalis)

The Mayhaw, from the hawthorn family, is native to the United States and grows in USDA zones 6–9. Certain varieties of the mayhaw produce heavy crops of small red fruits, about ½” in diameter, that make delicious jelly, pies and juice. Growing only about 15 feet tall, they can tolerate wetter soils that other fruit trees, making them a possible sideline crop for marginal growing areas, although areas of late spring frosts can cut production because the tree blooms very early in spring.

Two situations, two perfectly acceptable experiences, but in one case, an excitement about great service and in the other case, just OK.

The Laptop

I have a laptop which is under warranty – 5 working day turnaround they said when I rang them about a power problem. Efficient and effective they were too.

So someone came to collect it the next day and, as they said, I got a call 5 working days later to say it would be delivered back, by courier, the next day. And by 10.32 am, it was. I enquired on the second call what had been found to be wrong, but the person on the other end didn’t know, “There will be an engineers report in the box”. And there was.

The Restaurant

My wife went out for a meal with 14 others from her place of work. A nice little restaurant, privately owned. The meal was all home made, with one or two little touches that were a bit special. Being a works ‘do’ they were a little boisterous and the staff in the restaurant took good part and joined in the fun as well. They were made to feel very welcome indeed, from the minute their coats were taken, to closing the door behind them.

At one point, someone tasted one of the sauces and commented on how nice it was and was given a pot, neatly wrapped, to take home. “Drop the pot back in anytime”, the waitress said. When someone said they fancied something not on the menu, the chef came out and with a little banter, 10 minutes later had made one up specially.

Wine was in the costings and even though they had managed to get through a couple of bottles (and more!), the wine kept flowing to the end of the meal. The chef came out to wish them well at the end and thank them for coming.

Two examples of perfectly acceptable service. One experience adequate and one memorable. I wonder which one will be recommended to others?

It doesn’t take much to make your customers or clients feel special. It takes forethought and focus. Especially when we work remotely and don’t have the opportunity to meet with our customers and clients face-to-face.

Customer service is an art, not a science. It is about building relationships which last and, ultimately, your customers will do the marketing for you. And you will profit.

As sales people we need to deliver that ‘extra mile’ service Then we will reap the rewards. And not dissolve into nameless and faceless experiences which are just ‘OK’. OK won’t do any more.

As Walt Disney said:-

“Do what you do so well, that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.”

Perhaps the most important business model found in Scripture is found in the Old Testament in the pattern established with the Tabernacle of Moses, the place where God promised to conduct His business with man. You see, God has an enterprise. He is taking it where He wants it to go. He has competition from a ruthless, inferior competitor, yet He is not threatened or worried. He has a great plan with wonderful strategies which have been hidden in plain sight in Scripture, but only revealed to the spiritually discerning (1 Cor 2:14). The tabernacle God had Moses build reveals much about the way God does business with us, and the lessons we can derive from that are far reaching for sales and business in general.

I know the Tabernacle of Moses is a type or shadow of the true tabernacle of God in Heaven (Heb 8:2-5), but it is very important to note that God laid out the precise design of that earthly tabernacle which Moses built. Every aspect of that tabernacle is extremely important, highly significant and the things you can observe from God’s attention to detail are profoundly practical in business. The central theme I want to look at in this article is the concept of “sacrifice” and I will identify seven sacrifices you can make that will cost you dearly but reward you greatly!

1. Give up the couch

The first station of service you see when you approach the tabernacle is the altar of sacrifice. There were six sacrifices offered on the altar (one short of the perfect seven), and it was needful that Christ come and fulfill what was lacking and be sacrificed once and for all for our redemption. Too often we are content to stay in our comfort zone and become lazy, even if we look busy.

Succeeding in sales is not about being busy, it is about being effective. It’s not about our comfort; it’s about the needs of our customers and putting them at ease with us so we can earn the right to serve them. In order to serve them well, we will need at times to sacrifice our own comfort and idleness (or false busyness) to accommodate those needs. How many sales have you lost because a competitor was prepared to make a greater sacrifice than you?
Sacrifice in sales is not a one time event; it is an ongoing position of service we choose to take for the customers higher good.

The next principle of sacrifice is represented in what was called the “burnt” offering. It was the one offering where the total animal was sacrificed. None was to be eaten or shared with anyone. It was completely burned up. In sales this speaks of sacrificing complacency or half-heartedness. To win in sales, we must give our best, our all, and do that every time we interact with customers. This will mean that you will work with fewer prospects in any given time frame but your conversion rate to customers will go through the roof.

The next principle of sacrifice is represented by the grain offering. In the Old Testament, they would bring a sacrifice of grain but only a handful was actually burned. The rest went to the priests who had the responsibility of feeding the people spiritual food. This grain came from a renewable resource and I believe it represented giving of their cash flow or income to invest in their own spiritual and intellectual growth. In short, they sacrificed stinginess and invested in the ones who were making their knowledge and guidance available. To me this speaks of investing in your own training. Most sales people I know spend more time perfecting their golf swing so they can entertain potential customers than they do investing in their own personal and professional growth which will pay them much bigger dividends! When was the last time you turned your car into an education center, listening to tapes or CD’s that will teach you Biblical truth applied to the sales profession? Who do you know that is currently accomplishing what you want to accomplish and is a person you admire that you can invest in to glean some of their wisdom? Call them up and invite them to a nice lunch or a steak dinner. Break bread with them at your expense and you will be surprised at the dividends that will pay.

The next sacrifice was called a peace offering. It was a voluntary, festive sacrifice of thanks given to God when one wanted to express gratitude for the blessings one had received. Family and friends shared in the offering because only part was consumed on the altar and the rest was enjoyed by their guests. This was an opportunity to sacrifice complaints, to give up negative talk and to use this occasion to build their network of relationships. When is the last time you decided to quit griping about things that aren’t working out well and focus on the good things that abound around you and share that joy with others? If you want to limit your network, just hold on to your right to complain, but if you want to attract a strong support network, be sure to share your gratitude with others. Consider a customer appreciation day where you grill out hamburgers or put out a spread for your customers. Invite a few prospects as well. They will interact with your satisfied customers and be quick to proselytize on your behalf.

Next, it’s time to sacrifice your ignorance. I am speaking of the sin offering which was typically sacrificed for inadvertent sin or sins of omission. We all fall short in serving our customers and many times it’s because we don’t know a better way. Take customer surveys. Listen to the feedback you receive. Don’t tolerate ignorance and don’t accept “average”! When you find an area needing improvement, don’t plead ignorance any longer. Basically, be teachable. Don’t justify your mistakes. Admit them and learn from them. Learn from others who are succeeding where you are not. Practice continuous improvement in yourself first, and then in your processes.

Don’t forget to sacrifice your pride. I am referring to the trespass offering which was usually offered for known sin like breach of trust, fraud or concealing a crime and always involved restitution. When you drop the ball with your customers, don’t make excuses. Make it right. Take responsibility. Experts say when you make a mistake with a customer, they will repeat it to several others, but when you sacrifice to make that mistake right to the customers satisfaction or beyond, they will tell twice as many people.

Restitution in the Old Testament usually involved a multiple of the original amount involved, depending on the circumstance. Consider what you can do to “wow” your customer when you drop the ball. Turn that negative situation into an opportunity to shine. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has lapses in judgment. How you respond to yours will greatly impact the reception you receive in the marketplace. Years ago when the new Saturn car line was introduced, a defect was found and the affected cars were recalled much to the shagrin of the new Saturn owners. To their surprise however, instead of repairing the glitch, Saturn destroyed the cars and gave all the owners brand new automobiles! That story was headline news and did more to favorably impact Saturn sales than much of their paid advertising.

Lastly, there was one more offering that was optional and was called a “drink offering”. This would typically be an offering of wine and offered with the grain offering, only it was entirely poured out or “wasted”. The idea of pouring out a drink offering is that there is no turning back. Once it has been poured out, it is gone for good. What’s done is done. I believe this can speak of sacrificing your regrets. Yes, we have all made our mistakes, but let’s choose to leave them behind. Don’t carry them forward. Make restitution where possible and then press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Don’t get bogged down in your failures. Bring closure to them and look to a brighter future. God’s mercies are new every morning (Lev 3:22-23) and He daily loads us with benefits. (Psa 68:19). Practice these seven sacrifices in your sales or business career and you will reap a harvest of return that confound your competitors while rewarding you richly.

Subscriptions are big in business these days. People are readily prepared to part with a small amount of money every month, or week, in return for regular products, information or services. They join subscription services for a number of reasons, including convenience (e.g. meal delivery), exclusivity (e.g. being part of a Fan Club), perception of value (e.g. unlimited DVDs each month), access to unusual products (e.g. organic snacks).

From your perspective, there are numerous advantages. You have the opportunity to interact with your customers more regularly and build a loyal base; you get regular income that is set every month; and you potentially earn money from sales that would not have happened otherwise.

Just considering some of these examples might give you ideas about what you can offer – weekly snacks or daily meals delivered to your door; monthly flowers or chocolates for a yea;, your personal needs for toiletries and even underwear each week; access to regular training and development materials; clubs and forums; automatic software updates and emergency problem solving. Think about all the things you pay for monthly already – the gym, magazines, the wine club, DVD service and so on.

Now, think about how you can apply that model to your business. What could you offer your customers on some sort of weekly and monthly basis that will hook people in to low value but regular purchases with you? Think in terms of

• Regular delivery of your products to their door
• Unlimited access to your services
• Access to your knowledge via forums, videos and Q+As
• Industry best practice or newsletters
• Early access to products and launches that may be scarce

Work out why your customers might be interested in paying on subscription. If it’s to get something exclusive, think about early access to new products; discounts on services; members only offers;, exclusive materials and so on. If it’s convenience make the process as quick, simple and efficient as possible – even if that means you charge more. If it’s value, bundle services and products together that cost you less but have high perceived value, or offer a capped monthly fee for unlimited access to your services.

There are numerous options, depending on what business you are in – but in most sectors and businesses this is still a relatively new concept. So, however you do it, move quickly and get ahead of your competition in order to see regular profits coming into your business each week.

So, take action NOW and develop a subscription service for your business AND click here for more tips to boost the profit in your business.

Not a new subject I know but a very important one. I actually did a search on the “Big G” under “Happy Staff” and got 50,000 Web pages come up with articles on the subject. It has also been widely publicised through the media about the extraordinary lengths that Google themselves go to, to ensure the work environment for their staff is a happy one.

I don’t think we need look too hard into the reasons why it is important, let’s face it, your staff are the lifeblood of your business, in the majority of cases without your staff your company would fold and its back to the drawing board.

Happy employees means higher profits, better service to your customers, less turnover of staff, less money spent on HR, etc… the list is an extensive one.

There have been research studies, in-house surveys, millions of dollars spent on research and millions of dollars spent on creating these environments with fancy desks & chairs, children’s crèches, inner city parking, in-house coffee shops, etc. All excellent incentives which may very well keep employees happiness levels closer to the top of the scale but I truly believe the real answer is a whole lot simpler and virtually no cost to the employer.

The problem with all the great ideas listed above is that it only seems to be these ones we read about. These studies and implementations cost horrendous amounts of money and the perception is that these levels of staff happiness and employee retention can only be achieved with enormous budgets. With that being a general level of thinking the average SME owner tends to believe that this form of staff retention is out of reach and settles for a higher turnover of staff than is necessary.

I’m sure no one sets out to create a work environment that is not conducive to their staff being happy. I’m sure the vast majority of business owners, if told their employees were leaving due to not being happy or being offered a better socially acceptable environment would be devastated. The problem is that the staff that are leaving very rarely tell the owners this is the case, and the staff that are there fear reprisals if they say anything. It is up to the business managers and owners to take stock of the working environment and ensure the simple things are being done to make or keep a happy team.

There are many ways in which the things we do can influence the happiness of our staff and improve our own working environments, but also increase our long term profits too… here are just a few of my thoughts…

Manners – Sometimes the simplicity of the solution is quite scary, but good manners play a massive part in the workplace environment. It’s difficult not to sound condescending when you say things like this but I know that there are business owners and managers out there that do not even think to say please and thank you when asking a simple task of a member of their team. Moreover they don’t install the type of culture in which every member of staff within the team use these manners when communicating with their colleagues.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was quoted to have said “Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices” the sacrifice in this case, of course, is about three seconds. It’s strange how some of the things you really appreciate from people, you take for granted until there not there or don’t appreciate as much until you are a little older and dare I say it a little wiser. I used to work as a sales rep when I was younger back in the UK. The owners of the business were a husband and wife team and at times things could get a little ‘heated’ in the office environment and certainly a little stressful.

They were a very successful firm and despite the sometimes brash atmosphere during the day, staff turnover was extremely low as you always left work feeling you were appreciated. To feel appreciated… everyday… how many of us can say that about the roles we are currently in now.

How was this phenomenon achieved?

Quite simply, every day as you were leaving the wife of the business duo would look you in the eye and say “Goodnight and thanks for all your hard work today “, it was sincere and heartfelt. I believe she truly understood about what I said earlier, your employees are the lifeblood of your business. I don’t think you could ever equate the amount of money that daily comment translated to when it came to the company’s profit and loss statements but I honestly believe you would be amazed by the truth of it.

Perhaps on a Monday morning, asking how someone’s weekend was and genuinely listening to the answer. People want to know that you genuinely care about their well being.

I remember starting work for one company and I said to the boss that morning… “How was your weekend?”, the answer I got astounded me… “I don’t ask or answer those types of questions because I genuinely don’t care”. Needless to say I don’t need to go into the atmosphere of that particular environment.

It’s not just about manners of course, far from it, human understanding is essential. Little things like when the soccer world cup is on, to perhaps offer a half day to the team so they can stay up late and watch the match the night before. Yes there are wages involved in this but the high levels of moral you will create by doing it will bring the dollar value back in multiples of the original cost.

Birthday cakes for staff and morning tea. What about hump day drinks? A glass of wine or a beer for the staff at 4.30 on a Wednesday afternoon, creating a social culture that breeds happiness and team work.

It’s about creating a pleasant culture, an environment people want to come to, and not only work hard but enjoy it, enjoy getting up in the mornings and whistling ‘Hi ho, hi ho” on the way to work… Ok perhaps not the seven dwarf scenario with the whistling but I hope you get my point.

Sure, we are all in business to make money and what we are talking about goes a long way to help that, but can’t it also be about being proud of our own business environment. I remember the first time I ever heard one of my staff telling a headhunter that there would be no need for them to stay in touch as they were perfectly happy where they are and offering them more money would be a futile exercise. Brilliant feeling…

Obviously this is not the be all and end all to keep your work environment a happy one but I honestly believe it is a giant part of it. I would love to hear your ideas on happiness in the workplace, perhaps you have a story about what things your employer does or encourages that make you happy at work and share some positive ideas.