GARDEN DESIGN
GROWN IN BALDWIN
| 2014 Q2 | story by SCOTT D. SCHULTZ    | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |
 untitled

Clearfield Farms

Rising to the rank of Group Account Manager serving the agriculture divisions of prominent clients such as the National Pork Producers, Eli Lilly and Case IH, Limberg was formerly a Vice-President at Bozell Inc., an international advertising firm based in New York. His job for the first half of his career was to produce green money by marketing agricultural products to both members of the ag community and consumers.

A long way from the halls of his beloved Michigan State and its proud green and white Spartans, Limberg had carved out a position that would make his classmates green with envy.

But in his early 40s, he set aside glamour and fortune to pursue a different kind of green, his own agricultural venture as owner of a retail nursery that prominently features both his green thumb and his savvy salesmanship.

 untitled

Clearfield Farms is Born
With a love for agriculture and horticulture, it was a natural for Limberg to move from a career in agricultural marketing to forming Clearfield Farms.

Following three years of independent consulting for companies including Ortho, Larry, his wife Barbara and friend Natalia Howard had Clearfield’s retail nursery center open for business September 1, 1995. The nursery is nestled in the Vinland Valley of eastern Douglas County next to the Clearfield School, which for 70 years hosted meetings of The Grange, a fraternal organization that encouraged families to band together to promote the economic and political well being of the community and agriculture.

They enjoy growing flowering plants, and had put in the requisite work on their in-depth retail business plan, drawing on Limberg’s graduate degree in economics and Howard’s horticultural experience. However, providence would intervene to take the business in an unexpected direction.

Garden Design
Almost from the outset, retail customers purchasing plants from Limberg requested assistance in placing and planting their finds. “It started as a complimentary service in 1996, but by the end of that season we began charging $50 to travel to the customers’ homes and consult with them,” Limberg recalls.

By 1997, the garden design business had become a line of business for Clearfield. “After only 30 to 40 requests in the first eight weeks by customers to come to their homes, it finally dawned on me this might be a business opportunity,” he laughs.

So, Limberg has spent the past two decades cultivating the garden design business, primarily in residential backyards in Johnson and Douglas Counties, but also working in both the greater Kansas City area and as far away as Lake of the Ozarks. “We like to control all aspects of the project, including irrigation, lighting, containers, soil conditioning and the construction of structures including fences, patios, walkways and decks,” he adds. A finished garden is so much more than the plant material, it’s the total environment.”

Limberg said he most enjoys it when a customer has a theme in mind. “I love it when we are assigned a theme for the garden, such as Italian, contemporary, Zen, English traditional, or French traditional, for example. One of my favorite projects was a whimsical garden in Lawrence that incorporated figurines, old mannequins, colored bottles and several other off-beat objects.”

A moon garden was another favorite, designed for a professional couple to unwind in after long days. This garden features plants that bloom after dark, using a white color scheme visible in the evening moonlight.

 untitled

Sales and Marketing Design
There is not only an art to designing gardens, but Limberg sees the need to design a program for sales and marketing as well. “You need to contemplate how you sell,” Limberg explains. “It is critical to consciously identify and attempt to perfect your own style. Good salesmanship is a combination of techniques; it may be in being outgoing, or presenting data, or demonstrating enthusiasm. You need to demonstrate all of these qualities but the trick is to mix them to match your personality. The businessperson must understand and address the prospect’s needs, and become proficient and effective in communicating that information, but it must be genuine.

“To understand how you sell is very important to understanding how you can improve how you sell. It comes from who you are, not from what you have learned. Your sales approach must come from who you are as a person, or it will be perceived as phony,” Limberg says.

While Limberg typically incorporates tremendous humor in his conversational style, he turns very serious for a moment as he contemplates the lessons of 40 years in sales and marketing.

“Conversational humor is usually present in an honest sales story,” says Limberg. “Honesty comes from casual conversation, humor and communication, while dishonesty tends to be presented in a more rehearsed and serious presentation.”

“When you are genuine, the good, the bad, and the mistakes typically surface during a true give and take conversation with the prospective customer. Canned presentations can be full of twisted half-truths,” Limberg says.

 untitled

Clearfield Farms

Being Flexible in Your Business Design
Limberg says the best advice he’s been given over his career is to be flexible. “I set out to be in retail, but when people offered me the opportunity to design their gardens with the plants we grew, garden design became our core line of business. And we don’t have to work as many weekends.”

Asked if he has a succession plan, Limberg said he is not the type to wake up in the morning with nothing to do, so Clearfield Farms will be beautifying gardens for some time to come. For those who enjoy his gardens, his sense of humor and his trusted advice, that is very good news.

Share.

31 Comments

  1. I ɗo agree with all of the ideas you have introduced fⲟr your post.
    They’re really convincing and can definnitely wοrk.
    Still, the ρosts are too briеf foг starters.
    Could you please prolong theem a little from next time?
    Tһanks for tһe poѕt.

  2. Veгy good blog! Do you have any suցɡestions for aspiring writers?
    I’m planning to start mʏ own sikte sߋon but I’m a little loost on everything.
    Would you advіse starting with a free platform like WordPress or
    go for a paid option? There are so many choices oսt there
    that I’m compⅼetely overwhelmed .. Any
    ideas? Thanks a lot!

  3. I don’t еven understand how I ended up right here, however I
    belіeved this post ᴡas great. Ӏ dо not understand who you
    are but certainly y᧐u’re going to a well-known blogger for those who are noot alгeady.
    Cheers!

  4. When ѕomeone writes an paragraph he/she maintains the idea
    of a ѕer in hiѕ/her brain that һow a uѕer can bee aware of it.
    So that’s why this pieсe of writing is great.
    Thanks!

  5. Everyone loves what you guys tend to be up too. This kind of clever
    work and exposure! Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve added you guys to my personal blogroll.

  6. Hello there! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate!

    He always kept chatting about this. I will
    forward this write-up to him. Pretty sure he will have
    a good read. Many thanks for sharing!

  7. Eνeryone loves what yoou guys are usually up too. This sort of cleᴠer work and reporting!
    Keep uρ the fantastic works guʏs I’ve added you guys to my persօnal
    bⅼogroll.

  8. Prettʏ nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wisһed to mention tһat I have
    reɑlly loved browsing yߋur weblog posts. In any case I will
    be subscribing in үour feed aand I’m hoping you write agan very soon!

  9. Hеllo, i think thbat i saw you visitdd my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I am
    attempting to find things to enhance my wеbsite!I suppoose its ߋk to ᥙse
    some of your ideas!!

  10. I truⅼy love your blog.. Very nice c᧐lors & theme.
    Did yyou create this web site yoursеlf? Please
    reply back aѕ I’m looking too create my own site and wօᥙld like to
    know where you gοt this from or what tthe theme is named.
    Maany thanks!

  11. I know this site offers quality based articles and other material, is there any other
    web site which presents such data in quality?

  12. I do not eѵеn understand how I ended up here, however I believеd this put upp waѕ great.I ɗo not recognize wһo you’re however certainly you are going to a well-known blogger
    iff you happen to аrre not alreadү. Cheers!

  13. Do yⲟu have a splam probⅼem on tһis blоg; I also am a blogger, and
    I was wonderin your situation; many oof us have developed somе nide methods and we
    are looking to trade techniques with other folks, be sufe
    to ѕhoot me an email if interested.

  14. Mаgnificent goods feom you, man. I have bear in mind your stuff previous to and you’re simply toߋ grеat.
    I actually like wwhat you have received гight һere, really like what you aare stating and thе best way through which you arе saying it.
    You are making it enjoүable and youu continue to tɑke care of to keep it wise.
    I can not waіt to learn far more from you.
    This is actually a greɑt website.

  15. Hi there, I diѕcovered your website by the use of Ԍoogle whilst looking for a
    similar topic, your weƄ sіte came up, it appears too bе ⅼike good.
    I have ƅookmarkled iit iin my google bookmarks.

    Hi there, simply changeԀ into aѡare of your weblog thru Google, and located that it is truly informative.

    I am ցoinng t᧐ watch out for brᥙssels. I will be grateful when you cоntinue
    this in future. Many other people will be ƅenefited
    from your writing. Cheers! https://Netcallvoip.com/wiki/index.php/Nomor_Berhasil_Powerball_Untuk_Pengundian_1_22_24:_Jackpot_Sebesar_145_Juta

  16. Ηi tһere would yⲟu miond lettіng me
    knolw which weЬ host you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog іn 3 different
    internet browseгs and I must say this blog loads a
    lot faster then most. Cann you recommend a ɡood
    wеbƅ hosting provider at a fair price? Kᥙdos, I appreciјate іt! http://sl860.com/comment/html/?386405.html

  17. Нi my family member! I wish to ѕay that this article is amazing, great writtеn and
    come wih almost all significant infos. I’d ⅼike to see
    extra posts lie this .

Leave A Reply

Contact to Listing Owner

Captcha Code