Pumpkin Junction
One of the Phillip’s ventures was a natural outgrowth of the farm. “We tried an experiment a few years ago,” she said. “We wanted to see if we could grow pumpkins. And oh my gosh, did they grow! The first year we just put it on Facebook and we told everyone to come get a free pumpkin. We had 250 people come out!”
After the success of the first year, the couple organized into a more formal event and Pumpkin Junction was born. “We’ve acquired all the cutout signs you put your face in for pictures from Pumpkinland over in Vernon Center. It’s fun to hear people say, ‘My mom always made me stand by that!’ Now they’re making their kids do it too!”
One of the best parts, Phillips said, is that there is an anonymous donor who pays for a pumpkin for every visiting kid from one to 18. “When they come to pay for their pumpkins we ask, ‘Which ones are for the kids because those are free today!'”
Blue Skye Farms Shared Commercial Kitchen
“I love to cook, and I love to bake. I learned from my grandma and I do a lot of scratch baking. I thought it would be better to sell it out of a licensed kitchen.”
The commercial kitchen used by Holy Rosary School in lower North Mankato became available. “They came to me and said, ‘The caterers we had aren’t going to be in there any more are you interested?'” After some deliberation the Phillips jumped on this new opportunity to become Blue Skye Farms Shared Commercial Kitchen.
“So far, I haven’t used it myself. But I did a lot of research about incubator kitchens. You put in leg work getting the kitchen where it needs to be. Then, entrepreneurs who have a product to get out, use it to see if it’s really something that will work.”
Phillips has seen quite a few success stories pass through her kitchen. “We have had some really great things happen there, like when Bea’s Kitchen got into a store in Faribault and then they got into the St. Peter Co-op! Coconut Whisk grew and grew and grew. Now they’re in Hy-Vee and they sell online. It’s been a great space for people to start.”
Recently, Tony Friesen began using the kitchen to bake for his new company, Two Pins Bakery, which sells out of Phillips newest venture, Arizona Olive Oil Company on Belgrade Avenue in North Mankato. “People are so happy to have his cakes and his products,” she offered. “It’s been a really good partnership.”
Phillips also recently hired a kitchen manager, “Her name is Renee. She’s a caterer, Renee Marie’s Cuisine is just getting started. It’s been very helpful not to have to worry about the day-to-day details.”
