Beyond the busy season

At Murphy’s Lockside Pub & Patio in Fenelon Falls, co-owners Heather Storey and Jason Lynn knew going in that the winter months were going to be quiet.

“We were pretty aware, from being cottagers, that the winter seasons are pretty slow, so we went into it with our eyes open, knowing that winters were going to be difficult at the best of times,” said Storey.

From Thanksgiving to the May long weekend, there is a noticeable downturn in business. However, they continue to stay open all year long. Part of it comes from how expensive it would be to retrain staff every year. The other factor is for those that are full time, the owners wanted to ensure they’re able to get full time hours no matter the time of the year.

“When we keep people year‑round, summer starts with a team that already knows the systems, the menu, and the regulars…it just makes everything smoother,” said Storey.

While they know they will be at a bit of a loss in the winter seasons, it’s something they plan for. “We know there are many months where we’ll lose money, and we build that into our yearly plan instead of panicking when January hits. We look at the business over 12 months, not just July and August,” said Storey.

Similarly, for those in the agriculture business, it all comes down to planning for the worst-case scenario of every season to ensure they’re properly prepared. “You plan for the worst, and you hope for the best,” said Kelly Maloney, economic development officer of agriculture for the city.

Those in agriculture are able to keep going by ensuring they have other accommodations – like an alternative water source – if something goes wrong. Many of them also invest in insurance for their crops or livestock. That way, even if there’s bad crops they won’t be at a total loss for the season.

On top of this, Maloney said that many farmers produce up to five different crops. This helps ensure that even if the weather isn’t suitable for one crop, the season won’t be a total loss. “By diversifying their production, then they prepare for those potential (weather) fluctuations between crops,” she said.

As the busy season winds down for both of these industries, new tasks keep them busy in the winter.

“When it comes to the wintertime, we do a lot of side duties,” said Storey. Staff will do deep cleans and maintenance, such as painting the walls.  Storey said that while customers might not directly notice these changes, they can feel it. The deep cleans not only help to keep staff busy, but it gives the team pride in the space.

While the bulk of their work on farms is done in the warmer months, winter isn’t a time for resting. “As soon as the crop is harvested in the fall or early winter, they’re working on equipment, and they’re ordering supplies for the following year,” said Maloney.

Farmers also participate in training and learning opportunities.

Winter is also referred to as the “meeting season” in agriculture. “There’s one for every commodity of agriculture,” said Maloney. These meetings are a chance to hear what has been going on in the industry, what is upcoming and what did, or didn’t, work for different farms that season.

Marketing in this industry is different from others. While some businesses are able to put up billboards or build a following on social media, agriculture is about showing up at the markets and gaining sales through word of mouth.

For grain producers, they spend crop season growing their products, “then they’re spending the winter marketing,” those crops said Maloney.

There are bigger grain businesses that farmers will sell directly to as soon as product is harvested, but “many farmers have on-farm grain storage so then they can choose when they market the product,” said Maloney.

For businesses that rely on the seasons, staying afloat comes down to preparation, adaptation, and the understanding that survival is built long before summer arrives.