As the first and last stop for many visitors at a farm market, restrooms
leave a lasting impression. That’s one of the reasons a “Restrooms
101” session took place at the recent Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable
& Farm Market Expo in Grand Rapids, Mich.
“Think big when you think about doing restrooms,” said
Mike Beck, from Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St. Johns, Mich.
His operation has running water from mid-April through end of December.
Beck said he built restrooms with two stalls for women and two stalls
from men that should have been much larger. On its busiest days Uncle
John’s Cider Mill can attract 2,000 people, according to Beck.
Beck advises washable walls and seat protectors. He also recommends
outside porta-johns and hand sterilizers. He said cleaning is very
important and should be done twice a day when warranted.
Katrina Schumacher, a sixth generation grower with her sister Abbey
Jacobson, from Westview Orchards Cider Mill in Romeo, Mich. said economics
motivated her family to put in new restrooms in 2000. On busy fall
weekends up to 5,000 visitors per day visit their operation that includes
u-pick orchards farm market, bakery, petting barn and cider mill.
They figured the cost of servicing porta-johns would easily pay for
a structure.
They modified an existing structure, formerly migrant housing, for
their new restrooms that are 24 feet, 9 inches x 14 feet. The women’s
restroom has three stalls including one that is handicapped. The men’s
restroom includes and adult-size and a child-size wall unit and a
handicap-accessible toilet. Their structure includes an employee restroom
that is also storage for cleaning supplies and houses furnace.
“It’s a small structure but it’s meeting our needs,”
said Schumacher , who entertained farm marketeres with props of a
bucket, mops and cleaning supplies. She said vinyl fencing provides
privacy and divides the two areas. Their restroom area includes a
tub sink outside with hot and cold water for washing hands, as well
as a waste basket and paper towel dispenser. Their restroom has a
standard interior with a cement floor and a painted cement exterior.
“Check with your county health department and see what their
rules and regulations are,” said Schumacher. She said that with
permanent restrooms, porta-johns can be placed in different activity
areas during peak times.
Schumacher’s sister is on “potty patrol” to make
sure all restrooms are stocked and cleaned. “Clean restrooms
leave a real good impression on folks,” said Schumacher, who
said they value cleanliness in their orchards, market and cider mill.
“We now have the Super Flushers,” she added. She said
in their first year they had “a lot of different things go down
the toilet.”
They installed an outdoor anti-bacterial soap wash dispenser and they
make it easy for kids to step up and wash their hands. They stress
hand washing with the increasing concern about petting farms and e-coli.
Schumacher recommends the used of one-ply tissue that “goes
a long way” and aerosol room deodorizers.
“You’ve got to have a super duper plunger to get those
nasty jobs done,” she said.
Schumacher says most farm marketers don’t want to have restrooms
but often are forced to by the number of visitors they want to attract.
She said September and October are crucial to their operation’s
bottom line and restrooms are a factor. “If you don’t
have them, you won’t be able to attract senior bus tours,”
Schumacher said. She said seniors, who can become loyal customers,
often stop from 2-4p.m. after the school groups have goon.
Schumacher’s do’s and don’ts
of the restroom biz:
· Portable toilets needed during peak times
· Clean and tidy – both restrooms and portable toilets
· Talk, talk, talk to other farm marketers (join North American
Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association)
· Toilet model selection – “Super Flusher”
if on septic system
· Hand dryers instead of paper towels that can be flushed down
toilets
· Additional outside sink – hot/cold water, liquid soap,
paper towels, garbage container
· Assign “potty patrol” person – weekends,
every two hours check restrooms and portable units for cleanliness,
supplies and other problems
· Service portable units Mondays and Fridays
· Restroom interiors - cement floors, glass board on walls
and ceiling, handicap door handles
· One-ply toilet tissue – use in restrooms and portable
toilets
· Provide seat cover in stalls of men’s and women’s
restrooms
