THE BUSINESS
Hidden Hills WI is a unique agritourism business centered around a petting farm, paintball courses, and a seasonal haunted house.
“Paintball is my favorite part of our business. Our three courses include a speedball course, the A Hill to Die On course, and a seven-acre wooded course with both natural and manmade obstacles. My military training really helped when designing the courses and aids in instructing visitors on paintball tactics and strategies,” Ethan said.
This truly is a family business, involving the couple’s five children as well. The petting farm includes lots of farm animals such as cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, a miniature horse, and many more. The petting farm also includes other sources of fun such as Towers and Chains where kids engage in sponge wars (water fights); downhill trikes; swings; train rides; a fishing pond; and, coming next year, a rock pit. Ethan said, “The petting farm is always changing; we bring in different animals and host activities like scavenger hunts, field trips, and birthday parties.”
THE OBSTACLES
A big hurdle to growing the business has been advertising. “People often say they have never heard of us, which isn’t surprising because we don’t use much paid advertising. Instead, we let word of mouth do its job. When visitors do arrive, they often comment about our place being a hidden gem. Word of mouth and online reviews have really served us well in getting the word out about Hidden Hills WI,” Ethan shared.
Accomplishments with UW-La Crosse SBDC
- Social media strategy
- Financial strategy
THE ASSISTANCE
Their digital marketing got a big boost with the help of the UW-La Crosse Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “We were able to partner with the SBDC and a UW-La Crosse student to greatly improve our use of social media. We also worked with Mike Walker at the SBDC and he helped us on the financial end of things. He was so professional and really knows his stuff!” Ethan said.
THE COMMUNITY
Ethan and Deb have worked with the local Amish community to help build and assemble towers, fabricate train rides for the petting zoo, and provide produce, especially pumpkins and gourds for the fall season. Other local businesses such as hotels and restaurants benefit from the out-of-state guests who come for bachelor parties and other events at Hidden Hills WI. Explore La Crosse, a group dedicated to promoting the arts, culture, indoor and outdoor activities, as well as lodging and places to eat in the area, has really helped to promote Hidden Hills WI.
THE PASSION
“My wife and I love to talk to and get to know the people who visit our business. The guests, especially the season pass holders, have become more like friends than customers, and we know them by first name. We are so glad to meet so many people we otherwise might never have known,” Ethan said.
The couple is excited for the upcoming haunted barn, which is only open in October. “Our haunt is more than just a quick stereotypical jump scare from clowns and Hollywood villains. Our entire petting farm is transformed into a spooky wonderland, reminiscent of an old fairy tale or something out of the Brothers Grimm. We walk our guests to spooky scenes around the property to give them the back story of the Norgaard family (who used to own the property) and their tragic tale. When guests enter the barn and see the actual possessions and horrific acts of Erlend as he succumbed to madness, the true haunt begins. Afterward, people can relax and gather their wits by grabbing some food, listening to music, or even snuggling with our baby bunnies,” Ethan states. It’s a great end to the fall season!