Logan View Senior runs a popcorn business

Hilbers and his family run Broken Tail Farm in Hooper.

“Technically, we’re an acreage or hobby farm,” Hilbers said. “We try to use the farmland on our property to produce some kind of agricultural product as a family.”

The family started producing sweet corn in 2007 and sold it at the local farmers market. Popcorn is launched in 2022.

“After college, if they wanted to continue growing and selling popcorn, I kept the name,” Hilbers said.

While attending Logan View High School, Hilbers learned business basics such as record keeping, marketing and time management.

“I needed a state degree project, and my mom wouldn’t let me do a pig,” he said. “A year ago I was helping my father in the garden, popcorn for the house. It was a great product for our family to enjoy.”

Why is popcorn so popular?

“It’s a relatively inexpensive high-fiber, whole-grain snack,” says Hilbers. “It’s also gluten-free.”

Agriculture is known as a very challenging way of life due to harsh weather conditions and economic fluctuations.

Inadequate rainfall and abundant weeds are a couple of ongoing challenges that Hilbers have to deal with. Quality control is another aspect of the surgery that needs a lot of attention.

“Being in school limits my time to hide, pack and store popcorn,” he said.

“Because we’re right on the floor, we don’t have as many chores and stuff, we’re all casual,” Tracy Hilbers said.

A typical day involves going out and collecting eggs, feeding and watering the chickens, goats and donkeys.

“When her children were little, we had buckets of calves that they had to feed,” she said. “After that we go to work and school.

Hilbers added, “The first one to enter the house does the night chores of feeding and watering.” On weekends, we work together to clean the stalls and maintain the site if needed.

It was through the Hilbers family’s involvement with FFA that Alex Hilbers developed his knack for not only farming, but also small business.

In the year Founded in 1925, Future Farmers of America is a tradition for farm families to help young people learn the skills needed to farm successfully.

“It helps teach professionalism,” Hilbers said. “Speech Presentations Teach Public Speaking.”

The Hilbers benefited from the leadership opportunities provided through the FFA. He enjoys developing friendships through the various content and events he has participated in over the years.

Tracy Hilbers has watched her son grow up and grow into an entrepreneurial business owner.

“Alex is very determined and hardworking,” she said. “He never backs down from a project. He also has a gift for communicating with people, which helped him sell his product.

One of the local businesses where you can buy Alex Hilbers popcorn is Jean Shafferman’s Eden Gifts, Events and Flowers in Oakland.

“I first met Gene through 4-H,” Hilbers said. “When my mom first posted about my popcorn project, Jean reached out to me and I prepared a package for my product.”

After meeting Schaffersman, Hilbers went to two other businesses, Windmill Blossoms in Uehling and Scribner Drugstore in Scribner, where he offered the product.

Popcorn will also be sold at Canine Country Club and Olson Pearson Auctions & Realty in Hooper.

“We are a small operation that wants to provide a quality product to our customers,” Hilbers said. “Even though this is my project, I couldn’t have done it without my family’s help,” he added. “Everybody helped in one way or another.”