Can we talk?

Bush's Beans

      If you're thinking of vacationing in Tennessee, consider going to Bush's Beans. It has an interesting and entertaining tour for all ages. It's set at the bottom of a mountain a few miles off the highway. The scenery is beautiful and rustic. The factory is historical, but modern.
      My dad, in his 80's, was fascinated with the old vehicles-a Ford pick up and a delivery truck, painted deep blue with the Bush's emblem. The interiors were still in perfect shape. There's a cafe there which serves Pinto bean pie. We skipped that, but enjoyed the shop with flying pig themes and the usual memorabilia applicable to the area and product. They also stock more variety of beans than I have ever seen in any store.
      The museum and movies tell the story of the first Mr. Bush, the Stokely family, and the Bush Brothers, and the evolution of the company and its products. You might think this would be a yawn fest, but surprisingly, they have put it together in an interesting way. It's all brief, so that you aren't overloaded, the marketing department keeps you upbeat, and you end up admiring their vision.
      Their goal, they tell us, is to be the world's expert on that little bean, and to be able to feed the world. How admirable is that! The bean is easy to grow, easy to prepare, and thanks to the evolution of canning, easy to store cleanly and safely for long periods of time.
        While most of the process is done by assembly line, like one ton pots of sauce, the spices are still mixed by hand. The labels, however, are not shown on film, so you can't get even the large scale recipe. They show you how environment-friendly they are, even recycling bean waste by using the methane gas in operations. They filter their own water.
        The films are so well done, they inspired me to do a documentary like that on my own company. I can use it for training purposes, but also for good-will with our contractor and other departments. But it's not just movies and advertising gimmicks. A lot of the displays are interactive for children. And many items from the Bush home from the early 1900's on show a sample of 20th century life. Former Bush products can be seen on display (tomatoes, etc.).
        Before you leave, you can meet Duke and have your picture taken with him. Just know, that he's still not talking.