We’ve long wanted to do farm signs. But even though we live in a farming community, we have done only a handful of farm sign projects through the years. Recently, we were delighted to get a call about doing a bunch of dimensional signs for a large pumpkin farm in Gretna, Nebraska. 

在很早之前，我们就有做农场标识的想法了。虽然，我们生活在一个农业社区，但是，多年来我们只做几个屈指可数的农场标识项目。令我们高兴的是最近我们接到一个电话，说要为内布拉斯加州格雷特纳的一个大型南瓜农场做一整套的立体标识。

We had met the owners last year at a large theme park convention in Orlando. They had attended a presentation which I had been privileged to give at the theme park expo about the “Importance of Story for Small Theme Parks.” They felt we were the perfect company to help them tell the story of their farm. 

其实在去年，我们在奥兰多的一个大型主题公园会议上就见过业主。他们参加了我在主题公园博览会上做的一个关于“故事对小型主题公园的重要性”的演讲。觉得我们是一家完美的公司，能够帮助他们通过标识来展现关于他们农场的故事。

They first flew me down to Nebraska for three days of meetings. I toured the farm with the family and learned about their unique operation, which they had started thirty-five years previously. I answered endless questions over those days but I was also all ears as they told me about their operation. I was there to discover the story we would tell with the signs. 

他们先让我飞到内布拉斯加州参加三天的会议。之后，我们一同参观了这家已有35年历史的农场，当然，我也回答了他们无数个关心的话题，当他们告诉我有关他们的经营方式时，我也洗耳恭听。我这么做，都是为了搜集有关他们农场的故事来完成标识项目。

I learned they had planted thousands of trees each year with a keen eye to fall colors during their short operating season. Over the decades the farm property had been transformed with the addition of all the trees. The farm had numerous eating establishments and more than fifty attractions for their guests. Amazingly, the farm was open to the public for just under seven weeks each fall season. 

每年秋天这个农场对公众开放不到七周时间，他们每年都会种植成千上万的树木，为了在短暂的工作季节，能够用敏锐的眼睛来捕捉秋天的颜色。几十年来，随着所有树木的增加，农场的经营效益越来越好，现在已有数不清的餐饮设施以及五十多个旅游景点。

They desired some new dimensional signs with the stipulation that the new signs blend seamlessly into the existing look of the farm. This meant the signs needed to be aged appropriately. I snapped lots of reference pictures and took lots of notes. Before I left we settled on a list of prioritized projects for the coming season. The initial design contract was for ten signs. 

他们想要一些新的空间标识，并规定新标识要与农场现有的外观完美融合。这意味着新标识需要适当的老化。于是，我拍了很多参考照片，并做了很多笔记。在我离开之前，我们就确定了下一季的优先项目清单。最初的设计合同只有十块标识。

By the time my plane landed back home, I knew the story that would tie the project together. Two themes would be incorporated into all of the signs. Large “trees” would form the base of the signs. And the brackets would be flowing, incorporating story elements which included pumpkins and apples. The designs came thick and fast—more than thirty before I was done. Even though there were many more drawings than the design contract specified, this was our one chance to set the course of the project for years to come. We were determined to exceed all expectations. 

当我的飞机降落回家时，我就开始把听到的农场故事以及汇总来的信息融入到这个项目中了。两个主题将被纳入到所有的标识中。巨“树”将成为标识的基础。枝干是流动的，其中包含了南瓜和苹果的故事元素。这些标识凝固得又稠又快——很快我们便完成三十个标识产品的塑形。设计的图纸比规定的设计合同要多得多，在未来几年里，我们决心力争做的每一个标识项目都要超越客户的期望，这也是我们公司未来的发展方向。

When the designs were complete, our client flew to us for meetings in our studio and for a tour of some of our local projects. This meeting gave them a first-hand look at the quality we build into every project. In two days they had a firm list of six large signs they would purchase this year. Construction started immediately and eight weeks later I flew to Nebraska to help them install the new signs. 

设计完成后，我们的客户就飞到了我们的工作室开会，并参观了我们当地的一些项目。这次会议让他们首先了解到我们建设每个项目的质量。短短两天的时间里，他们就确定了今年要向我们购买六个大型标识。施工随即展开，八周后我就飞到内布拉斯加州帮他们安装新标识。

I loved seeing their faces as each of the signs was carefully unloaded from the semi trailer. Every single piece exceeded their expectations. We’re busy planning next year’s projects. 

当每一件标识从半挂车上小心翼翼地卸下来时，我从他们的面部表情明显的感觉到，每一件作品都超出了他们的预期。我们没有停下工作的脚步，我们正忙于计划明年的项目。