Month: April 2022

For many, the words “team building” conjure dated images of trust falls and company picnics. But team building doesn’t have to be the kind of forced fun that elicits groans from your colleagues. In fact, it’s an important part of fostering a positive work culture and building trust across your organization. But for team-building to be effective, you may need to rethink your approach.

The Necessity of Gathering

After two years of working from home, many workers are excited to get back to the office, while others are less than enthusiastic about returning to the traditional 9-to-5.

Regardless of where you prefer to set up your workstation, it’s impossible to overstate the positive impact of socialization on an organization. Simply spending time with each other and breaking bread is linked to higher morale, a stronger work culture, less absenteeism, and increased performance.

At North Corner Haven, we’re in the business of bringing people together. We’ve seen first hand how a crowd at a team building event can change in just a few hours, transitioning from polite smalltalk to raucous laughter and heartfelt conversation. Humans are social creatures; we’re made to gather, and our “work selves” are no exception.

Team Building Out-of-Office

No matter how much you love your job, the reality is that many people would prefer to be somewhere besides the office at any given time. Commuting between home and work makes it easy for monotony to creep in, which easily compounds stress levels.

For this reason, team building that takes place outside the office is the most potent. Spending time with your colleagues in a new environment makes it easier to break down those walls and get to know each other outside the context of work.

Fostering Creativity and Innovation

Conducting a corporate retreat or team building event is a great way to encourage collaboration and creativity. Taking a breather from the routine of the office helps get people into a more creative headspace.

Getting out of the city and into nature is proven to enhance creativity. North Corner Haven is a favorite destination among Charlotte-based companies. We’ve created a laid-back, idyllic environment that’s conducive to creative thought and collaboration.

Investing in People

Leadership is all about showing people rather than telling them that they’re appreciated. Putting forth the time and money to break from the standard corporate experience may involve some sacrifices within the company, but ultimately, it’s an investment in the people that you work with.

Investing in team building means investing in your colleagues’ happiness. These days, employee satisfaction goes well beyond the scope of the office coffee machine. People want to feel valued, and they want their time at work to be well-spent.

At North Corner Haven, we understand that a team isn’t built so much as curated. We provide a luxurious but unpretentious experience for people of all stripes to gather, grow, and cooperate. There will always be more money, but time is finite – and the time you spend together as a team is invaluable. Contact us today for your personal tour.

A corporate retreat can be a great time for team-building, strategizing, and blowing off steam. But when you’re tasked with organizing a fun getaway for your team, it can be daunting. Here are a few things to consider if you’re planning a corporate retreat.

Identify the Vision Your Corporate Retreat

Corporate retreats and company trips can take many forms. Spunky young tech companies throw parties that seem more like festivals than corporate retreats. Older, more buttoned-up companies prefer things a little more low-key.

You have a lot of latitude in planning your retreat, but first you must identify your vision and set some goals for your event. Is this a team-building retreat? A celebration? A leadership development weekend?

Your vision for the event will dictate your destination. North Corner Haven is perfect for companies that want to foster a “front porch” type of gathering that centers on relaxation and conversation. If you’re in the market for a nightclub type of atmosphere, you might have to look for a private event space a little closer to Charlotte!

Selecting a Corporate Event Venue

Once you’ve identified your vision, you can start searching for venues. You’ll want to find a venue that’s close enough to the city for easy transportation, but far enough away that the event truly feels like a retreat.

Charlotte-based companies love North Corner Haven because it’s less than an hour’s drive. Our neighbors down in Columbia can reach us in less than 90 minutes. Even though we’re right in the backyard, the spirit of North Corner Haven is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

For corporate retreats, it’s of paramount importance that the venue has the technology to accommodate meetings and presentations. The event staff at North Corner Haven is adept at setting up the technology you need for a successful retreat.

Choosing Ideal Dates

The mild climate of the Carolinas makes North Corner Haven a great year-round destination. The magic of the Spring and Autumn are particularly appealing times to plan a corporate retreat – temperatures are perfect and the earth is in flux.

Lower demand for private event spaces in the summer and winter makes those times of year a perfect time for a budget-conscious retreat. We make every effort to ensure the comfort of our guests – whether that means heat lamps or electric fans.

You may also choose to plan your getaway around a public holiday such as Labor Day. Make sure that you plan your retreat well in advance, however, so that attendees can mark their calendars. These times tend to get booked up quickly at North Corner Haven.

Food, Drink, and Lodging

Managing your guests’ basic needs is the most important facet of planning a corporate retreat. Ensuring that the food and drinks are good, plentiful, and served on-time is critical to a successful corporate retreat.

For overnight retreats, it’s recommended to take advantage of group rates at nearby hotels. Your colleagues will appreciate having lodging booked on their behalf without lifting a finger, and it makes transportation to and from the venue seamless.

At North Corner Haven, our concierge event planning team will be sure that the practicalities of your corporate retreat are taken care of, and that your team is nourished and rejuvenated.

And when the business side of things wraps up and it’s time for some fun, we offer a range of unforgettable activities, from wine tasting to clay shooting. Let our team do the work so that your team can grow. Contact us today to get started.

3 Reasons to Buy, Local Pasture Raised Eggs

Eggs are a staple in diets across the world – especially in the United States. On average, Americans consume 287 eggs per year, and for good reason. Eggs are packed with vitamins and nutrients, and are a cost-effective source of protein and amino acids.

But the nutrient profile of eggs varies enormously between hens. Hens that are fed a poor diet and live in dirty, cramped quarters produce lower-quality eggs than those that are fed well and treated humanely.

Thankfully, increased awareness of the drawbacks of factory farming has generated a growing demand for farm fresh eggs. Community sustained farms like North Corner Haven have risen to the occasion, and provide a bounty of fresh eggs from happy, pasture-raised hens. Here are just a few of the benefits of eating eggs from healthy and nourished chickens.

Less Cholesterol

Conventional eggs contain more cholesterol than pasture-raised eggs. This is a great indicator of the health of the hens.

In conventional farming practices, chickens are fed a diet consisting mostly in grains, which results in higher cholesterol and higher saturated fat. Higher cholesterol in the hens means higher cholesterol in the eggs!

At North Corner Haven, we feed our hens a balanced diet, resulting in eggs that have a better lipid profile. If you’re watching your dietary cholesterol, farm fresh eggs are the way to go.

More of the Good Stuff

Our eggs have less cholesterol, but more of the stuff you do want. Pastured eggs contain up to 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional eggs. They also contain more beta carotene, vitamin E, and selenium. And of course, all that sunshine means more vitamin D.

Chickens that are allowed to roam freely have a more diverse diet. At North Corner Haven, you’ll see our chickens roaming around in the sun munching on grass and insects, just as nature intended.

Farm Fresh Eggs Taste Better

Of course a better diet for the chicken means a better diet for you. But what about the taste?

Once we started raising chickens at North Corner Haven, we never looked back. The eggs simply taste so much better. The nutrient-rich yolks have a far richer flavor, and the higher level of beta-carotene is evident in their deep orange hue.

If you’re used to the tasteless egg whites of your grocery store eggs, you’ll be impressed by the slight nuttiness of the egg whites from pastured eggs.

We’ve done side-by-side taste tests, and North Corner Haven eggs are the clear winner, every time.

Environmental Impact

At North Corner Haven, we’re committed to using sustainable agricultural methods to manage the land and build regenerative ecosystems. Our eggs are not only more nourishing for the body, they’re a better choice for the Earth.

Your purchase of our farm fresh eggs goes a long way in ensuring a verdant and healthy local environment here in the Carolinas.

To place an order, visit our farm shop. We offer free local delivery in the Charlotte and Lancaster areas.

Planning a wedding is one of the most stressful undertakings for soon-to-be newlyweds. From curating a guest list to finding good vendors, each decision can seem overwhelming. Booking the right Charlotte wedding venue is one of the most important decisions you’ll make while planning your wedding.

Not only will the venue serve as the home of your most cherished memory, a good wedding venue will help you ensure that everything else runs smoothly on your special day.

Professional Staff

The wedding coordinator and event staff will become your best friends on your wedding day. They may not make it into the ceremony, but they’ll be on the sidelines making sure that everything is running smoothly so you can spend time with your loved ones.

Before the wedding, the team at North Corner Haven will ensure that everything is ready-to-go, from the chairs and tables to the refreshments. We take great care to ensure that you, your guests, and your vendors have a seamless experience during your visit.

Exceptional Cuisine

The meals and refreshments at a wedding are a huge expense, and all too often the quality doesn’t warrant the price tag. Catering is a difficult business, and there are a lot of considerations to make. Dietary restrictions, seasonal ingredients, and personal preferences can make it difficult to find a caterer that can exceed your expectations.

North Corner Haven, on the other hand, isn’t just an event venue. We’re a working farm, and we make it a top priority to ensure the quality of our ingredients. Our masterful chefs and kitchen staff bring our ethos of complexity and abundance from the farm to your plate.

Intentional Design

Weddings require thoughtful planning, no matter how big or small. Our facilities are designed with purpose and intentionality, so that each detail is accounted for.

From the guests’ arrival all the way through to the reception, you’ll find that North Corner Haven has curated the wedding experience with such intentionality that you won’t even notice us. Your focus will be on your loved ones.

A Perfect Charlotte Wedding Venue

North Carolina has no shortage of gorgeous wedding venues. In Charlotte alone, our friends in the industry are some of the best in the game. Part of what sets North Corner Haven apart is our focus on the organic.

First and foremost, we are stewards of the land. On your wedding day, those values translate into our role as curators of the environment – the sounds, the food, the ambiance. Just as the earth is the foundation of our farm, North Corner Haven is the backdrop of your wedding day.

With decades of wedding planning experience behind us, we’re prepared to shepherd you through the process. We are more than a North Carolina wedding venue; we are event planning experts. For inquiries, please contact us and let us help you plan the perfect Charlotte wedding.