Inspiring Conversations with Tabitha Mason of Cornman Farms

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tabitha Mason.

Hi Tabitha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I think growing up in Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Little Bavaria, is what makes me so passionate about Gemütlichkeit—that feeling of warm hospitality. I spent 16 years at the Bavarian Inn, Frankenmuth’s iconic restaurant, and it truly nurtured that passion. I started as a server, moved into management, and eventually became the Director of Sales and Catering. I had the incredible opportunity to work alongside Dorothy & Tiny Zehnder, founder/owners of the Inn, growing and learning as the business did.

In 2010, I joined the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses and spent several years as the General Manager of Zingerman’s Roadhouse. I then took on the role of Service Steward for the entire organization before helping to open Zingerman’s Cornman Farms—an award-winning event venue and working farm in Dexter, Michigan. We specialize in weddings, private dining, and corporate events with a strong focus on farm-to-table dining and creating meaningful, personal experiences for our guests.

It was at the Roadhouse that I met Kieron Hales, now my business partner at Cornman Farms. We were opposites in some ways—he’s the passionate English chef with a flair for the culinary and a deep love of history; I’m the systems-minded service nerd who lights up around culture, planning, and people. That combination, we eventually realized, made for a pretty unstoppable partnership.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely not been a smooth road—and COVID was the biggest curveball we could’ve imagined. At Cornman Farms, we specialize in gathering people together for celebrations, so when the world shut down, our core business vanished overnight. Weddings were canceled. Events disappeared. It was heartbreaking—for our team, for our couples, for everyone who had poured so much into planning those milestone moments.

But we didn’t sit still. We quickly shifted gears, offering micro-weddings before that was even a known concept, and created experiences that felt just a special event with drastically smaller guest counts. We also leaned deeper into our role in the community, launching programs like Cook for a Cause and eventually Camp for a Cause, where we taught kids to cook while feeding local families. The pandemic forced us to get scrappy, creative, and incredibly clear on our values.

One of the biggest challenges was emotional: caring for our staff, keeping spirits up, and making decisions in the face of so much uncertainty. But I’m proud of how we showed up for our team and our guests. I think we came out stronger, more focused, and more committed than ever to doing work that really matters.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Cornman Farms, we host intimate, heartfelt gatherings on a historic, working farm in Dexter, Michigan. We specialize in weddings, private dining, and culinary experiences that center around farm-to-table hospitality. But at our core, we’re really in the business of making people feel seen, cared for, and celebrated.

We’re known for making the planning process as easy and stress-free as possible. Our weddings are all-inclusive, and our team handles the heavy lifting so couples can truly enjoy the experience. It’s not unusual for guests to tell us it’s the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding—or the most peaceful place they’ve ever been.

What sets us apart? It’s the personal touch. We build real relationships with our clients and guests. We’re part of the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, so we have decades of values-based service and culinary excellence behind us, but we also bring our own unique warmth and personality. Our chef and co-founder, Kieron Hales, has lived and worked in 27 countries and has cooked for 2 sitting presidents and the Royal Family twice. You won’t find food like ours anywhere!

We’re also deeply committed to being a truly welcoming place for everyone. Supporting the LGBTQ+ community is a central part of who we are; not just in the weddings we host, but in the way we care for our team and create space for all guests to feel safe, seen, and celebrated. Our farm is a place where you can be your whole self, and where love in all its forms is honored.

The experience you get when you visit the farm matches exactly who we are behind the scenes: values-driven, thoughtful, joyful, and just a little bit quirky in the best way. Our packages include officiant, florals, photography, food, drinks…everything you need! We grow herbs and flowers right on-site. We welcome guests like they’re family. And we design moments that people remember for a lifetime.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I think about luck a lot, and I think it’s real. I got pregnant when I was 15 years old, and I worked incredibly hard to graduate high school, go to college, and build the life I have today. I also recognize that even in that challenging moment, I held certain privileges, being a young, white, blonde girl, and I was helped by many kind and generous people along the way.

Still, luck alone doesn’t build a life or a business. You have to show up when it’s hard, say yes to the things that scare you, and keep doing the work, day after day.

There’s been bad luck, too. The pandemic nearly closed our business in the very year we were finally planning to turn a profit. Those months were filled with fear and uncertainty. But even in the darkest times, I saw how resilience, creativity, and community could turn bad luck into something meaningful. We didn’t wait for things to get better. We reimagined what was possible, and came out stronger, more aligned, and more rooted in our values.

So yes, luck has played a role in my life. But what you do with the luck, good or bad, is where the magic really is.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cornmanfarms.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornmanfarms/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zingermanscornmanfarms
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmAyilwb7HqHnjanr3mqzFw
• Other: https://shop.zingermanscornmanfarms.com/