The food system in China was broken. I should know, as I lived in Hong Kong from 2011 to 2014. Our family moved to Hong Kong from a small town in Oregon where we didn’t fear the food we consumed. But moving to Hong Kong provided a rude awakening to food safety issues. Food scandals often headlined the news. Tackling… Read more →
With the focus of your time going to harvest and sales, here are 3 ideas to help efficiently and successfully sell what you harvest. Have a presence online. Most people have a smart phone seemingly attached to their body. Research shows food producers who have an online presence are more likely to grow their business. Not only do potential customer… Read more →
Squeeze the most out of your small farm output while increasing the bottom line. These 4 steps will help your small farm increase profitability enabling you to stay in business for the long run. 1 – Fill holes in your customers’ grocery list if you offer a CSA. Give your CSA customers an easy way to add items onto their… Read more →
In the enthusiasm to start a farm or food business, you might rush past some stepping stones that can save you time and headache down the road. Avoiding these common miscalculations will help pave the road to success. #1 Build it and they will come. You’ve worked really hard to plant and harvest. You have unique varieties and can’t wait… Read more →
As a farmer you likely use time saving tools in the field or while preparing your end product. A tractor may help you turn beds. Harvesting tools can help to speedily cut greens. And then there are digital tool that track and report field health. These tool may not only save precious time, but can lead to a higher quality… Read more →
Writing a business plan is a fundamental yet often overlooked part of starting or expanding a farm or food business. A well thought through business plan can help establish the foundation of your business. It can also be used as a tool to communicate your intended business direction to possible investors and future team members. When should you write a… Read more →
by Kami Semick Selling direct to local consumers and businesses can help small farms realize a higher per unit sales price for products. This article will cover the Internet as a low cost sales channel for small food producers. We’ll look into strategies how to sell food online, and discuss benefits and costs. Why Sell Online? Where and how food… Read more →
As the calendar is building toward growing and harvesting season, it time to think about marketing to attract new customers. In this article we’ll review the latest trends in local food and outline 3 steps to attract new buyers. The latest research is positive for those involved in growing and selling local food and food products. More and more consumers… Read more →
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) can be a profitable endeavor for the farmer and a fulfilling experience for the consumer. With national CSA day on the horizon (Friday Feb 22rd), it’s not too late to start thinking about starting a CSA or refining your CSA offering. This article will take a look at the profile of the “average” CSA operator,… Read more →
You’ve decided to start a farm or small batch food business. Congratulations! The goal of this article is to briefly familiarize you with the basics of marketing to local food buyers. Specifically we will discuss marketing steps to generate sales for your small farm or small batch business. This article will cover the four P’s of marketing for producers seeking to… Read more →