Diane GreenDiane Green Greentree NaturalsGreentree Naturals

Small Farm Small Farm MarketingMarketing

For today’s small acreage farm to For today’s small acreage farm to succeed in a very competitive market, succeed in a very competitive market,

the farmer must assess the the farmer must assess the opportunities of the land, plan the opportunities of the land, plan the

crop, grow it, and then be able to sell crop, grow it, and then be able to sell it.it.

Marketing is one of the important keys to success and often the toughest part of the survival and sustainability of

the small acreage farm.

As educators, being able toprovide guidance to farmers to

help them improve their Marketing skills is

essential!

Farmer to FarmerFarmer to Farmer Most farmers say Most farmers say

they prefer learning they prefer learning from other farmers from other farmers

If you are an If you are an educator and trying educator and trying to provide workshops to provide workshops or training or training opportunities for your opportunities for your local farmers about local farmers about direct farm direct farm marketing, marketing, bring in bring in other farmers to other farmers to tell their stories …tell their stories …

Greentree Naturals Marketing at a Greentree Naturals Marketing at a GlanceGlance

1990 Started out with the local Saturday Farmers Market

1993 added Restaurant sales

1995 added more restaurants, CSA’s & flower subscriptions

1996 added on-farm workshops, apprenticeships and consulting

1997 added working with caterers for special events such as farm tours, organic wine tastings, fund raisers & sales to a local natural foods store

2002 developed Farmer Mentor Handbook for Cultivating Success program at University of Idaho

2003 added Sunday Brunch on the Farm & hosting Farm Tours

2006 added Delightfully Decadent Sunday Afternoon Teas; hosted other workshops

2008 Teaching Sustainable Small Acreage Farming and Ranching Course for UniversityOf Idaho

It is important to know who your customer is and find ways to stand out at the market. Idaho is known for “Famous Potatoes”;

these red, white and blue baby new potatoes sell for $2.75/pound.

Why grow what Why grow what everyone else has?everyone else has?

Why grow the same Why grow the same thing that is in the thing that is in the

grocery store? grocery store?

Look at what is out Look at what is out there andthere and

DO SOMETHING DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!DIFFERENT!

Carrots with names like “Purple Carrots with names like “Purple Haze”, “Yellow sunshine”, Haze”, “Yellow sunshine”, “Atomic Red”, and “White “Atomic Red”, and “White

Satin” are unique and sell for Satin” are unique and sell for more per pound.more per pound.

Value-added products like jams and jellies are a nice addition to the farmers market. Another “safe food” is

herbal vinegar. Tourists like to take home something with the name town

on it, so all of our goods say “made fresh in Sandpoint, Idaho”.

Educators: Provide food safety information for your farmers market vendors, hold food safety workshops during the off season.

If you don’t use signs, display a board If you don’t use signs, display a board with prices and display the name of with prices and display the name of

your farmyour farm

Less for more….Less for more….½ pints of berries sell for ½ pints of berries sell for higher price than a pint!higher price than a pint!

Stir-fry SpecialStir-fry SpecialTender baby vegetables…Tender baby vegetables…

Consider having a Consider having a small photo album small photo album with photos of your with photos of your farm at your stand farm at your stand to give customers to give customers a connection with a connection with where their food is where their food is

coming from.coming from.

Connecting With Your Customers

Eggs are a nice addition at the Farmers Market.

It is important to consider the local health regulations for selling eggs.

Is this information readily available to your farmers?

Educators – How can you help?Educators – How can you help? Help your farmers be more successful at marketingHelp your farmers be more successful at marketing

Create a marketing check list for selling at farmers Create a marketing check list for selling at farmers markets markets

Provide a library of reference books like Provide a library of reference books like The New The New Farmers’ Market Farmers’ Market andand Sell What you Sew Sell What you Sew

Hold marketing workshops in the fall and winterHold marketing workshops in the fall and winter

Visit your local markets & take photos of vendors at their Visit your local markets & take photos of vendors at their farm stand to use for workshopsfarm stand to use for workshops Promote local food and Community Food SystemsPromote local food and Community Food Systems Feature farmers market vendors in your newslettersFeature farmers market vendors in your newsletters

Create ‘farmer profiles’ as examplesCreate ‘farmer profiles’ as examples Develop a questionnaire for farmers to help them Develop a questionnaire for farmers to help them

share their stories with other farmers as future share their stories with other farmers as future presenters at workshops and eventspresenters at workshops and events

COMMUNITY PRESENCE COMMUNITY PRESENCE We expect our local community to support us as We expect our local community to support us as

farmers. Doesn’t it make since that we should farmers. Doesn’t it make since that we should support our community?support our community?

Community presence means all the ways that your Community presence means all the ways that your community recognizes you and your business.community recognizes you and your business.

Extension educatorsExtension educators - reach out to your local - reach out to your local farmers! Get them involved in your programs! farmers! Get them involved in your programs! Bring farmers in to talk with your Master GardenersBring farmers in to talk with your Master Gardeners Connect with farmers for farm and garden toursConnect with farmers for farm and garden tours Ask farmers to write articles and share their stories for Ask farmers to write articles and share their stories for

university publicationsuniversity publications

Pumpkin ProjectPumpkin Project

Details of how to create a Pumpkin Project are on our website at www.greentreenaturals.com

Media & Media & PressPress The press is always The press is always

looking for human looking for human interest stories! The key interest stories! The key is to make events and is to make events and information available to information available to the local reporters.the local reporters.

Being involved in your Being involved in your community also gets your community also gets your name out there so when name out there so when storylines come up, they storylines come up, they think of you when they think of you when they are looking for a resource.are looking for a resource.

Educators – ALWAYS Educators – ALWAYS INVITE THE PRESS to your INVITE THE PRESS to your farm events! Promote farm events! Promote your local farmers!your local farmers!

Selling Produce to Selling Produce to RestaurantsRestaurants

It has to be the type of It has to be the type of restaurant that has a chef that restaurant that has a chef that cares about quality.cares about quality.

Deliveries need to work Deliveries need to work around their busy schedule.around their busy schedule.

You have to give them a good You have to give them a good reason to spend more.reason to spend more.

Call the same day, and the Call the same day, and the same time of day every week; same time of day every week; make deliveries the same day make deliveries the same day and time every week.and time every week.

Working with CaterersWorking with Caterers

EDUCATORS – USE LOCAL FOOD WHEN YOU HAVE

EVENTS!Promote your farmers!

*Weddings*Private Parties

*Concerts*Special events

We provide edible display of unusual

garnish like purple & yellow carrots, four

colors of beans, grape leaves, purple cauliflower & asparagus.

*Edible flowers for wedding cakes, or fresh flowers for decorating

the buffet tables.

Community Supported Community Supported AgricultureAgriculture

CSACSA Basically a produce Basically a produce

subscription service where subscription service where the customer pre-pays for the customer pre-pays for a share of the harvest. We a share of the harvest. We mail out applications in mail out applications in March so we know how March so we know how much to plant. much to plant.

Educators Educators – Encourage – Encourage your small acreage farmers your small acreage farmers and market gardeners to and market gardeners to diversify how they market diversify how they market their harvest!their harvest!

Wedding FlowersWedding Flowers

The bride, bridesmaids, family and friends come out and pick their

own flowers on the farm.

Farm ToursFarm Tours

On-farm workshops provide On-farm workshops provide additional incomeadditional income

Hoop house construction and Season Extension

Organic gardening workshop series is a 6 week course on

the farm

ApprenticeshipsApprenticeships

Considerations for On-farm Considerations for On-farm Activities….Activities….

Educators: Educators: Help out Help out your local farmers by your local farmers by providing information providing information and workshops that talk and workshops that talk about Farm Liabilityabout Farm Liability..

Organic Wine Tasting on the Organic Wine Tasting on the Farm Farm

Delightfully Decadent Sunday Delightfully Decadent Sunday Afternoon TeaAfternoon Tea

Closing thoughts….

As educators, you have the opportunity to lend a hand and grow new agricultural leaders in

your state.

Reach out to your local farmers!

Provide educational opportunities!

Cultivate success in your community!