GFP035: So you think you want to start a farm?

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There is so much more to starting a career in agriculture than growing vegetables or herding cattle. It is a common misconception that anyone can farm. That is where the important distinction between gardening and farming comes in. To be a farmer takes true grit, a steel sense of resolve, and the willingness to smile in the face of any and every adversary.

Almost once a week I get a very inspired e-mail from someone who is today where I was a few years ago. My own thoughts were, "I am going to give up the City life and start my life as a farmer." I love getting these e-mails. That passion is contagious and I totally encourage it. That said, today's podcast deals with the reality of that decision as it plays out through my very own farm.

While I love what I do, and I will do what I can to encourage others to follow in my footsteps, my encouragement comes with a note of caution. Farming is way more than just growing vegetables. Most farmers who are making a living from the land spend more time doing paperwork than hoeing potatoes, moving chicken tractors, or herding cattle. They have other people to do that for them and they are dealing with the business side of things.

Now as a small farmer you are going to have to deal with weeding those rows of veggies AND the business side of the farm. The best advice I can give to those of you thinking to leave it all behind and reconnect with the land is to pump the breaks! There is a lot to learn and if you just jump into it you might find yourself in over your head.

Than again, you might now, sometimes you throw caution to the wind and what happens happens. There are different paths for everyone and you will end up choosing the one that is right for you.

I have laid out more of my advice and strategies on the How to Start A Farm section of this website.

Right click here to download the MP3 to your desktop

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • The over-view of my year so far as a poultry farmer

  • What precautions to take when starting a farm

  • The insanity of running a farm, having a baby, and taking a second job

  • Hard decisions that we must face as farmers

  • How your career in agriculture should start like my daughter Mabel

Flying solo with me, John Suscovich

Farming is amazing, and I love it. For better or worse, I love it. While it is my name next to "owner" on my farm, FoodCyclist Farm belongs to way more people than just myself.

Without the support of Kate, Mabel, my family, friends, CSA members, volunteers, processing crew, and you all my dreams would not have come true the way they have this year.

I love what I do and I am going to continue to work very hard to ensure I can keep doing it in the future!

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

Is your passion worth waiting for to make sure it succeeds?

What can you do today to prepare for your new life tomorrow?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP034: Advice on beginning a farm with Shawn Scott of Hoosier Roots Farm

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The single most important thing when starting a farm is research. This podcast covers some great research information used by myself and my guest Shawn as we start and run our own farms. It does seem at times like there are a million things to learn and get done when starting and running a farm. It takes copious amounts of planning, diligent note-taking, and a whole lot of luck to get it right. In the end, "getting it right" is entirely up to you.

There are as many types of farms as there are farmers to work on them. I am doing my best to talk with as many types of farms as I can through the podcast and even just for my own personal growth. I have found that as the market shifts and changes there are three things that many farmers use (at least one of) and that I use in my farm marketing.

  1. Farm Website

  2. E-Mail List

  3. Printed Materials

My farm website acts as a digital brochure for my farm letting everyone who visits know what I produce and where they can buy it. I also build value into my products and my business by sharing my story and updating visitors.

My e-mail list has been a money-maker for me. With just a small e-mail list I managed to sell out all of my chickens every week. In my e-mails I update people when I have chicken available, what vegetables I may be selling, and I also include recipes and farm news.

Printed materials work the good old-fashioned way. Whether it's business cards that someone can take home to remember to visit the website, or a flier in a store window announcing the beginning of my CSA and the start of my farm, printed materials have surely helped me build an audience. After all, not everyone spends a lot of time online.

Right click to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • How your background plays into starting a farm

  • The importance of supports systems

  • When to do research and when to take action

  • Balancing finances and investments when starting a farm

  • Unexpected expenses of time and money

  • Tough lessons learned year one on the farm

  • How to set your prices

  • How to find your market

  • Reaching out to other farmers

Interview with Shawn Scott of Hoosier Roots Farm, Bedford, IN

Shawn was born and raised in Cicero, Indiana. He went on to earn an engineering degree from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and has always yearned to be his own boss.

Amy was born and raised in Fort Wayne. She went on to earn a masters degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis and has been inflicting pain on (ie: helping) people of all ages since 2001.

Their paths crossed in 2004 and, being consummate risk takers, they decided to start a life together in Oregon.They spent countless weekends exploring the mountains, rivers, and beaches of Oregon. They purchased a house and remodeled almost every square inch, built a huge garden, learned to keep bees and tended to three urban chickens.

They gained a deep appreciation for locally grown food, farmers' markets and locally crafted beer. In 2012, baby Eloise was born and, as often happens, life was forever changed.

In the simplest of terms, we want our daughter to be a farm kid. So, in April of 2013, we packed up our belongings and moved back to our home state of Indiana. Hence, the name of our farm, Hoosier Roots Farm. In May of 2013 we actually bought the farm, 35 acres and a small home in Bedford, Indiana. We want our daughter to know where her food comes from and be part of a diverse, responsible and local food system. Our mission is to grow healthy plants and animals in a sustainable and transparent manner while informing and supporting our local community.  Our ultimate goal is for the farm to provide enough income to sustain our household expenses so we can quit our day jobs and get our hands dirty on a full time basis. Stay tuned for the rest of our unconventional story....

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

What can you accomplish in the "less-busy" months that will help you in the very busy months?

What systems are currently in place for dealing with problems and tasks on the farm and what do you need to work on?

What aren't you doing to market you farm and what steps can you take to increase sales?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP033: Most successful farm marketing tool with Eric Gorman of White Silo Winery

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The most successful farm marketing tool in my arsenal is my e-mail list. Each week when I need to sell chickens I send out a letter to my list and within 24 hours I sell out. Now if you substitute "chickens" for vegetables, honey, beef, or whatever product you sell you will find similar results. Today's farm podcast episode features a friend of mine who is part owner of the Winery where I hold my CSA pick-ups. Eric Gorman is the son of the original owner Ralph Gorman who I featured in last week's farm podcast. Eric has brought some great marketing efforts to the Winery to increase traffic and get people in the door.

One of those marketing tactics was developing an e-mail list. In the interview he tells us how large his list has gotten over the last few years, how many people open his e-mails on average, and who is on his e-mail list.

Eric realized early on that the best business is repeat business. In order to get customers coming back you have to be in fairly regular communication with them. In our digital age there is no better way to do this than via e-mail.

This is an absolute "must hear" farm podcast episode. I am so happy to share it with you, and I know you will get a lot of useful information out of it.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Developing an e-mail list is the most powerful marketing tool you can use on your farm

  • You do not need a large e-mail list to increase profits

  • Diversifying your marketing helps you to reach more people (social media, e-mail, website, print, etc...)

  • Making decisions is better than doing nothing at all (not as simple as it sounds)

  • How Eric sold over 1000 vouchers for a farm picnic in one day

Interview with Eric Gorman of White Silo Winery, Sherman, CT

Eric is one of the hardest working people I know, and I know a lot of hard working people. Balancing two full time jobs he is always running somewhere. With all of that he still finds time to enjoy the sports that he loves. After all life is about balance and you need to take at least a little time away from work. Also, this gives Eric and I something else to talk about besides farming, namely bicycling.

The business expertise that Eric brings to the table at the winery is evident in the wonderful events held at the winery and the creative marketing strategies implemented to make sure the guest lists are full.

I have found at the Winery that both Eric and Ralph (and definitely Ralph's partner Marianne) match a strong work ethic with a strong sense of kindness and generosity. Eric offers up his e-mail on the show to anyone who has a question about his winery or about agricultural business in general.

It was a real pleasure interviewing both Eric and Ralph and I want to thank them again for letting me hold my CSA pick-ups at their winery this season.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Get Started Today For Only $1! - AWeber Communications

Pick up your copy of "Stress Free Chicken Tractor Plans" the eBook right here!

Add to Cart

Take aways:

It is never too late to start an e-mail list. Do you already have one?

What are you doing to collect e-mail addresses?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP032: How to start a winery and farm with Ralph Gorman of White Silo Winery

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In order to keep on top of market trends, grow your business, and keep paying the bills you have to be willing and able to adapt to what the market is calling for. That doesn't mean if you are a poultry farmer you need to start raising vegetables, but perhaps you can do something different with your chickens than you are already doing. That is exactly what I am thinking as I look to the future.

The wonderful thing about me doing these interviews is that I personally learn so much when I am doing them. While I would consider myself an expert and I certainly have a lot to share, there is still always so much more to learn. The only time you have it wrong is when you think you know it all.

Businesses change all the time. You need to keep your mind open to see what changes are coming and how you can adapt your agricultural business to ensure that you can still afford to follow your passions for years to come.

Today's guest shares his story of how his business has evolved over the years to become more efficient and more profitable. Ralph is always looking to the future while learning from the past.

Right click here to download the MP3 to your desktop

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Information you cannot find anywhere else on starting a pick-your-own farm!

  • How a passion for gardening turned into a farm & winery

  • How value added products can benefit your farm business

  • The possibilities a commercial kitchen can open up for your farm to create more products

  • Just how labor intensive are grapes?

Interview with Ralph Gorman of White Silo Winery, Sherman, CT

(This is John) I met Ralph by chance by showing up at his door one day and introducing myself as the guy who was going to raise chickens locally that year. Well after introductions we became friends, both with a passion for what we do. Ralph is a wealth of knowledge as well as analytical thinking.

The great thing about Ralph is that he has tried a lot of things to make his farm business profitable. He'll always tell you he's working on it and that it's not perfect yet, even after over a decade in the business.

White Silo Farm is a small specialty winery. Their wine is produced and bottled on premises from farm grown fruit.

Experience the charm of an earlier era by touring the old barn where the winery is located. Visit the fermentation, bottling, and corking rooms where the classical art of wine making has been preserved. Walk the fields or relax in one of our outdoor gardens. Guests are welcome to bring lunches. If you prefer, they also make gourmet box lunches and cheese plates. Advance notice is required for box lunches

Twenty-six years ago their family purchased a portion the spectacular Upland Pastures dairy farm. Their intention was to continue the farming tradition and preserve the land for generations to come. They planted our first crop of raspberries, then blackberries and rhubarb. For the next fifteen years they operated as a pick your own berry farm. In 1990 we opened our winery. The 1800?s dairy barn was renovated and converted to our wine tasting room and production area. In 2010 we planted our first acre of grape vines. They expect to harvest our first small crop of grapes in the fall of 2012. (which they did just before the interview)

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

What value added products can you create from stuff you are already growing?

How can you stay ready to adapt to suit the needs of your market?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP031: Having a good farm family makes for a good family farm with Mrs. FoodCyclist

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I have been highlighting the farms and people that have helped me get a start with my farm this year. After all, I have a lot to thank them for. As I listened back through some of the episodes recently I noticed a glaring omission. Kate!

My wife, Kate, is the reason I am able to do what I am able to do. Even as I write this she is watching our daughter Mabel so I have some time at the computer. She's an incredible person, and this relationship would be nothing without her.

Whether it is your wife, your partner, your co-workers, your volunteers, your CSA members, or your friends, there are a lot of relationships that surround a farm. Maintaining and working at those relationships will be the key to your success.

I have said it many times, you cannot farm alone. Well, you can, it just stinks. You are going to want people around you, and if you want to be productive and successful there are certain things you have to do to keep them happy, as well as keep yourself happy.

On today's episode Kate and I talk about some of the things we do to help keep our relationship healthy. After almost 10 years of being together, 3 of them married, we have put our relationship through just about every test you can imagine. We have come through all of them stronger and closer and we now share that with our daughter.

Today's farm podcast is from the heart, with a practical message. I hope you enjoy and thank you for listening.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • The benefits of good communication

  • How the company you keep defines you

  • More back-story on the FoodCyclist family

  • The difficulties with decision making and following your gut

  • Best practices for best relationships

Interview with Kate Suscovich:

My family has been the most important element of starting my farm. My wife Kate the most important and influential of all. I run decisions, ideas, thoughts, concerns, pretty much everything by her. Our relationship has developed and grown a lot over the years and we are happy that we are now growing our family and a new generation of farmer.

Kate holds a Masters of Education and work at a school in town. She is an amazing mother, fantastic support for me, and a great friend to anyone she meets.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

What can you be doing to better communicate at home and at work (if those two places are not the same)?

Is there someone in life that causes drama, frustration, or unrest? Can you start to phase them out of your life in exchange for someone that is going to enrich your life?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP030: Farm manager for a non-profit organization with Joe Listro of Sullivan Farm, New Milford, CT

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Farming is not something that anyone should have to do alone. I have tried it, it's not great. I strongly feel that the more people you can involve with you farm the happier you will be, also more successful.

You don't always get to choose the people who work with you on your farm. That's often a great thing. When you work as a farm manager under a board of directors that can go either way.  They can either be your best friends, or huge pains in the behinds. In the case of Sullivan Farm, Joe tells us in the interview that he loves working with his board of directors because they bring a diverse skill set to the (farm) table.

In the beginning of the episode I talk about a very important part of farming. That important part is working with people. There are SO many people interested in agriculture these days and not all of them want to get their hands dirty. I mean, it is really hard to find people who want to process chickens with me. Even if they do not want to learn how to properly scald and pluck a pastured chicken, they may be able to help you farm out in other ways.

Whether it is accounting, marketing, grant writing, sign painting or whatever, everyone has something to offer. Your job is to keep their fire burning and find a place where you have a weakness to fill with their strengths. Do not "poo poo" someone's offer of help just because they don't want to play in the dirt with your or they don't know how to fix a tractor. There are too many things to get done, and those things are too diverse in nature.

Oh, and don't feel like you're using people if you accept volunteers. People volunteer all the time at all manner of things. As a farmer we work longer hours than most, we make less money than most, and we face more hardships than most. People are starting to see that, and they are starting to pitch in to make it a little easier. The "system" is kind of built against small farmers, but that doesn't mean the other people living within that system aren't willing to help.

Again, your job, take care of your volunteers. Just because they are not asking for pay doesn't meant you shouldn't give them something. If they are coming for the day, buy them lunch. If it's hot outside provide Gatorade or an ice cream. Think of it this way, if you were to hire someone for the you would at least have to pay them minimum wage. In CT that's $8.25 an hour. For an 8 hour day that's $66. If you buy that person an $8 lunch they still saved you$58. The point is, be willing to accept volunteers, but please take care of them and don't abuse their kindness.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Joe's very interesting start in agriculture

  • How to tackle a farm job when you have never done it before

  • How to work with a board of directors

  • Ways to market your farm online

  • How big should you e-mail list be?

  • How to increase farm visibility to drive more traffic to your farm stand

  • Even non-profits have to think like for-profits

  • The most important thing to have as a farmer

  • Finding little victories on the farm

Interview with Joe Listro of Sullivan Farm:

Connecticut native, Joe has worked on a variety of farms after his time at the University of Maine.  Joe has been planning and working on the variety of vegetables in the fields, managing and teaching the college and high school workers, apprentice, and interns and all other odds and ends on the farm for the past two seasons.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

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Take aways:

How are you leveraging other people's passions to help grow your agricultural business?

What nice things have you done for your volunteers/workers to thank them?

How are you keeping your "team" motivated?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP029: Farm Education with Diane Swanson of the Pratt Nature Center

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Education is crucial on the farm, especially as consumers are becoming more aware of what is in their food. Questions are being raised as to whether what we are eating is healthy or not. The public is eager to know just who their farmer is. It is up to you to feed that need, provide the answers your (potential) customers are looking for, and become "their farmer".

On my farm this year I have done, and continue to do a whole lot of education. It is pretty hard to sell someone a whole chicken when they don't know what to do with it once they get it. I not only provide my customers with information on where the chickens come from, how they were raised, and how they meet their end, I also give them advice on what to with with a whole bird once they get it.

Sharing all of this information has helped me not only get customers, but keep them happy. Some of the avenues I use to keep my members in the loop are:

There is another form of farm education that is equally, if not more important. That is simply showing kids how things are done on the farm. The biggest shock to me when I started my investigation of our food system was how ignorant I was. There was this whole other way that I had never really been privy to.

You have the power to effect a generation with your farm. You can give kids that glimpse into the life of a farmer that will give them a deeper appreciation for their food, might encourage them to live healthier, and will have a trickle up (down and all around) effect as they grow up. Who knows, one day they might grow up to start a farm of their own and a podcast to go with it.

My guest today runs a successful Nature Center that helps educate about agriculture and its' effect on the world. The real success if the education the kids and adults are receiving when they visit the Pratt Nature Center. However, seeing as this is the Growing Farms Podcast I asked Diane all about how she got started and how she gets all those kids to attend.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • How the Pratt Center got started and what you can learn from that

  • How to attract 6,000-7,000 kids a year to your farm

  • How to give people achievable goals and why

  • What the best type of farm marketing is

  • Blogging to bring people to the farm

  • Social Media and connecting with your customers

  • The importance of collaboration

  • Three things you get from nature every day

Interview with Diane Swanson of the Pratt Nature Center

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Diane Swanson joined the Pratt Nature Center as the Program Director in June 2010 and was named the Director in December 2010 and Executive Director in January 2012.  For over 20 years, Diane has been working with the youth of New Milford.

Diane credits her parents for her love of nature.  Her parents, residents of New York City, provided her the opportunity to connect with nature by spending summers and weekends in the New Milford area.  She learned to enjoy nature by digging in the dirt, climbing trees, swimming, building forts and catching frogs.

Diane is looking forward to re-connecting the children, the families and the community with nature and helping them reap the social, emotional and academic benefits that nature provides.

Diane received her  B.A. in Elementary Education from Concordia College, Bronxville, NY in 1990.

The Pratt Nature Center

The Pratt Nature Center is a 201-acre wildlife preserve and environmental education center in Litchfield County, CT. The land is diverse - with a mountain, meadows, woods, wildlife, gardens, farm animals, a stream, a pond, and wetlands, providing wonderful opportunities for outdoor fun, discovery and adventure!

Pratt Nature Center offers hiking, bird-watching, community garden plots and nature education for all ages including programs tailor-made for the classroom or scout troop as well as for family or community enjoyment and learning

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

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Take aways:

What are you doing to educate your customers? Are you on Social Media? Do you have a website?

How could you benefit from opening up your farm (more) to visitors to allow for teachable moments?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP028: Pursuing Passions in Agriculture with the FoodCyclist

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"Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try." - Gail Devers

That statement is so simple, and so very true. I am 28 years old and I feel like I have already accomplished so much in my life. I have lived in New York City after growing up in Connecticut. I worked for the "King of All Media". Competed as a road bicycle racer in Manhattan. Married the woman of my dreams. Rode a bicycle across the United States (with dream-woman-wife-lady). Fed 1,000 people for a summer working on an organic farm. I started a successful farm of my own from scratch. And I now have a healthy beautiful daughter.

Those are some of the larger accomplishments. They all happened because I decided to do something with my life. Those who never get off the couch and "try" have no right to complain that life is boring.

I am not saying that you have to ride your bicycle 5,500 miles visiting family farms (though I highly recommend it).  My dreams are not everyone's dreams, that is what makes them unique. I am saying that you should find something you are passionate about and pursue it.

Was it easy? Hell no. Some of those decisions were no-brainers, and some took me years to act on, but act I did.

Will you fail at some things? Absolutely, but not always.

Will people put you down, call you stupid, "poo poo" your dreams, and treat you like a fool? For sure.

Will there be times where you hate what you are doing and you will wish for your old life back? Haha, yeah, but those times don't happen too often.

Is it all worth it? With all of my heart and from a place of having done it myself, YES! Good or bad, it is worth every second.

You will never know if you do not try.  It is both simple and horribly complex. When it comes down to it, your life is what you make it. If you wait until retirement you life will pass you by and you will be too old to do some of the things you wanted.

"But John, I don't have money. I have kids. I have a house. I have obligations. I can't because of this. I cannot because of that." There are a million reasons to say no to something. And at least one good reason to say yes, because YOU want to.

I know a family who bicycled around SouthEast Asia for six months. Husband, wife, and two little girls who were toddlers at the time. Kate and I afforded to bike across the states because we lived off peanut butter and jelly and illegally camped in the woods. If you really want to do something you will find a way to make it work.

I have been intensely fortunate in life. If you use my fortune (which was not financial fortune) as a comparison to your own life then that's just another reason you are creating to stay in your safe zone. I believe that good things happen to and for me because I work my a** off to bring good to the world. The fact that the world sees fit to give good back makes me work that much harder.

This farm podcast episode and my show notes here are purposefully passionate. I put my heart into everything I do. I hope that you come away from this with some of my fire and some of my energy to do good in your life, and for the lives of others.

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • ...that I have the most beautiful new daughter in the world!

  • Pursuing your passions is one way to a happy and fulfilling life

  • How to get past nay-sayers

  • The good, the bad, and the ugly of following your dreams

  • Even I am behind on paperwork as running a farm in July is getting the best of me

  • What to do when your chickens die

  • Why I made the decision to change farm locations

  • How to find others that share your dream(s)

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

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Take aways:

What would you do if you had no other obligations in life?

What is keeping you from doing it? ...and how can you change that?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP027: Getting free media exposure and what that can do for your farm business with Troy Bishopp the Grass Whisperer

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If you want to succeed as a small (or large) business you have to market your products. The only problem with farm is that the margins can get pretty slim. That is when us crafty folks break out the guerrilla marketing techniques and find out way into free or cheap media exposure.

In today's episode I share a story about some free media attention that I received this year that led to me landing a place to farm, getting me some customers, and giving me a little security about land in the future. You can find my press release and article a little further down in the show notes.

Even if you cannot find the time to send press releases now or to really put out any marketing, you should be taking pictures. The pictures you take now while your farm is in full bloom with come in handy when you are getting press out of season. I walk you through some basic photo editing on my farm photo page here.

I bring on the show an experienced farmer and journalist Troy Bishopp the Grass Whisperer. Troy brings a great knowledge-set to the podcast with both perspectives from being a farmer and working in the media. This episode is a "must listen" if you want to get some free exposure for your farm.

Right click to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • How to build relationships with media personal

  • Tools for making it easy on the reporter and getting your story across

  • How to prepare for an interview

  • How to put the power of the interview into your hands

  • What to do when you feel like you have "no comment"

  • Using editorials to get free press

  • Creating soundbites to grab attention and where to put them

  • Cute sells!

  • How to be a farm advocate

  • Return On Investment (ROI) from media exposure

Troy Bishopp the Grass Whisperer:

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It is not every day you make a friend from complete stranger. Troy came to my farm to learn a little more about what I do and to get some help creating videos and to be on the podcast. Given that I was horrifically sick when he got here, Troy turned into more of a savior than a guest.

Since Troy's time on my farm picking up my slack we have kept in touch to compare notes and just keep in touch. Troy is a great guy and I respect the balance of professionalism and goofiness that he brings to the tables.

In farming you learn the most from other farmers. All advice comes with a grain of salt and not everyone's advice will work for you. I have spoken with hundreds of farmers of the years and I have found out one thing about Troy. When he talks, you listen.

The thing about the Grass Whisperer is that he not only wants to farm, he wants other people to farm and is willing to work toward that. He strives to inspire and educate as well as practice what he preaches.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

What would more exposure do for your farm? Increase sales?

Are you prepared for an interview should an opportunity present itself?

What would you want to get out of more exposure?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP026: Big farm news and a visit from The Grass Whisperer

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I had a hard time with the title of this podcast because I couldn't decided whether I should write that I have big news AND the Grass Whisperer came to visit my farm, or it IS the big news that the Grass Whisperer came to my farm. It was a tough call because it sure was great having Troy on my farm.

There was a bunch of big news preceding the interview with Troy Bishopp the Grass Whisperer. The first is that I got a job. That's right, I took a job, and I am super excited about it. I am going to be the a farm manager and operations director for a farm that is starting a brewery and distillery in addition to their pastured egg operation.

Over the next month I will be moving my entire farm operation to their land where I can run my chickens and fulfill my work obligations to the new farm at the same time. Sure it is going to be a lot of work making the transition, but I will manage.

I just love that I can keep my business and make some extra money on the side. Takes a little pressure off me, and I really think it is a match made in heaven with this farm.

Farm podcast every other week!

That's right, I am scaling back. I am finding the farm, the baby coming, and the new job to be a lot of work (who knew?) Since the podcast is currently not generating any revenue, and it takes me a lot of time to put it together only to give it out for free, I am going to start putting up episodes every other Tuesday.

This will break a few hearts, and completely not effect others. I love doing the show, and I will always continue, but I think for the time being less is more. Besides, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get guests as they are all out in the fields working.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Grazing cattle for other farmers

  • What is a "grass backgrounder"?

  • What type of electric fence charger you should be using.

  • Putting together a grazing management plan.

  • The importance of writing things down.

  • Planning for fun.

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Interview with Troy Bishopp The Grass Whisperer

It was an absolute pleasure having Troy come down for two days. I was really sick those days and was still going to do all the chicken chores, but The Grass Whisperer was in town.

I learned a lot from having Troy on the farm. I hope he picked up a thing or two from me ass well.

Here's an excerp from his page.

Welcome Consumers and Friends of Grass-Based Agriculture.  This little farmer friendly website is an extension of the passion we feel for pastures.

It is brought to you by a 5th generation family farm with "roots" firmly planted in sustainable agriculture and a committment towards showing what CAN be done. Our farm family goal guides decisions:  We strive for a stress-free life. We want our topsoil covered by diverse pastures harvested by animals, thus recycling solar energy and activating biological life to provide a sustainable profit. We want to regenerate our community with local food. We want to create a savannah for wildlife. We want to create a place for the next generation to thrive.

The writings, speeches, pictures and meat produced around this foundation of keeping the land covered with forage and speaking up for agriculutre is a tribute to our ancestor's hard work and compassion for the people of our community.  We are excited about promoting a"Sunshine in every Bite" campaign that will spur everyone to appreciate the financial, environmental and social benefits of a tasty pasture-based system while growing new farm families.  Your comments are welcome.

Items mentioned in this podcast include:

Take aways:

Are you planning fun into your farm plan?

Are you keeping records and making projections so that someone else can help out if something happens to you?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP025: Business first family or family first farm business with Jolene Brown

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It can be awkward, weird, tough, and uncomfortable to mix family and business. It can also be great. Any which way you do it you need to get everything in writing, and keep all the details straight.

I will be the first to admit, Kate and I have not been as up on this as we should be. There is a lot we have talked about, but we haven't been so good about putting it down on paper. I find in general getting things down on paper when times are good gives you something to fall back on when times are bad. Even if it just an answer to the question, "Why did we even do this in the first place?"

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • How to hire and fire your own children

  • How to prepare for when someone kicks the bucket

  • Tools for productive meetings

  • The "deadly Ds"

  • Educating not humiliating, building bridges

  • Why someone else is not always the problem

  • Preparing for bad times during the good times

Interview with Jolene Brown Iowa grain farmer and professional speaker

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Jolene Brown will have you laughing while you learn! She’s an award winning communicator, and an honored recipient of the Certified Speaking Professional, the highest earned designation of speaking achievement worldwide! She's known as a Champion for Agriculture whether from the platform, in the magazines, on television, or on the radio.

She is a walking-talking spokesperson and consultant for the family-owned business. With her keen insight and result-centered approach, she's been invited to sit at lots of kitchen tables and family business meeting rooms. Jolene has learned what works and what doesn't. She understands the unique challenges facing parents, siblings, in-laws and "outlaws" who work together. Jolene's popular book, Sometimes You Need More Than a 2x4!, contains how-to-tips so those in agriculture can increase productivity, profitability and peace of mind.

As co-owner and active partner on their Eastern Iowa corn and soybean farm, her practical experience includes plugging a grain auger, hypnotizing chickens and entertaining folks behind the equipment parts counter.

Jolene cares deeply about the ag industry and is on a mission to share leading-edge best practices.  She's a passionate supporter, promoter and champion for the people who feed, clothe and fuel the world.

Her worldwide audiences appreciate her fun-filled humor and real-life stories.  They leave with take home value, great big smiles on their faces and eager to return for more.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

Do you have a plan in case the worst happens?

How does your family function as a business? Have you detailed it in writing?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP024: Recognizing inefficiencies and making a farm plan to solve them

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Time and money. Never feels like there is enough of either. Wouldn't it be great if we could all have a little more time in our day. Perhaps you could use it to spend time with family, grow more crops, or herd more cattle. Who knows? The point is, we need a way to make the most out of our waking and working hours on the farm.

That is where efficiency comes in. Becoming more efficient at what you are doing on the farm will make you more productive  you will get more done. Being able to get more things done would be huge.

I know there are things I would love to do for my business and in my personal life, but I just do not have the time. I do not have the time because I have some inefficiencies in my work routine. I spend a lot of time thinking about this as I am out in the field.

In today's episode I discuss what some of my inefficiencies are and what my plans are to change them. I also talk more about my farm and how I am doing with sales and production.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • How to recognize inefficiencies in your farm plan

  • How to teach volunteers without offending them

  • What my day-to-day looks like on my chicken farm

  • What the importance is with efficiency

  • Efficiency vs. Effectiveness

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

What can you be doing to make your farm more efficient?

What would you do with a few extra minutes/hours in a day?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP023: Boot-strapping when you are beginning a farm with Nathan Winters of Hill Hollow Farm, Petersburg, NY

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Starting and running a farm is no small task no matter who you are. You can plan until your heart's content, but there are variables and things will inevitably change. That doesn't have to be a bad thing though. You will learn a lot through farming, about farming itself, and about who you are and what you are capable of.

I will be honest with you. I feel like I am constantly behind. I have three weeks worth of things that needed to get done yesterday. It wasn't for lack of planning on my part. I did a ton of planning. You can listen to the beginning episodes of the podcast. But, even though I had a well-laid plan, things have changed.

Everything takes longer than you expect (plan for that). The weather happens, outside forces happen, family happens, sh** happens (especially with 480 chickens). The best thing you can do is to stay positive, still have a plan, and do you best to become a success.

When you are just starting up you want to do a lot of testing. You will be testing what plants grow best, what feed your animals like the best, and you will be testing the market to see what sells the best. I know farmers that never thought they would get into the type of farming they are in now. However, they are good farmers And good farmers are good business people. they listen to what their customers are telling them and they respond with an awesome product.

With all that testing you are not going to want to buy all the infrastructure right away, even if you are able to. Beg, borrow, and steal (don't steal, it's just an expression) until you know two things.

  1. You have a market to sell what you are doing.

  2. You love what you are doing.

If you find out the market is going one way after you bought everything and set it all up, you're going to end up with either a pile of equipment that you cannot use, or worse a pile of product that might rot.

Boot-strapping is not just about saving money. It is about making sure you have the right tools for the right job.

Right click to download MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Connecting with customers through "new media" (Social Media)

  • How to find the resources you need for your farm

  • The benefits of boot-strapping

  • Good "old fashioned" farm marketing techniques

  • How to make yourself present in a community when starting a farm

  • How to keep yourself sane when times get tough

Interview with Nathan Winters of Hill Hollow Farm Petersburg, NY

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Hill Hollow Farm is a beautiful, family owned and operated, small-scale farm located in Petersburgh, NY.  As family members we work together and support each other in our farming endeavors. Currently the farm produces grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork, and poultry and operates an organic vegetable CSA.

On our farm we believe in leaving the land more fertile than when we found it. This means that anything that goes into our soil needs to be beneficial for the entire biosphere of the farm, from the songbirds to the microbes. As we harness the nutrients in the soil to grow the vegetables in our garden and the grass in our pasture, we also return nutrients to provide continuous stability. Our goal is to encourage people to break free of the industrial food model, enjoy and restore the art and value of cooking, share meals together and buy food that is in line with their values and that enhances our soils, keeps the interest of our future generations at heart and provides optimal nutrition.

Our Basic Values:

  • Everyone deserves good food. Organic and natural food should be available at an affordable price.

  • We farm in a way that is sustainable and restorative to the soils we occupy.

  • Animals raised for meat are treated with compassion and are eaten and sold with dignity and are raised in a manner that is as close to their natural environments as possible.

  • We strive to build symbiotic relationships with all of the humans, plants and animals that exist on the farm.

  • We believe that the core component to bringing back the value in social capital, local economy and community involvement is local food production. We all must eat and therefore food has and always will be the one thing that connects us all together.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

Do you have at least a rough plan that your follow?

Where is your business headed next? Do you have the resources to get there? If not, do you know where to find them?

If you don't mind helping me reach people:

Positive reviews in iTunes help be a lot. Other farmers are searching for this type of information and your endorsement helps me reach them. Would you mind taking a second and signing into iTunes to leave me a 5 star review. Hay, I might even read your feedback on the show. Here's the link.

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP022: Clear, Consistent, and Compelling branding with Myrna Greenfield of Good Egg Marketing

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Branding is super important to your agricultural business whether you are on one acre or one thousand. Branding is not just for the big guys. These days people are even developing personal brands to clearly define how the are represented in the world.

I have worked on developing my brand for years. I have stumbled, fumbled, and walked blindly through a mess of unclear definition(s) to reach the point where I am today. This episode is to help you not waste the same time that I did when it comes to developing your farm's brand.

Defining the fundamentals of why you are farming and what your farm means to you and your customers is the most crucial step when starting your farm business. You brand is your business, plain and simple.

Right click to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • What a brand actually is

  • How you can start to define and develop your farm brand

  • Branding is not just for large corporations

  • How to choose a farm name

  • Define your customers tangible and intangible motivations

  • Defining the similarities and differences in your competition and how to leverage it

  • How to better rank in search engines with your farm website

Interview with Myrna Greenfield of Good Egg Marketing

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Good Egg Marketing is a Massachusetts-based business that specializes in promoting good food and good causes.  Good Egg was hatched by Myrna Greenfield, a seasoned marketer with a passion for sharing good food, helping people, and making marketing fun.

A “good egg” is a phrase that is typically used to describe a “good person,” someone who likes to help others.

A good egg is also an egg that is safe to eat and tastes good. And any egg that deserves to be called good should also be humanely and sustainably produced. Good Egg Marketing aspires to be all of these things: helpful, safe, tasty (tasteful), humane and sustainable. Good Egg clients are based in Massachusetts and nationally, and include farms and food enterprises, small businesses, nonprofits, and consultants. Founder and “Top Egg” Myrna Greenfield works with associates in graphic design, web development, video production, and social media to create effective, affordable marketing campaigns.While Good Egg Marketing is particularly devoted to working with businesses and organizations that produce, provide or promote delicious, healthy, sustainable food for all, it offers services to anyone who is a good egg.

Greenfield has worked in the food and beverage, publishing, health care, and hi-tech industries, and was employee #1 at Equal Exchange, a Fair Trade coffee company. She’s the former director of Communications and Campaigns at Oxfam America and served at many other non-profits, including the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Fenway Community Health, and the Child Care Resource Center.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

Have you clearly defined what your story is?

If you have, how are you telling that story to your customers? Is it effectively reaching the right people?

Do you have a farm website to help you tell your story?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP021: Visual Food Marketing with Jonathan Raduns of Merchandise Food

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Setting up your farmers' market stand or roadside stand can be a daunting task. This is your point of sale. It is at this place where you will finally see some return for all the hard work you have put into your farm during the week. How you represent yourself and your farm with your farm stand is how your customer is going to percieve your products.

60% of a customers' opinion of food quality in restaurants is based on teh retail environment.

You are trying to compete with "the big guys". Most often this is a supermarket or large grocery store. Well, the people selling their goods in there are using every trick in the book to get people to buy their products. If you want to compete with them (even if it is not in the store) why wouldn't you do everything possible to encourage more sales.

In this week's agricultural podcast episode we talk about what you can do to make your farm stand more appealing.

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • What visual food marketing is

  • What to keep in mind when creating signage

  • Where to focus your visual marketing efforts

  • Ideas for your farmers' market table

  • How to excite your customer and create a memorable experience

  • What leads to repeat business

Jonathan Raduns of MerchandiseFood.com

Jonathan has a well rounded background in the food industry that spans retail sales, management, merchandising, restaurant operations and wholesale food manufacturer marketing.  Jonathan is known for his innovative, creative, and clean approach to creating displays that build customer experiences in food courts and restaurants which lead to impulse purchases and greater sales.

He has extensive merchandising and management experience with one of the world’s most awarded retail merchandisers, Wegmans Food Markets.  In this capacity he focused on specialty products and grew in-store organic produce sales by 25% through his unique use of food merchandising.

He holds a specialized degree in Food Marketing and Distribution from Rochester Institute of Technology.  Jonathan has authored and delivered training programs for numerous groups in Metro New York City and the Hudson River Valley.

Leading by example, creativity and vision, he’s a highly motivational consultant who’s a real pleasure to work with.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

How are you going to set up your farm stand to increase profitability this year?

What can you change with how you are visually presenting your food that could result in more sales?

Is your farm name clearly visible from across the market? How do people identify you?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP020: How to focus and prioritize your strategic farm plan with Scott Graves of SM Graves Creative Associates

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By necessity entrepreneurs have to accomplish a lot in a relatively short amount of time. There are so many things to balance when starting a farm or growing your current farm business if you do not keep organized and focused you are doomed from the start.

Early on I created a plan for how I saw my farm going. I started at 20 years out and worked backwards to present day. I have a dream that I would like to realize and I see that dream taking shape every day around me. It is not an easy road, but there are certain tools and techniques you can use to make that road a little less bumpy. A strategic farm business plan is one of them.

"To achieve great things two things are needed. A plan and not quite enough time." -Leonard Bernstein

In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast I bring on Scott Graves, an agricultural businessman with a passion for the arts. Scott and I discuss farm business plans, things to look for when you want to expand or rejuvenate your business, and a whole lot more.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Why reflection is an important part of business planning

  • How to prioritize the many tasks you have to get done on and off farm

  • Why multi-tasking is BS and approaching one project at a time

  • Growing your farm business sustainably

  • Building social capitol

  • The benefit of thoroughly defining your demographics

  • Understanding your farm products

  • Improving efficiency

Interview with Scott Graves of SM Graves Creative Associates

Scott’s focus on strategic business capabilities have been garnered through experience in executive management, education and advocacy.  In addition to credentials as a sales and marketing professional,  Scott is a licensed property and casualty insurance professional, CLCS. SMGraves Creative Associates allows Scott and his team members the ability to  offer their services to clients as part of a concerted effort which increases the quality of results for their clients.  His unique combination of creative, strategic and functional perspective make him a powerful and trusted advisor.

Scott has successfully assisted organizations to achieve their goals representing financial services, arts and culture, health and human services, rental/retail and education. He is a former executive director, music educator and performing artist, recognized as a leader in business and creative expression.

Scott is Vice President, Board of Directors for the GVNA HealthCare, a dedicated Rotarian at the local and district level and Chairman, Board of Directors for EPHAS (Every Person Has A Story), currently training 2000 students in photo-journalism, documentary work and entrepreneurship in the US and ten countries.  Scott participates in the development of regional projects addressing some of Massachusetts toughest issues including economic development, access to music education and teen substance abuse.

Scott resides in Central Massachusetts with his wife Christine, daughters Abigail and Marcella.  They happily while away the hours growing their own food, traveling by bicycle and generally laughing, playing and reading together.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

 

 

Take aways:

Do you have a well thought out farm plan?

What do you see as the future of your agricultural enterprise?

Who are you selling to? Can you answer that question in detail?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP019: Two types of farm stories and how they can both be dangerous with Jeff and Laura Hamons of Synergistic Acres, Parker, KS

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Farming is an emotional roller coaster. I feel like sometimes there is a long climb to the top emotionally, then a sharp fall before you start the climb up again. In between you might go for a few loops, hit a few bumps, and maybe go through a tunnel and lose direction for a bit.

When you are riding the roller coaster you might look to other farms for advice, inspiration, and perspective. It is a natural thing to do, it can be a healthy thing to do, and I highly recommend that you do it. However, proceed with caution. Good or bad, not every farm story is what it is cracked up to be.

In this farm podcast episode I discuss the two types of stories you are likely to hear when you start to compare yourself to other farms. They both have their good and their bad elements. The trick is to take a story for what it is, know that your story is different, and make sure your realize that there is much more than the words on the page.

I want to reiterate that I am not saying the farmers who get articles printed wherever they get them printed are lying. Far from it. All I am saying is that they are doing the best to represent the best side(s) of their farm, as they should. My word of caution applies only if you are a farmer and you are comparing yourself to something you have read.

Right click here to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • The appropriate distance from your customers based on their feedback.

  • The two types of farm stories you are likely to hear.

  • The benefits of marketing before you own the farm.

  • Common roadblocks for poultry producers.

  • Blogging to build an audience.

  • Farm research methods.

  • How and when to move the cow.

Interview with Jeff & Laura Hamons of Synergistic Acres, Parker, KS

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Synergistic Acres is lovingly managed by Jeff and Laura Hamons along with the help of their beautiful daughters. The farm is located in Parker, KS a pleasant 45 minute drive from Kansas City.

Their journey to owning a farm was not what you might consider a normal path to farming.  They did not grow up on a farm or even have any farmers in their known heritage.  Instead, their path to farming comes from a strong belief in the importance of people having access to healthy food and wanting to make that more accessible to people living in the Kansas City Area.

One of the reasons they have chosen to focus our efforts on the farm in growing meat instead of vegetables or other farm produce is the belief they have that animals can be raised humanely and happily and that farming does not have to involve the cruel and thoughtless care that many farm animals live today.  They ensure that their animals live their lives in as natural an environment as they can provide on the farm and that all of the necessities for a happy life are provided for them.  This will not only grow happier animals, but also healthier animals.  Animals that are healthier when they are living are healthier when we eat them. So cows are fed only grass and live their entire lives on pasture.  Pigs are given a mixture of woods and pasture in large paddocks so they can live and breed in a natural environment.  Their laying hens are allowed to free range in the pastures all day long filling up on nutritious and delicious insects and bugs.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

Take aways:

Have you taken the time recently to stop and appreciate what you do?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP018: Education based marketing with Karl Johnson of Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs, Monroe, NH

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farm marketing podcast

You customers have to know why they are spending money on your product. Just because you know it is awesome, does not necessarily mean that they know it. That is where education based marketing comes into play.

Consumers are getting sold to almost 24 hours a day. Selling based marketing is dying. There are so many products out on the market that consumers are looking for more information about the products they buy. That is particularly evident in the food industry. Education around food is not only something that is becoming a necessity, but it also a popular thing to do now as well.

With "know your farmer know your food" almost becoming a badge of honor among foodies, it is our job as the farmers to educate those consumers so they have the right information when bragging to their friends. There are so many reasons to share your story, and as a agricultural business marketing and sales should be at the top of the priority list.

In this agricultural podcast I talk about the efforts I am making to tell my story, and how educating my customers is paying off for me. I then interview the director of marketing at Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs on the strategies they are using to educate their customers.

Right click to download MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • Listen to your market to determine your marketing message

  • Using social media to connect with your farm customers

  • Making use of user generated content to enhance your farm's online presence

  • Measuring marketing success through consumer activity online

  • Partnering with like-minded companies

  • Survive in business by specializing

  • Being a values-driven company

Interview with Karl Johnson of Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs

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"I'll never work on another egg farm," Karl said when he got out of his high school job. He then finds himself years later working for another egg farm and loving every second of it. If you ever get the chance to meet the folks (and the chickens) at Pete & Gerry's you'd understand why he likes being there.

Karl came out of retirement to work at Pete & Gerry's as their director of marketing. 'I am working as hard now as I ever have," hey laughs. When you hear of all the innovative marketing strategies he has implemented including social media to engage customers and measure marketing results, you would never guess that this guy was even close to retirement age.

Besides being talented at his job, Karl is an all around great guy. I have had the pleasure of working with him for a number of years as P&G has supported Kate and I through our journeys. He is a great interviewee and a good friend.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

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Take aways:

How are you educating your customers? Do they know why they should buy from you?

Are you measuring you marketing successes?

How can you use social media to connect with your cusomters?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP017: How to prepare for a media interview with John Suscovich of FoodCyclist Farm New Milford, CT

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Getting exposure from the press can be either a good thing or a bad thing. I'm not talking about being caught out for a scandal or something like that, I am talking about being unprepared for that media exposure. Disregarding any bad press you might receive, and I hope that you never have cause to receive any, I want focus on how you can make the most out of the good media exposure.

I have gotten good press across the country. On radio, television, and various forms of print. The honest fact is, it is not that hard. Sure, there is some luck and skill involved with getting your name to appear in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, I'll save that blog post for when I have accomplished that feat myself. I am talking about local news.

Local newspapers and local television stations want to print an upbeat story every now and again. Since you are a farmer selling locally, this is the media outlet you want to hit. After all, you are selling to the locals.

In this farm podcast I go over what you should do before you approach the press with a story. Below I detail a few ways I have found success getting local press across the country.

Right click to download the MP3

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • It is never too late or too early to "grow bolder"

  • Three things to keep in mind when preparing for a media interview (in particular radio)

  • How to think when you are behind the microphone

  • Some strategies for better articulation

  • Creating a sales funnel and why it is necessary

Interview with Me, John Suscovich on the Growing Bolder Radio Show

A few years ago the producers at Growing Bolder contacted me after I had some other press appearances. Given the tone of the show I was excited to be a guest. The hosts Marc Middleton and Bill Schafer are top-knotch interviewers and I really enjoy their show.

I especially wanted to share this interview and highlight Growing Bolder because I feel like their program and project hit at the heart of why a lot of us get into farming. We are adventurous, courageous, and at times down-right crazy. Friends and family might judge, society might stick it's chin up, but at the end of the day we love what we do. We are farmers, and we are bolder!

I always enjoy talking with Marc and Bill. If you have a good story to tell I am sure they would be happy to have you on the show. If nothing else, I recommend listening in on a few shows if you have the time.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

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How to get the media to talk to you in the first place:

One word, confidence.

Everyone has some kind of interesting story in their life. Especially if you are a farmer now-a-days. I am guessing that you are if you are reading this. There are as many possibilities as their are farms. Whether the farm has been in your family for 200 years and you are restoring the old buildings, or you just got out of college and you are going to live in a tent and work land that someone let you squat on for free, there are all types of stories out there, you just have to have confidence that your story is a good one.

When I approach media I have a purpose in mind. A problem that needs solving. No matter what media outlet you decide to pursue, they are always going to put their spin and their flare on it, just accept that. Their flare aside, know what you want to get out of the situation.

My Example

This winter I was searching for farm land, as you know if you have listened to all of the episodes. I also just launched the podcast. I wanted to find farmland in my area, and get exposure for the podcast. I found a template for a one page press release online (here's a link to random one) and wrote my one page story.

My problem: young farmer needs land

Interesting hook: young farmer starts his own radio show

The newspaper had a way to help me with publishing an article. Not only did it help me, but because of the article many people got in touch with me, and got in touch with the paper with solutions.

I sent my press release out to two or three area newspapers, and low and behold the biggest paper in my State was the one to get back to me. They sent a reporter to my house, we spoke for two hours. They sent a photographer as well. Within a week I was the front page story with a lot of color photos.

In the past I used "problems" like raising money for a worthy charity, with an interesting hook of riding a bike across the country.

The return on investment.

I got several leads on land (which I now am using) and I developed a relationship with a reporter at the paper. Brynn if you're reading this you are an incredibly talented writer and thank you for the article. I also got some CSA customers out of the article, not a bad side effect.

Don't Forget!

I am always looking for people to interview. I haven't had problems finding people yet, but I really want to highlight my listeners if I can. Please get in touch and we will schedule a time to talk. Thanks!

Take Aways:

Do you know your farm business enough to describe it in one sentence?

Are you confident "behind the microphone"?

What would getting on the local radio station do for your farm business?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

GFP016: Leasing Apple Trees and Farm Tours With QR Codes, Billiam Von Roestenberg of Liberty View Farm in Hudson NY

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Farming certainly keeps you on your toes. Just when you think everything is going your way, life throws you a curve ball. That's certainly alright. It is not what happens to you, it is how you deal with it. I was recently thrown a curve ball regarding a delivery and storage of 4,000 pounds of chicken feed. It's alright, I dealt with it, well, I'm dealing with it, and I talk about that a little in today's farm podcast episode.

It is not just the weather and unfortunate circumstances that keep you on your toes. Owning and operating a farm business will exercise your mind in ways that you never imagined. Part of owning and operating that business is farm marketing. Actually it's a serious part of your business. Marketing is about making more money. It is about selling products. It is also about building a community around your farm that involves not only your customers, but like-minded businesses as well.

Right Click Here to Download the MP3 File

In this farm podcast you will learn:

  • An instant cash source for your farm

  • The best time for sending out e-mails

  • Strategies for getting media exposure

  • What "glamping" is

  • Why you should market your marketing efforts

  • When you should be building your e-mail list

  • The power of delegation

Interview Billiam Von Roestenberg of Liberty View Farm, Hudson, NY

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Billiam van Roestenberg left the Big Apple behind to purchase Liberty View Farm in 1999. His innovation "Lease a Tree" naturally brings a greater awareness and connection between farmer and consumer. The success of this unique farm experience has garnished a lot of attention including Travel + LeisureMagazine "America's Top Ten Apple Picking Farm." Farmer Billiam & Farmer Rene’s organically grown apple orchard is one of the few in the Northeast.

Billiam organized the Historic Same Sex Weddings in New Paltz, NY where he was the first same sex couple married east of San Fransisco. In that same year of 2004 he ran for political office.  In 2000 he became Vice Chair of the Democratic Committee in Southern Ulster County; and sat on the Zoning Board of Appeals for 5 years.

Billiam has been featured on television, many newspapers, magazines and books. A community farm activist he currently sits on the Board of Eat Local Food. Billiam can be heard on his radio show and his blogs, "The Frugal Farmer" and "Cultivating Community and Farmers", where he speaks to the importance of being politically involved. Recently he was voted and won a national recognition by the Huffington Post.

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

How to use free QR codes:

  1. Go to this page: http://www.qrstuff.com/ (or any similar site)

  2. Fill in the necessary fields.

  3. Download your QR code image.

  4. Add that QR code into your marketing materials, or use it to send people on a self-guided tour of your farm.

Take aways:

Are you working with others to market your farm?

Can't get into a farmers' market? Ever thought of starting your own?

Sick of telling the same story a million times? What have you done to tell your story besides speak it yourself?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.