Tag: Farm

Why Little Farm Businesses Are Role Models

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM. Agriculture is an industry need by most of the developed world. In modern times though, many consumers are putting more and more of their trust in little farms for various reasons. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Little Farm Businesses Are Role Models.

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More and more people prefer to buy their food from trusted sources. While large farming organizations used to be a reliable food source in the past, more and more modern customers are turning to small, family-sized farming and food businesses. The reason is simple: They can’t trust corporate food magnates anymore. The list of controversial decisions taken by large farming companies is too long to write down here. But to name only a few examples, customers demand controlled origins, sustainable productions, and ethical choices from their food suppliers. As such, small farm businesses are making a name for themselves because of their positive management choices.

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They are more likely to be eco-friendly
While the agricultural industry is one of the first skills developed by mankind, it’s strange to think that many businesses have lost their ways and used environmentally-adverse approaches to exploit the soil or the animals. On the other hand, small farming businesses have maintained their planet-friendly strategy and remained accountable for their results. A sustainable farm can be profitable, especially at a time where buyers demand to see your green strategy. As such, vegetable farms can rely on homemade compost and natural repellents to keep their harvests. Fish farms can look into getting ethical certifications to convince customers of their green intentions. Additionally, as a fish business, you can also rely on reliable equipment, such as the Delta Net and Twine tools, that are handcrafted and made to measure. As such, you can have the best tool for your environment.

They are close bonds with the local community
Do you need to own farm fields to become a farmer? More and more dedicated businesses choose to rely on community efforts to build a farming environment that supports local needs. For instance, Boston Medical Center grows its own food for the benefits of patients on top of the hospital. The rooftop farm grows more than 25 crops and guarantees the best products for the patients. Ohio City Farm is an urban farm that trains refugees to help them integrate and acquire the skills they need for their lives in the US.

People trust people
Corporate farm businesses are faceless. On the other hand, a family-sized farm is made out of people that you can meet and get to know. Human beings are social creatures, and, as such, they naturally put their trust in other people. Customers find it easier to bond with individual farmers than with a global brand. As such, they are more likely to support local farms.

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The rise of leisure farming
More and more homeowners are moving outside of towns and into the rural regions. Millennials and Generation X quit their urban lifestyle to buy an abandoned farm and grow their own vegetables. Farming may not be a commercial activity for these. It is a life choice. They want to go back to their roots and learn to cohabit with Mother Nature. As they do, they develop a deeper understanding of environmental challenges and build a new appreciation for small farming businesses.

Small farm businesses are the unsung heroes of the planet. They dedicate their efforts to grow plants or keep animals that are healthy for consumption. Additionally, their decisions are dictated by their love for the environment and the desire to put the community’s needs first. Family-sized farms are the role models we all need to combat climate change and health crises. They are built on respect and values.

Looking To Run A Small Farm Business? Read this!

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If run correctly an Agriculture business can be very lucrative. If you’re a novice to the business though, there are some important points to understand before getting in. The following contributed post is entitled, Looking To Run A Small Farm Business? Read this!

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If you want to start a small scale farming business, you may be wondering where to begin. You may have the land ready, which is one of the essential things that you need to do, but you do not know what the next step is. Here, we look at what you need to think about when starting up.

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

1. Understand how farming works

There is minimal point in starting a small farm business if you have no idea how a farm works. It may sound straightforward enough, but in reality, it really isn’t. It involves long hours and lots of stress, and at times, there can appear to be very little reward for it all. However, in the long run, if you put the effort in and follow some important farming guidelines, you will see it all pay off.

The majority of your learning will happen on the job, and you will make plenty of mistakes along the way. Some things will work, and some will not, and you may feel like you are getting nowhere at times. Before jumping into owning a farm, see if you can get some experience by working or volunteering as a farmhand. If you are purchasing your own far, seek out a farm manager or a mentor with the expertise to guide you through the process.

2. Have a business plan

It does not seem to be the sort of thing that needs a business plan, but if your ultimate goal is to make a profit from it, you need a well thought out business plan. Consider the supply and demand for your products, the markets, the management structure, financial strategy, and how you will be pricing goods. You may also want to look at taking advantage of any grants or loans to get your farming business up and running, which you often cannot do without a plan.

3. Investigate grants and subsidies

As we mentioned above, in some cases there are grants and programs available to help you to purchase essential farming equipment such as mowers, tunnels, seeds, and various other things, or for an injection of cash to get you on your feet.
Other places may provide subsidies on equipment, especially if you are a startup or a young farmer. Don’t forget animal feed if you are looking at that area of farming – learn more here about the things you may need.

You may well want to start off by using whatever budget you have available and see how things go. Do bear in mind that farms often make a loss, to begin with, so make sure that you have enough savings, or a secondary form of income to keep you ticking over until you are consistently making a profit.

4. Set up business licenses and permits

It depends where you are based, but once you have decided on the business type, you are going to work as, whether a sole proprietorship or an LLC, you will need to register it and purchase any relevant business licenses. You may also need to look into insurance, and take out any insurances that may be appropriate, particularly if you are employing other people.

Cultivating A Profitable Farm In The Long-Term

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM. The agricultural industry has been around for centuries, and there are many things you need to know to get into it and to be able to turn a profit. The following contributed post is entitled, Cultivating A Profitable Farm In The Long-Term.

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The agricultural industry is one of the oldest on the planet, so it’s no surprise that thousands of farming entrepreneurs try to find their spot in the marketplace. Of course, as stable as the industry is as a whole, individual businesses have to work hard to stand their ground in the long-term. As a farmer, you have to plan and carefully look after your land so that you have viable produce to sell to the market. It can be a difficult business model to figure out. What does it take to cultivate a profitable farm in the long-term? Let’s talk about that in this post.

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Always account for overhead costs.
If you want to create a profitable farm in the long-term then you need to think about the expenses of running your operations. Many part-time farmers who make money through a career or other business ventures don’t concern themselves too much with this aspect of operations. They might not see their labor as an expense, for example, because this is all a fun hobby to them. As a result, their business seems pretty profitable. But hobby farms aren’t always profitable enough to stand on their own two feet. If you want to create a farm that is sustainable in the long-term and profitable enough to provide for you and your family if you’re going full-time then you always need to account for overhead costs. Of course, the costliness of running a farm often incentivizes farmers to increase their prices. But as a small farm that’s trying to stand out in the industry and build a client base of local grocers or consumers, you might not want to increase your prices too much. You might want to reel in customers with fair and decent prices.

That’s why the goal is to focus on your overheads. How can you cut costs without cutting the quality of your products and services? This is the question that causes headaches for so many entrepreneurs in all manner of industries. The answer is to budget smartly and assess individual expenditures. For example, you could save money on the energy bill necessary for running your farmhouse (the base of operations) by getting solar panels. It’s an investment that’ll save you money in the long run because you won’t be relying on the grid. Sometimes, in order to reduce long-term costs, you have to make wise investments. People say you’ve got to spend money to make money, but the smartest piece of business advice to remember is that you’ve got to spend money to save money. For instance, you could buy in bulk from your supplier in order to save money; that’s why it’s important to form strong lasting relationships with local businesses and people in your community. We’ll talk more about that later. If you’re going to cultivate a profitable farm in the long-term then stay on top of your monthly budget, track your expenditures, and find ways to use your funds wisely so as to keep costs low but maintain quality control.

Do your consumer research.
If you want to cultivate a profitable farm in the long-term then you need to do your consumer research. Making money is all about giving the market what it needs. You can’t push products or services successfully if there’s no market for them. Run surveys or simply talk to people in your local area. Get an idea of what people want from farms such as yours or your farm specifically. This is how you get an advantage over the competition. You need to talk directly to existing and potential customers. In turn, you’ll be able to develop a business which stands out from the competition in the marketplace.

Your goal is to create a brand for your farm that resonates with people. You need to make a connection so that clients want to choose your business over the competition. You might be selling similar types of produce to your rivals, so how are you going to stand out? Perhaps you could run your business in an eco-friendly manner so as to prove to the market that you care about the planet and not simply making money. You might want to look into getting an ASC certification in sustainability if you farm salmon produce. That’s an example of taking a step towards creating a more ethical business that impresses consumers. Just make sure you do your research so that you can start to create a farm which your target audience wants to see.

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Build a local reputation.
If you want to cultivate a profitable farm in the long-term then you need a loyal client base. This is true of any company in any type of industry. But in the world of farming, it’s all about the local community. Unless you build an international farming empire, you’re probably not going to start connecting with corporations and consumers all over the world. That might be the dream for your business in the future, but you need to take things one step at a time. For starters, you need to build a local reputation. You need to target retailers and consumers in your area so as to build a name for yourself. Go to the local market and pitch your produce to sellers. Find your place in the local industry. Once you win over the hearts (or bellies, rather) of local businesses and people, you’ll start to build up a loyal following. That’s how you’ll get repeat sales and achieve stability through a regular client base. It’s also how your business will start to grow. Happy clients spread brand awareness through word of mouth. But your farm can’t expand until you start building a reputation in your local area. Start small.

Make money with your land in many ways.
You might want to focus on your particular niche in the agricultural marketplace, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore opportunities to utilize your land in other ways. If you want to cultivate a profitable farm in the long-term then you need to pursue every potential opportunity to monetize your land. You could offer riding lessons if you own horses, for example. You could even sell tickets to people who might want to look around your farm to admire the animals or simply learn how the entire process works. You own a business that’s fascinating to people in many ways, so make the most of that fact. Look for all potential sources of revenue so that you can make your farm as profitable as possible.

So many small farms fail before they even get started. It can take several years to start making a decent profit from the land, so it’s important to keep working at it. It’s a gradual process. You need to continuously grow your business, as entrepreneurs do in any industry. The key to cultivating a profitable farm in the long-term is to create a viable and sustainable business model. You need to learn to continuously budget, research, and develop your business so as to keep it relevant in an ever-changing and ever-competitive agricultural marketplace.