A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed by a podcaster. Her last question was, “what part of your job do you like the least?” I think the interviewer was stunned silent when I responded with, “book keeping”. It took her a few seconds before she commented on my response. I think she fully expected me to say something like, mucking out the barn, or stacking hay in our hayloft, or doing chores in subzero degree weather. My response threw her. I mean, what’s business got to do with farming anyway, right?
farming…..to engage in raising crops or animals.
Meriam Webster
Farming or Business
I get a sense that a lot of people have that view of farming. After all, farming is about raising animals, growing plants, and driving tractors. It’s not about spreadsheets, book keeping, budgeting, strategic planning, vision casting, and marketing. The reality is that this could not be further from the truth. Farming, like any business, must be managed, planned, budgeted, analyzed, and marketed if you have any hope of making a go at it.
Farmers farm because they have a passion for raising animals and growing crops. It is the smell of the dirt, the ache of sore muscles after a hard day of labor, the joy and excitement of harvesting what you have grown with our own hands, the satisfaction in tending a being from birth to death, and from realizing that you are self sufficient-that is what drives farmers. I have yet to meet a farmer who is in it for the love of accounting or marketing and all that other business related stuff. Most farmers try to ignore those things as it simply takes them away from what they love doing the most.
It’s Not Just About Farming
I can not tell you the number of farmers who have come to me in the past year with questions centered upon the business side of farm operations. Most of their questions pertain to marketing issues. It is as if, sometimes, the farmers themselves can not put the two together, farming and business. They may even lack the vocabulary to talk about the business side of what they do.
A few months ago, I did some phone interviews with shepherds all across the United States. They ranged from retired shepherds who had raised sheep their entire lives to those who didn’t yet have sheep, but dreamed of owning their own flock. Do you want to know what each and every one of them told me was something that they wanted to learn more about? Marketing! Ok, some of them did not use the word “marketing”, but all of them voiced concern over lack of knowledge related to selling farm products, keeping customers, and finding their niche (i.e. marketing their farm).
Why is it that you can sell your lambs, but no one wants to buy my lambs?
farmer question
What should I do with my wool so that it will sell?
Farmer question
Why do my customers look at my products but then end up purchasing from a different farm?
Farmer question
I am no business expert, but I have been running a farm and bed & breakfast since 2005 and have struggled, pushed, pulled, and found my way through this thing called “business” and “marketing”. I have taken workshops, classes, and even worked side by side with a consultant. Some aspects of running a farm business I enjoy more than others, and some aspects, I leave to someone else to do when my budget allows for it.
If you are ready to bring someone on to help you with marketing your farm, I would love to chat with you.
