Business Mentorship Network – Tattam Valley Farms

I am Brian Tattam (he/him) from Tattam Valley Farms in the Glenora area of the Cowichan Valley on the unceded territory of the Quw’utsun peoples. My mentors are Robin Tunnicliffe and Sasha Kubicek at Sea Bluff Farm in Metchosin, BC.

What were your goals for this season? 

I had a number of goals for the season. One goal was to tidy up my QuickBooks and prepare for tax season 2024, and make use of this record-keeping system for the 2025 season. I wanted to gather data, including weighing my produce and tracking yields, in order to examine the relationship between what I plant and harvest and how I price my products and CSA boxes.

I also wanted to find other avenues of sales for extra veggies  – overruns that are not needed in my CSA boxes. This goal evolved into branding the business and creating a website. This will help in the future to advertise and communicate with potential third-party businesses for wholesale sales and secure future customers.

I also wanted to investigate a future expansion of my farm, including looking at water, fencing, and labour needs.

What went well this season relating to your goals? What didn’t go as you expected and what was your response? 

Cleaning up my QuickBooks went well, and I was able to create a proper chart of accounts and categories for all my expenses and sales. Seeing where my money was spent and earned is much easier now.

My goal to explore other avenues of sales evolved into something else, as, in the end, I didn’t have as many extra veggies to sell. This led to my goal turning into more of a branding and advertising exercise. I was able to create a website,  a logo, business cards, and stickers for my farm. I call this evolved goal a win!

My goal to review and reprice my CSA boxes involves weighing all crops that were picked each week. The data is still being input into a spreadsheet created by my mentors. The data will give me a better understanding of how many CSA boxes I can fill and allow me to better price the CSA boxes for next season. The data will also guide me into how many row feet I need for next season.

My goal to look at expansion into the future was not really looked at this season. Once the growing season got going, there wasn’t much time to focus on this goal. This will be a late fall winter goal to work on.

What was the best piece of feedback or praise you got from a customer? 

Many customers were so thankful and amazed that I was able to grow a beautiful bounty each week, mainly on my own. They were so excited about fresh local produce.

“I can’t believe I can just drive here and get my fresh veggies each week.”

What were one or two big, hard lessons this season you would want to share with other farmers? 

I learned that sometimes you must roll with failures. I had some crop failures this year (more than in other years), and I had to let the crops go and see what I would get out of them. Too much labour was being spent on trying to fix a problem, and I have limited time and energy. I realized I have many other crops that are doing well, and I should focus on them.

What were one or two victories, small or large, that you had this season? 

I was able to finish my website and branding this season and even get a proper sign made for my vegetable stand. Those things were on my list for many years.

What was the most valuable piece of advice your mentor gave you? 

I learned many things from my mentors this year. I learned some new skills working in my accounts/bookkeeping from Sasha. I also learned to plan and standardize my irrigation dripline and to get all the crop planning done early from Robin. The most rewarding part of mentorship was to have another farmer to chat and commiserate with. Other farmers understand the hard work. The general population does not.

In what ways did the BMN program and support of your mentor help you refine or reshape the long-term direction of your farm? 

This is my 6th year farming, and I have learned by trial and error in the past. The BMN program and mentor support have shown me that planning is very important because once the season gets started, there is little time to make any major changes. The program has taught me there are many more facets to farming than just the growing part.

What are you most looking forward to this winter?

I am looking forward to more free time and rest, but there will be some planning coming up for next year. As farmers, we really live with the seasons. Just like the plants, my body, mind, and spirit are ready to slow down in the dark days to come.

Where can we find you online?

You can find my farm at my new website https://www.tattamvalleyfarms.ca/

and on Facebook TattamValleyFarms