Blog Category: Marketing

FEB 21, 2024: ONLINE – How to Market a New Farm with Kendall Ballantine

Posted by Kat Roger on January 09, 2024 2 Comments

Join Kendall Ballantine, the founder of Marketing for Farmers and Central Park Farms to learn about how to market your new farm business. What’s the best marketing channel for your farm? Weekly CSA boxes, farmers’ markets, online sales, events or all of the above and more? Join this webinar to learn about the marketing channels available to entrant (and seasoned) farmers. You will learn about the pros and cons of each marketing channel, and develop the skills to identify which marketing channel(s) will best meet the needs of your farm and your customer base. We will share tips, tricks and … Continue reading FEB 21, 2024: ONLINE – How to Market a New Farm with Kendall Ballantine →

FEB 7, 2024: ONLINE – Land Leasing 101

Posted by Kat Roger on January 08, 2024

Join Darcy Smith, YA’s B.C. Land Matching Program Manager, to learn about the nuts and bolts of land access in B.C. Got Land? Want Land? This webinar will walk you through the A to Z of finding land or a farmer and developing a land sharing relationship. Learn about leasing in B.C., legal considerations, and how to build and maintain mutually beneficial land agreements. Each step of the way, you will get a taste of the services available to farmers and farmland holders through the B.C. Land Matching Program (BCLMP). This webinar will focus on what it takes to build … Continue reading FEB 7, 2024: ONLINE – Land Leasing 101 →

How to Choose Your Farm Marketing Channels: A Discussion with Established Farmers

Posted by Andrew Adams on December 20, 2023

SHE SELLS SEASHELLS BY THE SEASHORE. WHERE DO YOU SELL YOURS? Every new farmer is faced with the question: Where will I sell my products? There are many different sales models to consider – here, we offer wisdom from veteran farmers across B.C. on how to determine what kind of marketing approach might work best for you. Farmer, Know Thyself: matching your marketing strategy to your lifestyle Knowing who you are as a person, what you can handle and where your values sit is imperative to choosing your marketing channel. Our number one tip: getting hands-on farm experience and seeing … Continue reading How to Choose Your Farm Marketing Channels: A Discussion with Established Farmers →

What is sliding scale payment? Why are we using it?

Posted by Michalina Hunter on May 25, 2021

Thank you to Underground Alchemy, Albany, NY for providing the sample text that this post is based on. Sliding scale payment is a tool for building economic justice, and it requires your active participation and reflection. The core principle is to provide a price range that makes an event more broadly accessible to people with diverse financial means, while ensuring fair compensation for the organizers and educators. You are asked to pay according to your available resources. When everyone participates in this way, we are able to create a more equitable, diverse, and supportive farming community. Young Agrarians has been … Continue reading What is sliding scale payment? Why are we using it? →

Beyond the Market: Selling to Retailers

Posted by Jolene Swain on March 18, 2021

Have you outgrown the farmers’ market? Can you produce more than you can sell direct to customers? Are you ready to branch out to retailers? Here are some tips and tricks from retailers and producers to help assess your readiness and provide some considerations when it comes to moving your product beyond the market. Flexible farm business incubators Farmers’ Markets are a great incubator for local producers to fine tune their growing practices while building up a customer base and brand. Direct to customer sales offer a short supply chain and forge valuable relationships with the community. Cutting out the … Continue reading Beyond the Market: Selling to Retailers →

Online Marketplaces for Farmers and Food Producers in BC

Posted by Hailey Troock on December 04, 2020

Are you an enterprising farmer or food producer looking for more ways to sell your locally-made products online, to your community and beyond? Read on! In other blog posts, we cover general ecommerce tricks, tips and tools and small farm software tools for farmers and food producers. These resources are helpful for anyone in and outside of BC! In BC, multiple online platforms, directories and marketplaces where farmers and food producers (and other businesses!) can sell their fare have popped up in the last year to address increased demands for buying local, including healthy food. This post features two of … Continue reading Online Marketplaces for Farmers and Food Producers in BC →

Customer Relationships During Farm Transition

Posted by Hailey Troock on October 06, 2020

Photo credit: Sole Food Street Farms Successful customer relationships are at the heart of successful businesses. Informing customers and nurturing these relationships during the transition period (and before!) is crucial for a smooth transfer. Many farms sell their products through a variety of sales channels. Indirect sales occur when sales are Business-to-Business (B2B), and the customer is a buyer from a store or distributor, rather than the end consumer. Direct sales channels occur when a farm is selling directly to the person who consumes the products (B2C), and may include Farmers’ Markets, CSAs, farmgate and online sales. Your approach to … Continue reading Customer Relationships During Farm Transition →

SEPT-NOV, 2020: ONLINE – SCALE YOUR PROGRESSIVE FOOD BUSINESS

Posted by Michalina Hunter on August 25, 2020

Give your progressive food business a leg up with Feeding Growth! This series of five workshops provides practical tips for progressive retail and packaged goods companies to reach and maintain success. Each workshop follows the Feeding Growth recipe: personable and caring food industry mentors share advice; participants engage in hands-on exercises; and the helpful community of progressive change-makers connects over tasty local food. The series culminates with a keynote event celebrating our graduates and the local food movement. WORKSHOP DATES Brand & Marketing, September 24, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Online via Zoom Sales & Distribution, October 8, … Continue reading SEPT-NOV, 2020: ONLINE – SCALE YOUR PROGRESSIVE FOOD BUSINESS →

Software Tools for Small Farms

Posted by Melanie Buffel on April 29, 2020 19 Comments

Software Tools for Small Farms This article was originally written by Chris Bodnar, and was published in COABC’s BC Organic Grower, Volume 16, Number 3, Summer, 2013. It has since been expanded and updated by YA staff. Find more farm business resources on our FARM BUSINESS TOOLS PAGE Many organic farms have a special binder. The binder holds field records, crop plans, a multitude of to-do lists and miscellaneous notes. The binder is sacred; should it ever go missing, the following year’s organic inspection would be a nightmare. The farm’s operations depend on a bundle of papers that, with one drop in … Continue reading Software Tools for Small Farms →

DIY Website Toolkit for Farmers & Food Producers: Ecommerce Tricks, Tips & Tools!

Posted by Hailey Troock on April 21, 2020 4 Comments

20 minute read Are you looking to move your business online, transition from what you’re currently using, or integrate Point of Sale with your online sales for your farm or food business? This article will provide a toolkit for farmers and food producers who would like to build or manage their own online business, or be better equipped to work with a web or marketing professional. Consultants and agencies can be hired to build your site for you or customize certain aspects of plug-and-play software or standard theme designs. Marketing professionals can help you build out an amazing plan and … Continue reading DIY Website Toolkit for Farmers & Food Producers: Ecommerce Tricks, Tips & Tools! →