Barb and Dave Perkins raise 30 acres of vegetables at Vermont Valley Community Farm in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, where they’ve farmed since 1994. Packing 850 CSA boxes each week, Barb and Dave work hard to keep their CSA community active in the farm with festivals, community days, and worker shares.
We take a deep dive into how their worker share program functions, and how it fits into their overall labor strategy – a strategy that includes two adult children in management positions on the farm. Barb and Dave dig into how they’ve structured their workdays to work for employees, and how they are starting the discussion about transitioning the farm to the next generation.
Dave takes us on a tour of the seed potato business, including how it fits into the labor, marketing, and business aspects of Vermont Valley Farm. We also discuss the basics of the business planning that led Barb and Dave to operate at a large scale in a short amount of time, how the mechanized the operation from day one, and how they manage mulching with their own hay and straw for fertility and weed suppression on a large acreage.
We take a deep dive into how their worker share program functions, and how it fits into their overall labor strategy – a strategy that includes two adult children in management positions on the farm. Barb and Dave dig into how they’ve structured their workdays to work for employees, and how they are starting the discussion about transitioning the farm to the next generation.
Dave takes us on a tour of the seed potato business, including how it fits into the labor, marketing, and business aspects of Vermont Valley Farm. We also discuss the basics of the business planning that led Barb and Dave to operate at a large scale in a short amount of time, how the mechanized the operation from day one, and how they manage mulching with their own hay and straw for fertility and weed suppression on a large acreage.
Sponsors
Vermont Compost Company: Founded by organic crop growing professionals committed to meeting the need for high-quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production.
BCS America: BCS two-wheel tractors are versatile, maneuverable in tight spaces, light-weight for less compaction, and easy to maintain and repair on farm. Gear-driven and built to last for decades of dependable service on your farm or market garden.
Farmers Web: Making it simple for farms, farm cooperatives, and local food artisans to streamline working with wholesale buyers. Lessening the administrative work that comes with each order helps producers create a more successful relationship with their buyers and can help them work with more buyers overall.
CoolBot: Build your own walk-in cooler with a window air conditioner and a CoolBot controller. Save on upfront costs, monthly electricity bills, and expensive visits from refrigeration technicians. Controllers, complete cooling systems, and turnkey walk-in coolers available at StoreItCold.com. Mention the code FTF to double your CoolBot warranty at no charge. StoreItCold.com
BCS America: BCS two-wheel tractors are versatile, maneuverable in tight spaces, light-weight for less compaction, and easy to maintain and repair on farm. Gear-driven and built to last for decades of dependable service on your farm or market garden.
Farmers Web: Making it simple for farms, farm cooperatives, and local food artisans to streamline working with wholesale buyers. Lessening the administrative work that comes with each order helps producers create a more successful relationship with their buyers and can help them work with more buyers overall.
CoolBot: Build your own walk-in cooler with a window air conditioner and a CoolBot controller. Save on upfront costs, monthly electricity bills, and expensive visits from refrigeration technicians. Controllers, complete cooling systems, and turnkey walk-in coolers available at StoreItCold.com. Mention the code FTF to double your CoolBot warranty at no charge. StoreItCold.com
Quotes from the Show
[Dave] What intrigued me [about CSA] was the model itself turned agriculture on its head. Everything about it was pretty much the opposite of the agriculture I grew up under.
Barb] We thought there was no reason that we should, just because we were farming, accept a lower income than we had been making.
[Barb] CSA in some ways may be more complicated because our math has to be so impeccable and we have to figure out what we're planting, because everything that we grow that comes off this farm gets divided amongst our CSA members.
[Dave] making the offer is as important as people accepting the offer… It's kind of like getting invited to a party. You may not be able to make it, but you appreciate the fact you were invited.
[Dave] if you can mechanize something and that improves the process, it's a no-brainer. If it's in your budget, you do it because it's going to improve everything. Improve your life, improve your product, improve your economic bottom line. In my perspective, it's not even a consideration not to.
[Dave] Good seed is cheap seed.
Barb] We thought there was no reason that we should, just because we were farming, accept a lower income than we had been making.
[Barb] CSA in some ways may be more complicated because our math has to be so impeccable and we have to figure out what we're planting, because everything that we grow that comes off this farm gets divided amongst our CSA members.
[Dave] making the offer is as important as people accepting the offer… It's kind of like getting invited to a party. You may not be able to make it, but you appreciate the fact you were invited.
[Dave] if you can mechanize something and that improves the process, it's a no-brainer. If it's in your budget, you do it because it's going to improve everything. Improve your life, improve your product, improve your economic bottom line. In my perspective, it's not even a consideration not to.
[Dave] Good seed is cheap seed.
Show Links
Dave mentioned the importance of the FairShare CSA Coalition in the development of the CSA community in the Madison area.
Vermont Valley’s potato seed business provides seed that is certified by the State of Wisconsin Seed Potato Program and that is also certified organic.
Barb’s favorite tool is the two-edge Lettuce Field Knife, available from Johnny’s Selected Seeds as well as a variety of other suppliers.
Vermont Valley’s potato seed business provides seed that is certified by the State of Wisconsin Seed Potato Program and that is also certified organic.
Barb’s favorite tool is the two-edge Lettuce Field Knife, available from Johnny’s Selected Seeds as well as a variety of other suppliers.
Transcript
The transcript for this episode is brought to you by Earth Tools, offering the most complete selection of walk-behind farming equipment and high-quality garden tools in North America; and by Rock Dust Local, the first company in North America specializing in local sourcing and delivery of the BEST rock dusts and biochar for organic farming. And by Local Food Marketplace, providing an integrated, scalable solution for farms and food hubs to process customer orders – including online ordering, harvesting, packing, delivery, invoicing and payment processing. Additional funding for transcripts provided by North Central SARE, providing grants and education to advance innovations in Sustainable Agriculture.
