Today’s show is a repeat of an episode I recorded in the spring of 2015 with Richard Wiswall Cate Farm in Plainfield, Vermont. Cate Farm has sold produce through a CSA, farmers markets, and wholesale accounts, and has been in business since 1981. Richard is also well known for his excellent book, the Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook. We take a hard look at the business side of vegetable farming, with some quick pointers for how you can start to understand the cost of production and marketing on your farm to inform better decision-making on your farm. We also take a look at framing both big-picture and day-to-day decisions on your farm.
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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. Manage multiple product and price lists with ease. Maximize your sales by selling multiple product pack sizes out of the same inventory. Local Food Marketplace will help you reach more customers and save time in fulfilling your customer’s orders.
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.
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 Osborne Quality Seeds, a dedicated partner for growers. Visit osborneseed.com for high quality seed, industry-leading customer service, and fast order fulfillment. Additional funding for transcripts provided by North Central SARE, providing grants and education to advance innovations in Sustainable Agriculture.
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. Manage multiple product and price lists with ease. Maximize your sales by selling multiple product pack sizes out of the same inventory. Local Food Marketplace will help you reach more customers and save time in fulfilling your customer’s orders.
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.
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 Osborne Quality Seeds, a dedicated partner for growers. Visit osborneseed.com for high quality seed, industry-leading customer service, and fast order fulfillment. Additional funding for transcripts provided by North Central SARE, providing grants and education to advance innovations in Sustainable Agriculture.
Show Links
Organic Farmers Business Handbook (Richard Wiswall)
Deep Root Organic Co-op
The Holistic Management book
Holistic Management Testing Questions
Richard’s Favorite Tools:
Greenhouse Trolley for moving flats in and out of the greenhouse
Fred Cain Ripper – mini chisel plow for cutting slots between the wheel tracks
Richard’s Favorite Resources:
Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association – Richard uses the organization’s listserv to ask questions and seek solutions from a large number of beginning and advanced growers.
Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers program at the University of Vermont Extension – Richard gave a shout out to Vern Grubinger’s great work, which I’ve also benefitted from tremendously over the years. Vern also wrote a book that I highly recommend for beginning growers, Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market.
Deep Root Organic Co-op
The Holistic Management book
Holistic Management Testing Questions
Richard’s Favorite Tools:
Greenhouse Trolley for moving flats in and out of the greenhouse
Fred Cain Ripper – mini chisel plow for cutting slots between the wheel tracks
Richard’s Favorite Resources:
Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association – Richard uses the organization’s listserv to ask questions and seek solutions from a large number of beginning and advanced growers.
Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers program at the University of Vermont Extension – Richard gave a shout out to Vern Grubinger’s great work, which I’ve also benefitted from tremendously over the years. Vern also wrote a book that I highly recommend for beginning growers, Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market.
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 Osborne Quality Seeds, a dedicated partner for growers. Visit osborneseed.com for high quality seed, industry-leading customer service, and fast order fulfillment. Additional funding for transcripts provided by North Central SARE, providing grants and education to advance innovations in Sustainable Agriculture.
