The Blog

Hey! I'm Lisa. I've been writing blogs for CSA members for years. Now I'm excited to write blogs for farmers like you. And my favorite thing? Helping new farmers succeed. I'm so glad you're here!

Welcome!

Farmers Are Entrepreneurs Too

Why Do You Farm?

Most of us got into farming because we love growing food.

The satisfaction (the smell even) of a freshly prepared seedbed, the excitement of the first harvest, and the satisfaction of feeding our communities. Knowing that bed of celery was absolutely perfect (doing a little happy dance in the field)…it never gets old.

Moreover, we enjoy being outdoors, working with our hands, being dirty and exhausted at the end of a long day’s work.

What many of us didn’t sign up for was becoming a marketer, accountant, manager, salesperson, human resources director, customer service representative, and CEO.

Yet here we are. Farmers are entrepreneurs.

The truth is, if you own a farm, you are an entrepreneur.

In the end, you’re not just growing crops. You’re running a business.

Every successful farmer wears multiple hats:

Grower
Operations Manager
Financial Manager
Marketing Director
Customer Service Representative
CEO

And here’s something that took me years to learn:

The farms that thrive aren’t always the farms that grow the best vegetables.

The farms that thrive are the ones that successfully connect their products with paying customers.

That’s not always easy to hear. We want to believe that quality alone is enough. We want to believe that if we work hard, grow beautiful produce, and care deeply about our customers, success will naturally follow.

Sometimes it does.

But often, success comes from developing the business skills that support the growing.

Farmers are Entrepreneurs: But You Don’t Have to Be Good at Everything

So, before you start making a list of all the things you’re not doing well, let me stop you right there.

You do not have to become excellent at everything all at once.

In fact, trying to improve every aspect of your farm simultaneously is one of the fastest paths to overwhelm and burnout.

Especially right now.

If you’re reading this in the middle of the growing season, chances are you’re already carrying a full load. Crops need harvesting. Customers need communication. Weeds are growing faster than you’d like. Equipment needs attention. Family life still exists.

This is not the season for major overhauls.

Although it can be the season for awareness.

Instead asking yourself, “How do I fix everything?”

Ask yourself:

“What’s one area I want to pay attention to right now?”

Maybe it’s:

Your marketing
Your harvest efficiency
Your CSA communication
Your time management
Your pricing
Your customer retention
Your record keeping

Choose one.

But not five.

One.

At first, observe it.

Then, take notes.

Pay attention.

Notice what’s working and what’s not.

Keep track of where your time is going. Especially the days where you wonder where the hours went.

Write down where frustration keeps showing up.

Notice where customers are responding positively (and celebrate).

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s information.

Gather Data, Not Judgment

One of the greatest gifts you can give your future self is good information.

Right now, you’re living the season.

This winter, you’ll have the opportunity to analyze it.

When the fields quiet down and the pace slows, you’ll be able to look back at your observations, your sales numbers, your customer feedback, and your own experience.

That’s when you formulate a plan.

That’s when you decide what you’ll do differently next year.

But first, you need data.

And data isn’t just spreadsheets.

Data is your observations.

It’s your awareness.

Data is noticing.

Small Shifts Create Big Results

Some of the biggest improvements I’ve made on my farm didn’t start with dramatic changes.

Conversely, they started with small shifts.

A different way of communicating with customers.

Then a new routine for planning my week.

A simple system for organizing harvest days.

Finally, a better understanding of what activities actually generating profit.

None of those changes felt revolutionary at the time.

But over weeks and months, they compounded.

Indeed, small, intentional shifts became meaningful improvements.

Meaningful improvements became better systems.

And better systems created more profit, less stress, and more peace.

That’s how sustainable change happens.

Not through giant leaps.

Through consistent, intentional steps.

A Message for the Farmer Who Feels Behind

If you’re feeling stretched thin right now, know this:

You don’t have to solve every problem today.

There’s no need to become an expert marketer, manager, financial planner, and grower by next week.

Simply become a student of your own farm.

Firstly, pay attention.

Secondly, choose one thing to focus on.

Notice what you notice.

Make one small improvement.

Then another.

Trust me, I’ve been there.

I’ve spent seasons feeling overwhelmed, convinced that everyone else had it figured out while I was barely keeping up. Looking back, the breakthroughs didn’t come from working harder. They came from becoming more intentional.

Stay consistent.

Be meaningful.

Be intentional.

The crops are growing.

And, most importantly, so are you.

In conclusion, at the end of the day, growing food is only part of the job.

Growing yourself into the leader your farm needs is the other part.

Farmers are entrepreneurs.

Yours in farming,

Lisa

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