Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Foreword xiv
Introduction xvii
Chapter 1 Working Landscapes 2
Domicile 10
Access 11
Fences 14
Water 16
Buildings 18
Vegetation cutting 19
Chapter 2 Eclectic Awareness 22
The local daily newspaper 29
Tribal magazines 30
Books 31
The opposition 31
Chapter 3 Live Frugally 36
Chapter 4 Can Do Entrepreneurial Spirit 56
The Fears: Knowledge 65
Acquiring land 66
Finances 67
Labor 68
Marketing 68
Business 69
Optimism 71
Chapter 5 Assemble a Team 72
Starter vs. finisher 78
Messy vs. cleany 78
Spender vs. saver 79
Introvert vs. extrovert 80
Team Development: Micromanagement 84
Team Development: Working hard vs. free time 85
Chapter 6 Direct Marketing - Why 92
Self promoting 94
Emotionally vested 97
Hard work 97
Peer dependency 97
Community economy 103
Attracts the best and brightest 104
Customers will move with you 105
Emotional support 106
Polyface in Photos 108
Chapter 7 Direct Marketing - Where 126
Big supermarkets 126
Small independent grocers/supermarkets 130
Food co-op 131
Farmer's markets 132
Electronic aggregators 135
Restaurants 139
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 141
On-farm sales/store 143
Metropolitan Buying Club (MBC) 145
Food trucks, kitchens 148
Chapter 8 Direct Marketing - How 150
Diversified portfolio 150
Differentiation 153
Customer friendly 156
Delivery is a separate business 159
Everyone food 162
Find your fit 163
Cash flow 164
Gateway products 165
Chapter 9 Gross Margin Analysis 168
Chapter 10 Multi-Enterprise 186
Chapter 11 Stay Nimble 202
Mobile farms 204
Modular 213
Management intensive 216
Chapter 12 Time & Motion Studies 224
Set benchmarks 231
Go loaded and come loaded 239
Make lists 244
Chapter 13 Getting Started (or Starting Over) 248
Mid-lifers 248
Young professionals 254
Youth and 20 somethings 256
Chapter 14 Distractions 262
Bank barns 262
Horse 264
Off-farm recreation 265
Heritage genetics 266
Certifications 268
Government agencies 271
Social media 272
Unscheduled visitors 276
Failure to cull 277
PVC construction 279
Cheap infrastructure 281
Chapter 15 New Opportunities 284
Agri-tourism 284
Edu-tainment 287
Urban custom farmers 289
Agri-community 290
Therapy farms 293
Elder-care farms 296
Farm schools 299
Camp farms 301
Summary 304
Index 308