I have warned many farmers and small business' about the issues with running your business through Facebook or "META". With the latest shutdown of the social media giant, the ripple effect became a worldwide issue within minutes.The point is... YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD NOT LIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. You NEED a website and you NEED to start sharing your photos, blogs/stories, commerce and retail to your website FIRST and then to social media second. While you are on my website, make sure to subscribe to stay in touch with my news and updates.
I was attacked. My business was attacked. My reputation was attacked.
It wasn't for any other reason than jealousy, spite, hatefulness and lack of emotional responsibility.
I grew from that experience and so did my business. Don't let snobs get in YOUR way!
Here I am ready to talk about 2024 and we haven't even posted a podcast for 2023.
We have been busy. Busy growing, learning, expanding, exploring and building.
Tune if for a 2023 recap and lets get excited about 2024 together.
We recently got a visit from the State for a "complaint" made about our farm business here. Not only was it a wonderful visit and no issues were found, it inspired an even bigger opportunity for us. Now we are going BIG and BOLD but there are always going to be challenges along the way.
Learn about our new plans here and what we learned.
Do you know what your risk is raising livestock on your farm? What about when you deliver your livestock to your butcher? What happens when there is a loss there? We had to learn the hard way. Listen to learn more about our experience when our butcher facility burned to the ground and we lost our pigs in their fire.
We just experienced something we never would have expected as a small farm.
Our USDA butcher, East Conway Beef and Pork, in Conway NH suffered a catastrophic loss due to a structure fire on Monday April 11, 2022. This was a total game changer for us. Not only did we lose our pigs that we delivered the day before but we lost our future dates for processing our pork.
We are not alone, this is a huge ripple affect across the farm community.
Join us and our guest, Jared with Red Fox Carpentry, on this special podcast. Jared talks about his big barn project in Ohio, how he started his business and his plans for the future.
Elaina Enzien, our guest for today, shares vast amounts of information about the UNH Cooperative Extension, her newest Podcast and her horse training.
It's pretty common to "meet" new friends through social media, especially in a small state like New Hampshire and when you have common interest. I had the chance to finally meet Elaina in person a few weeks ago and couldnt wait to get her on the show.
I hope you are able to tune in for this one. She shares a lot of information about her latest research study for her Masters Degree as well as the current issues with USDA processing and how this can affect big and small scale farmers. AND, shes got some fun stuff about horses and horse training.
Here is the link to the beef producers survey for Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire: https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a2xJGB7ICq90Zym
A link to UNH Cooperative Extension: https://extension.unh.edu/
Link to their podcast: https://www.facebook.com/beefbroads
Did you know this podcast was started in 2019? Crazy how time flies!!!
We wanted to share some short recaps about our 2021 year and what we have planned for 2022.
Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefoxandcrowfarm
So, I found TikTok Live and it has certainly offered me a new perspective on small business and social media.
Are you on TikTok? Have you seen the live feed? What are your thoughts?
Do you currently sell on TikTok live? If so, I NEED to hear from you!!!
This past Saturday, October 30th, we hosted our first Grand Opening of the Farm Store in the new barn.
WHAT A SUCCESS!!! It was a dreadful raining, cold, windy day and our freshly laid dirt driveway was a soupy mess. I was concerned the bath weather would keep people away from our event. I was wrong! I should have posted that there was a occupancy limit in the little shop. My husband plans to build a covered porch so at least, in the future, our guest can have a place to sit and enjoy the view while they wait for the shop to clear out of shoppers.
My parents were visiting from upstate New York so my mom helped me prepare some fresh baked warm Pretzels and Hot Coffee and Cider for our guest. We bagged some fresh baguettes and hoagie rolls and prepared fresh Chocolate Fudge and Olive Butter, items we dont usually stock in the store. I was surprised at with every guest how much they enjoyed my selection.
I can't thank everyone who attended enough for their support and coming to our farm on that day. I appreciated meeting everyone and connecting with them all in one way or another. I hope you enjoy the stuff you purchased and we will certainly be hosting another fun event at the Barn again soon!
Have you completed a health check of your online business?
In 2021 its almost impossible to be found online unless you have some sort of social media presence. How are you driving traffic to your website? How are you selling through Facebook or Instagram?
Let me share some important details to get you started.
Join me as I share our new adventure into Idaho Pasture Pigs. Its a new breed gaining traction quickly in the farm world. Learn why we chose the breed and see if they might be a good fit for your farm.
I am always looking for dialogue on the show. If you want to be a guest on my show, please contact me at thefoxandcrowfarm@gmail.com
Visit www.fridaysfromthefarm.com and become a sponsor today!
"Feedlots are going to have to pivot in their plans with rising feed prices."
"Surging feed prices will test recovery in US animal protein production"
Its not all doom and gloom for you, the small farmer. Yes, you will likely have to increase your prices, and if you haven't yet, you should be considering it. But this doesn't mean the end for the small farmers. Lets talk about WHY there are these price increases and the NASTY word "GMO."
Lets discuss what Monsanto's RoundUp chemical is doing to our corn and soy and livestock and learn how to navigate our customers to a healthy choice.
Heres a great topic and I get it short and sweet (trust me I could go on and on..)
Farmers Markets:
How to pick your market?
Do you do more than 1?
How to dress up your display and make more money.
This segment we chat about customer engagement, displays, pricing and simply HOW TO MAKE MONEY with your farm stuff.
Its been about a month since I left off here on my Podcast! I had a terrible accident and damaged my knee.
Im ok though. I just wanted to stop by and say HI and let you know I am still alive and recording :)
For more information on Wooded Valley Acres visit: www.woodedvalleyacres.com
To watch this podcast on my youtube channel visit: https://youtu.be/U1dy6yHS8Hw
How do you take that leap of faith from a full time career to self employment? How do you turn your farm business into a thriving business you can live on?
Join me, Erin (your host) and Elizabeth Bower with Wooded Valley Acres. Elizabeth had been wanting to turn her farm into her primary career. She started small and aimed high. With planning, organization and an achievable goal, Elizabeth was able to ditch her 9-5 and focus solely on building her farm business.
Meet The Farmers
Cory and Elizabeth Bower purchased their farm in Gilmanton in 2016. It was raw land with a home. Through their efforts, they have established the well working farm that it is today.
While Elizabeth comes from generation after generation of farmers including her own small family farm that she grew up on with cows and pigs, Elizabeth's passion for health and healing your body through diet and herbs stems from an autoimmune disease that was brought to the surface after a traumatic attack by a patient at work. Elizabeth was left out of work for an extensive amount of time with many specialists prescribing prescription after prescription with no success. Elizabeth turned to herbs and natural healing. This is where her knowledge and passion of herbal medicine really began and you'll find this when she talks about how she cares for her animals and how she develops her teas and products.
Cory grew up in the city of Niagara Falls but always loved the outdoors and wanted a different life for himself. He had friends that he would go hunting with and enjoyed hiking. Soon, he and Elizabeth met in 2013 and their dreams became one. Fast forward 3 years and they turned their dreams into a working farm that has continued to grow ever since.