Farming 201: Green Farms Are the Future
/The agriculture sector had always had a reputation for being old-fashioned. It’s easy to understand why: Farming has been part of the history of humanity for as long as we can remember. As soon as our ancestors embraced a sedentary lifestyle, farming has played a significant role in bringing food on the table.
However, in the past decades, the public has gradually moved away from fresh produce to choose convenient and quick solutions. Processed meals and takeaways have been the preferred dinner menu for years! However, health concerns and the growing environmental impact of mass food production and preparation have shifted the priorities back to simple and local farms. Can you bring the small agricultural business into the 21st century?
To do so, imagine that you’re about to buy an old farm in the countryside. The fields are too small to deliver to grocery chains. However, you’ve got another option to make it work.
You can sell your products online
Your customers are unlikely to have time to visit the daily food market in town. Most professionals spend extended hours in the office so that they can’t afford to shop the way their parents or grandparents used to. But by putting your products online and digitalizing your marketing resources you can make sure to be there when they need you. A farm website that offers online shopping options and displays all your vegetables and fruits is the perfect alternative to a small town market.
You can find plenty of equipment second hand
The idea of starting your own farm can be daunting. Ultimately, the farming business is not the kind of industry you can launch from your home office with minimum equipment. On the other hand, when you get to purchase an old farm, you can often negotiate to get the used equipment as well as the premises. However, be aware that buying second-hand machinery requires additional attention to maintenance and servicing. Additionally, it’s a good idea to buy your own gas oil instead of using the fuel found on the property. Farming equipment can be brought back to life with dedicated care, but it’s going to be expensive to fix the engine if you’re using lousy fuel!
You tap into a new lifestyle trend
More and more households have embraced an environmentally and healthy lifestyle. As such, many of your customers are looking for an alternative to the plastic-packaged tropical fruit and veggies they can buy in their trusted supermarket. Instead, they want to eat local and seasonal produce that is full of nutrients and flavors. Marketing your farm as the green and healthy local alternative to for happy tummies is a smart move to gain their attention.
Make your customers feel special
Everybody wants to receive unique services and care. Something as simple as offering farm-to-home deliveries can make your business the friendliest and most convenient solution around. You can define weekly delivery times to reduce your carbon footprint, for instance. If your customers are not at home, you can agree with them a safe place to leave their deliveries.
More and more country folks are abandoning their family farms to make a living in town. However, you can revive your community’s farm and inject some healthy eating habits into your customers’ lifestyle with a modernized farm service. Delivering fresh produce to health-conscious households could replace grocery shopping.