My focus on small farms and farmers market vendors
People have asked me why I choose to emphasize helping small farms and farmers market vendors, as a web developer and digital marketing consultant. They don’t usually fit the bill as what some might classify as a “high-ticket” marketing client! I saw a statistic the other day that 60% of small farms in Kitsap County made less than $10,000 last year. My reasons go far beyond big money, however…
I have always been strongly motivated by what I feel is “doing the right thing,” from a social and environmental perspective. My parents grew up in a semi-rural Midwest town, and previous generations of my family were farmers. For me, going back to law school and my days as a political cartoonist, and considering the area in which I grew up (Pacific Northwest), I have always known that environmental issues and sustainable living were among the most important causes to which a person could devote themselves. My work the past year for WSU Kitsap Extension has only underscored this, as I’ve been helping to support local agriculture, Regional Small Farms, and Master Gardeners for a land-grant college. I’ve learned a lot about the pain points for small farmers, such as shipping (with supplies coming in from out-of-state), communications and interactions with consumers (especially being on lockdown under COVID with social distancing), and networking with others in the industry.
At some point in my mid-30s I realized that I couldn’t keep living this way. I went on a “health kick,” and got really interested in nutrition and healthy living. My chosen means of losing all that extra weight was juicing, and I became a huge fan of getting fresh produce from farmers markets for my concoctions. Once I really invested into that course, the weight poured off.
Hopefully, I can make it just a little easier for businesses like small farms and farmers market vendors to succeed, so other people can appreciate the benefits of healthy eating as much as I do!
See a demo website created for local small farms and small businesses.