1

Essential Online for Farm and Food VenturesNOFA –VT WINTER CONFERENCEFEBRUARY 15, 2014

Rob FishVERMONT DIGITAL ECONOMY PROJECT

HTTP://WWW.VTRURAL.ORG

2 Digital Tools Are Game-Changing Practitioners & Advisors

Eric Rozendall, Rockville Market Farm

Amanda Andrews, Tamarack HollowsFarm

Carl Russell, Earthwise Farm and Forest

Heather Darby, UVM Extension& Darby Farm

Suzy Hodgson, YourFarmStand.com

Websites Social Media Other Tools Using Technology to Network Q & A

AGENDA

3

“I only started using email in 2007, but . . . “

CARL RUSSELL - EARTHWISE FARM AND FORESTHow digital tools have changed his farm and forest

businesses

http://bit.ly/1c1kVGG

4ERIC ROZENDAALROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

1) Budgeting and Accounting

2) Note Keeping & Staying Organized

3) AgSquared

4) Farmigo

5) Farmers To You

6) Good Eggs

5ERIC ROZENDAALROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

BUDGETING AND ACCOUNTING

http://www.youneedabudget.com/

http://quickbooks.intuit.com/

6ERIC ROZENDAALROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

https://evernote.com/

https://www.wunderlist.com

https://mindnode.com/

NOTEKEEPING AND STAYING ORGANIZED

7ERIC ROZENDAAL ROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

http://www.agsquared.com/

FARM MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING

8ERIC ROZENDAAL ROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

http://www.farmigo.com/

CSA MANAGEMENT

9ERIC ROZENDAAL ROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

A Regional PartnershipFarmers To You creates a regional partnership by enabling Boston area families to reconnect to the land through the food they eat and benefit from the delicious and nutritious bounty of Vermont. This partnership supports Vermont area farmers and producers, who create superior food, lovingly steward their land, and enrich their communities.http://farmerstoyou.com/

ACCESSING NEW MARKETS

10ERIC ROZENDAAL ROCKVILLE MARKET FARM

http://www.goodeggs.com/nyc

USING TECH TO CONNECT DIRECTLY

11AMANDA ANDREWSTAMARACKHOLLOWSFARM.COM

1) Kickstarter

2) Square and/or Paypal Here

3) Quinciple

12AMANDA ANDREWSTAMARACK HOLLOWS FARM

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tamarackhollow/get-this-farm-off-the-floodplain

It’s running a small business in miniature

Process is very demanding: creating the video, balancing the rewards with your financing goals, really nailing your talking points, lining up publicity, and organizing your network.

KICKSTARTER – CROWD FUNDRAISING

13AMANDA ANDREWSTAMARACK HOLLOWS FARM• Requires networking for months ahead of the campaign.

At every market we've been letting our close friends and core customers know that we will be running a Kickstarter campaign, and asking if they have any advice, not if they will donate.

• Folks that are genuinely interested and want to follow through will instantly offer their help whether that be their social media network, assistance with creating your rewards after the campaign, creating the video, or reaching out to someone who ran a successful campaign.

• With most of our immediate network, their words have been more valuable than their wallets. Sure, some of them have donated, but it's getting to that second or third ripple out where you're going to make your goal. 

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http://paypal.com/

https://squareup.com/

Easy Online PaymentsAccept credit cards at markets

AMANDA ANDREWSTAMARACK HOLLOWS FARM

http://paypal.com/

ONLINE AND MOBILE SALES

15AMANDA ANDREWSTAMARACK HOLLOWS FARM

Quinciple is a weekly subscription service that creates a balanced box of groceries each week, including meat, fish, cheese, bread, produce, eggs and pantry staples. Every box contains enough ingredients to make at least two different dinners for two people.

“combine the quality and seasonality of your local farmers' market with the convenience and flexibility of online ordering to bring fresh, local produce right to your door, to your neighborhood and to your workplace.”

http://www.quinciple.com/

CONNECTING WITH NEW CUSTOMERS

16CARL RUSSELLEARTHWISE FARM AND FOREST

• Adobe Acrobat and Word to Go

• Hours Keeper App

• Mapping and Soil Apps

http://bit.ly/1oNOGmX\

CARL RUSSELL - EARTHWISE FARM AND FORESTHow digital tools have changed his farm and forest

businesses

17CARL RUSSELLEARTHWISE FARM AND FOREST

NRCS Web Soil Surveyhttp://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm

http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/

http://anrmaps.vermont.gov/websites/anra/

SOIL TYPE SURVEYS

Hours Keeper - Time Tracking, Timesheet & Billinghttps://

itunes.apple.com/us/app/hours-keeper-time-tracking/id563155321?mt=8

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MAPPING

Ushahidi by Ushahidihttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ushahidi/id410609585?mt=8 Geo Measure - Map Area / Distance Measurement by ObjectGraph LLChttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geo-measure-map-area-distance/id451326903?mt=8

GPS Kit HD by Garafa, LLChttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gps-kit-hd/id418662204?mt=8

ArcGIS https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/arcgis/id379687930?mt=8

GIS Kit by Garafa, LLChttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gis-kit/id429688355?mt=8

CARL RUSSELLEARTHWISE FARM AND FOREST

19HEATHER DARBYDARBY FARM & UVM EXTENSION

Vermont Farming App available now

in iTunes!

FARM MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING

http://gocrop.com/

20HEATHER DARBYDARBY FARM & UVM EXTENSION

http://gocrop.com/

RECORD KEEPING

21How it worksSUZY HODGSON

YOURFARMSTAND.COM

A network of interlinked locally managed on-line local food markets

Suzy@yourfarmstand.comNOFA Winter Conference 2014

22People can Buy what they want,

when they want Avoid long term contract

or commitments Move between markets See transparency in

pricing Understand farming

practices

23Farmers/Vendors can Use a new channel to

complement farmers’ markets, CSAs and farmstands

Update inventory and prices at any time

Sell in multiple markets Withdraw money electronically Have access to historical

transactions and reports

24Yourfarmstand Innovations

Real time ordering & inventory management

Historical Records One account - multiple markets Different payment options – credit/debit Automated transactions & labels Local market customization

25

26

27We work with Communities Institutions Workplaces Wholesale Markets Food Hubs

Suzy@yourfarmstand.com

28WEBSITE BASICS

http://rockvillemarketfarm.com/

Be able to manage it yourself

Contact information

Hours and Locations

Simple, Intuitive Navigation

Integrate Social Media

Images

Responsive – works on smartphones and desktop web browsers

http://wordpress.org/

29SOCIAL MEDIA

• Social media is “the next generation of word-of-mouth marketing,” - gateway for their friends or family to get to know more about your farm.

• Farmers can use social media to inform people about agricultural issues that matter to them.

• Social media also is used to keep farmers engaged with other farmers – sharing ideas about crops, pest control and marketing strategies.

• Social media aids customer service.

• Social media opens up conversation. The users of your farm or experience are the best people to learn from when it comes to making things better.

30Components of a social media

strategy IDENTITY: Define who you are, what you stand for, and what you do best.

VALUES and MISSION: Communicate your values in a way that is meaningful and relevant to your audience.

AUDIENCE: Identify your audience(s).

SOCIAL MEDIA OBJECTIVES: What do they gain from engaging with you? What do you have to gain from engaging with them?

Entertain

Educate/Inform/Alert

To be a part of something bigger

To make human connections

Express feelings or beliefs

Have a voice

Planning is the key to success

Don’t try to do everythingRemember it is not all about you.

31Funny and Thematic

OTHER SUGGESTIONS• Facebook Events• Tag other producers (@)• Complete “about”• Contests• Crowd-source info – recipes• Ask Questions

Share info from other sources

Interact: Respond to comments.Photos & Video

FACEBOOK CONTENT

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Facilitate sharing of content“Like or “Follow” from website

Schedule posts Unique Facebook Address

Make use of Facebook Insights – Know Your Audience

Using Apps, integrate MailChimp, Instagram, Twitter, Maps, etc into your Tabs.

Build your audience

Like and then Tag (@__) other organizations, farms

or businesses)

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Email NewslettersKeep in touch with consumers or CSA members

Google Places – aka Google Plus LocalFarms will appear on google maps and be searchable on google map by name. Also enhances search listings

Dropbox.com Cloud Backup and sharing big files

NEWSLETTERS, ETC

http://frontporchforum.com/

Front Porch Forum Reach your neighbors

http://mailchimp.com/

https://www.google.com/business/placesforbusiness/

https://www.dropbox.com/home

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USING FACEBOOK TO CONNECT

Looking to put Farmers and Homesteaders in touch with one another for the purpose of selling or trading livestock, farm equipment, and supplies. Likewise, you can use this group to post Wanted Ads too! 

Using Facebook, over Craigslist removes anonymity, provides a live feed so you have better chances of finding what you're looking for without having to search, and removes the Nigerian scams and email phishers. No more SCAMS!

NETWORKING https://www.facebook.com/groups/NekFarmSwap/

35FREE ONE-ON-ONE ADVISING

http://vtrural.org/programs/digital-economy/services/farm-forest/survey

36

Essential Online for Farm and Food VenturesNOFA –VT WINTER CONFERENCEFEBRUARY 15, 2014

ROBERT FISH

VERMONT COUNCIL ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT

VERMONT DIGITAL ECONOMY PROJECT

HTTP://WWW.VTRURAL.ORG

ROB@VTRURAL.ORG

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