Herdwick sheep are domestic sheep from the mountainous Lake District of England, raised for carpet wool and meat. Lambs are born all black and then mature into their distinctive white face and legs. Their name comes from Old Norse “herdvyck” which means “sheep pasture.” Here’s a close-up look at a flock of Herdwicks and their owner…
Moving to the Countryside
Nestled in the Dutch countryside, Dagmar tends to a flock of Herdwick sheep on the hobby farm she oversees alongside her husband. “My dream of having my own small farm has always been significant,” Dagmar says. “After living in Hong Kong for five-and-a-half years, me and my husband were fortunate to fulfill our dream and buy a house with a little land in The Netherlands.”
Having secured the land, Dagmar has been building up the farm to branch out from Herdwick sheep to include chickens, ducks, rabbits and a couple of miniature donkeys.
Taking a moment from caring for her flock, we spoke to Dagmar about researching breeds of sheep and her early farming influences. We also got to know an adorable sheep called Sear.
Growing up, Dagmar’s parents didn’t live on a farm, but they did find a way to keep some cows and sheep.
“We had land near our house where the animals grazed in the summer,” she says. “In winter, they were kept in stables. As a young girl, I loved accompanying my father, especially during lambing season.”
Furthermore, when lambs were rejected by their mother, Dagmar would help to bring them into the homestead. “I enjoyed taking care of them and walking them on the street,” she says.
When Dagmar and her husband began to plan their hobby farm, they started out searching for miniature donkeys alongside a “robust and strong” breed of sheep that also “looked sweet and cute.”
While browsing Pinterest one day, Dagmar came across Herdwick sheep in the Lake District of the United Kingdom. She instantly fell in love.
“I searched for a breeder in The Netherlands,” she says, “and in September 2018, I got my first three Herdwick lambs: Saar, Julie and Noor. Sheep are just fantastic animals; they are really important to me and I enjoy spending time with them every day!”
Sear is one of the stars at Dagmar’s hobby farm. “She’s a very sweet, calm and amusing little sheep,” she explains. “When I have a treat for my sheep, she’s always the last to arrive. She also has this way of looking around as if she’s seeing something extraordinary; she’s just a very relaxed sheep. It’s just hard not to fall in love with Saar’s adorable little face.”
Looking back at 2023, Dagmar says that she noticed many of her sheep seemed to be shy. “They wouldn’t let themselves be petted or even let me come close to them,” she says.
However, by investing a lot of time in them and demonstrating a large amount of patience, Dagmar managed to gain their trust. “This makes me very happy!” she says.
Reflecting on her hobby farming journey so far, Dagmar says that she takes joy from knowing that she can provide her animals “with a beautiful happy life.” She adds that whenever she feels like she’s having a grumpy day, her animals “always bring a smile” back to her face.
“Life on a farm allows you to spend a lot of time outdoors and enjoy the nature around you,” continues Dagmar. “We try to do everything as organically as possible to further increase our biodiversity. That’s why we hope to buy more land in the future, so we can give the animals more space and give the land back to nature.”
This story about Herdwick sheep was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
Dahlias are perhaps one of the most popular cut flowers in the garden for many small cut-flower farmers and gardeners alike, and knowing how to overwinter and store dahlias is something you should know. Dahlias are stunning, giant blooms that put on a beautiful display from mid-summer to late into the fall, and they come in a range of colors, shapes and sizes.
Why Grow Dahlias?
Dahlias have quickly grown to be a staple “crop” in the cut-flower and garden industry for a few key reasons. The first of which is simply that their delicate petal structure means that they don’t ship very well, leaving an opportunity for small farmers to supply dahlias as cut flowers to local florists and floral designers.
If that alone wasn’t enough, dahlias have a unique ability to easily replicate, via tubers. Each plant creates large fingerlike tubers that can be split, divided and used to create clones of the mother plant. This allows gardens and cut flower farmers alike to purchase just a few dahlias and rapidly increase their stock year after year. Meaning you can keep the same dahlia root stock every single year with proper care, but how do you overwinter and store dahlias’ tubers?
Should I Dig Up Dahlias?
One of the biggest questions folks ask is “do I have to dig up my dahlias?” Well, the answer is yes and no. In gardening zones 7 and colder, dahlias should be dug up every fall to protect them from potentially freezing and rotting in the field over winter.
In warmer zones, they can be left over winter. With that said, many gardens and growers in zone 7 and 6, have found success with deep mulching methods or winter row covers to help insulate the tender tubers, and successfully overwinter outside.
One of the biggest dangers of overwintering dahlias in the ground is their chance of rotting. Ensure the soil is free draining and free of standing water to give them the best chance.
Digging and Storing Dahlias Tubers
Dahlias storing
If you’re in a colder zone, you’ll need to dig your dahlia tubers in late fall, and that means you will need to store them as well.
To dig and store dahlia tubers:
Cut back the dahlia foliage leaving only a few inches of stem. Use a shovel or pitchfork to carefully loosen the soil around the dahlia avoiding cutting any tubers by accident. Shake off the excess dirt and soil.
Once dug, many growers have differing opinions. Many believe you should rinse your dahlias of all additional soil prior to storage, while other growers believe that leaving a thin layer of soil is beneficial. Regardless, you should trim away any rotten bits, to ensure the tubers don’t rot in storage.
The biggest key to successful tuber storage is ensuring your tubers stay in a cool, dark and dry space. Use vermiculite, wood shavings or peat moss. Store in milk crates, mesh bags, bulb crates, basically anything that allows for ample air circulation.
You can choose to divide tubers prior to storage, after storage, or not at all. I have had the best success storing tubers in full clumps dividing in spring a bit before planting, but feel free to experiment and see what works best in your home. Regardless, it’s critical to check in, and examine tubers for rot or mold throughout winter to avoid spoiling all your tubers.
And just like that, you’ve overwintered your dahlia tubers like a pro, and you’re ready to get planting!
The Consumer Electronic Show 2024 has wrapped up, and quite a few unique announcements occurred in the food and agricultural category. This category is always dominated by John Deere’s showcases, and in past years, they’ve won Innovation Awards for the John Deere autonomous tractor, a self-driving tractor with GPS, and the See & Spray, a crop sprayer. Both are arm implements with artificial intelligence built in.
This year John Deere theme was ‘From Dirt to Shirt,” and they showcased different business models including the possibility of pay as you go so all farmers can spread out payments and access John Deere smart technology for use on their farm. There are also solutions as service, a concept that lets farmers pay for only the tech they plan on using.
Beyond John Deere, the Consumer Electronic Show’s farm and agricultural category had a few smaller brands who also won Innovation Awards this year. Could they eventually be as dominant as John Deere in the category? You never know. Here’s a look at a few of the biggest announcements at the Consumer Electronic Show 2024.
AirFarm
Some hobby farms are 10, 20 or more acres, so the idea of farming in a small, contained space might seem a bit odd. But there are a lot of uses for a small farm space in urban areas, and it’s even better if that farm is inflatable.
AirFarm, the world’s first inflatable farm, is made up of air-inflated seed beds, and it only takes half a day to set it up. One of the reasons the company won an innovation award is because of how the system can slash water use by 99% over traditional farm use. It uses a reciprocal system that converts moisture in the air into water and then recirculates that moisture back to the roots of the plants. The AirFarm is also a lightweight, easily movable system you can set up virtually anywhere.
Minefarm
Not everyone may want an AirFarm, but a MineFarm is something most hobby farmers could make use of. The MineFarm Showcase looks like a small refrigerator, but it’s an indoor growing system with artificial intelligence. It can manage water, light, and the growth cycle, and it will use the data it collects to learn how to best grow your specific plant. There are a lot of different seeds you can grow in Minefarm, and setting up your plants is as easy as scanning a QR code on one of Minefarm’s Seedkits.
Minefarm could be a helpful addition to a hobby farm because you could use it to start seedlings indoors. Not all seedlings thrive, and Minefarm may be able to analyze why some seeds do better than others on your farm.
Rise Roma
Most indoor hydroponic gardens grow small plants like microgreens. Rise Roma, a winner of the CES Innovation award, can think bigger. It’s able to grow large plants including tomatoes, egg plants, or small dwarf trees. It can grow plants or trees up to 38 inches in height, has a modular design so you can put a few together, and you can also grow small plants like spinach or lettuce.
Rise Roma is app controlled and monitored, so anytime you want to check and see how healthy your plants are, all you have to do is open the app. With a circular water system and a large water tank, you can save on water too.
Can chickens eat wild bird food? In the past decade, there have been a handful of times that I’ve looked out my kitchen window, expecting to see nuthatches and chickadees at the wild-bird feeders hanging on my deck, only to find one of my hens precariously perched on the deck rail, happily gobbling up bird seed. I was amused at first. But the hilarity curtailed quickly when I realized how much birdseed my Orpington oinkers cost me.
I eventually switched to squirrel-proof—and poultry-proof—feeders, which solved that situation. Still, whenever I haul out the sacks of feed to refill the wild-bird feeders, my chickens suddenly dash towards the deck, hoping to get some seeds scattered their way.
I shared this story with an old friend not too long ago. Karen doesn’t keep chickens, but all colors, shapes and sizes of wild-bird feeders literally bedazzle her deck. She smiled as she visualized my Buff Orpington hens gorging themselves at my tube feeder. She then asked me, “Well, why not?”
Why Not?!
Why not? I schooled my expression and changed the subject. But once I was home I practically ranted at my husband, Jae, about this exchange.
Feeding chickens bird seed, I remarked. Can you imagine? Jae just looked at me and replied, “Well, why not? They’re already eating it.”
When he saw my bewildered expression, he continued that surely it would be easier to just buy more sunflower and safflower seed than to also buy starter, grower and layer rations.
Two thoughts sprang to my mind.
One, my husband obviously was not reading all of my articles. Two, if Jae thought feeding our chickens a diet of bird seed was acceptable, then there surely must be other flock owners who might harbor the same mistaken notion.
Can chickens eat wild bird food? In addition to not having the right nutrients, wild bird feed is also high in fat and calories, neither of which are good for domestic chickens. A handful of sunflower seeds tossed to a flock every now and then as a treat is fine. Feeding chickens nothing but wild bird feed can start them down a dangerous path of bad health … or worse.
Depending on the manufacturer and the type of feed — starter, grower, or layer rations — a 50-pound sack of chicken feed costs approximately $17 (at least it does here in Michigan). A 40-pound bag of black-oil sunflower seed, however, costs $27. That may not seem like a huge difference, but it adds up. A 200-pound poultry feed purchase comes out to $68, while a 200-pound sunflower seed purchase totals $135. The wild-bird feed prices out at twice the cost of the poultry feed.
2. Biosecurity Issues
Migratory birds can carry and transmit such infectious bird diseases as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and exotic Newcastle disease (END) to backyard flocks. Research conducted by a team including Sonia Hernandez (professor of wildlife disease at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine) detected 14 wild bird species—all considered at high risk for pathogen transmission—regularly entering backyard chicken coops to share the food and water meant for the flocks and a total of 72 species intermingling with chickens.
One can only assume that the contamination rate would only increase if backyard flocks were fed a diet intended for wild birds.
Poultry feed is scientifically formulated to provide chickens with the nutrition they need for proper growth and development at each stage of their life. If you’re wondering can chickens eat wild bird food, without the right balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, poultry can fail to thrive, suffer from deficiency-related conditions, and become incapacitated if affected severely enough.
It is crucial to provide chickens with the right diet to keep them healthy. It is for this same reason that our flocks cannot be fed scratch grains or any other supplement as their main nutritional source.
This story about can chickens eat wild bird food appeared at Hobby Farms online and is regularly updated for accuracy. Click here to subscribe.
Do you know how to make homemade fermented sauerrüben? We pretty much always have some blend of homemade sauerkraut bubbling away on the counter or stashed away in the refrigerator. But years ago, while looking through my mother-in-law’s German cookbooks, I saw a recipe for sauerrüben.
Sauerrüben is similar to sauerkraut in regard to the method used to ferment it and also by how it’s enjoyed. But instead of cabbage, homemade fermented sauerrüben is made with turnips and rutabagas.
As much as I like the traditional blend of root vegetables for sauerrüben, I actually prefer it made with just rutabagas. Unlike traditional plain cabbage kraut that ferments in five-plus weeks, this ferment only takes five to seven days. It’s a quick alternative to the usual plain kraut and a unique twist that isn’t quite as common here in the states.
Homemade Sauerrüben Recip
Yield: 1 quart jar
Sauerrüben
Ingredients
2 pounds rutabagas (about 3-4 small rutabagas)
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (more if desired)
Directions
Wash rutabagas, trim ends, but leave on the skin. Shred the rutabagas with a large coarse grater (not fine). Collect shreds in a nonreactive bowl, such as glass, plastic or solid stainless steel. Add in the salt and mix well.
Mix until you can pick up a handful and squeeze liquid from your fist. Once liquid accumulates, you can transfer the rutabaga into a clean quart jar. Leave 1 to 2 inches of headspace. Use your fist to tightly fill the jar, removing any air pockets. Pour in any excess liquid from the bowl in the jar as well. This liquid is the brine that the rutabaga will ferment in.
Once the jars are filled there should be enough brine to cover the shreds. If there is not enough liquid, check again in the morning and more often than not, there will be enough. You will need some sort of weight to keep the grated rutabaga pushed under the brine.
Keeping the shreds submerged under the brine is the key to a successful ferment. There are weights specifically made to fit jars, but you can also get creative; see notes section below on alternative options. Wipe off the rim of the jar with a clean dampened towel, and add the mason jar canning lid and tightly screw on the ring.
Fermentation
This is a 5-to-7 day ferment. The temperature in the space where you are fermenting in will declare how long it takes. The warmer a room, the faster it will ferment. Ideally, ferment between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and keep out of direct sunlight.
Burp the jar daily, especially at first when the ferment is very active – unscrew the lid briefly and tighten it back on to allow any built-up gas to release. At least once per day, you’ll have to use a clean utensil to push down the weight and submerge the rutabaga again. Scoop away any pieces of food floating on top of the brine to avoid mold.
Taste test the ferment after 5 days. If it still tastes raw, allow it to ferment another couple of days and taste again. Once fermentation is complete to your liking, transfer the jar into the refrigerator, with the brine and all.
Fermentation doesn’t stop once the ferment is transferred to the refrigerator, however it does slow the process way down. The taste and texture will continue to change, therefore it’s best enjoyed ideally within 6 months.
Notes
As with traditional sauerkraut, this recipe can be tweaked to your liking by adding other vegetables, such as carrots, onions or hot peppers. Or, add additional seasoning such as toasted caraway seeds or bay leaves.
If you don’t have a glass jar weight, improvise by using an easily removable small food-grade glass dish that fits inside the jar. Or, if you have a smaller glass canning jar that can fit into the mouth of the jar you are fermenting with, you can use that to keep the produce pushed under the brine.
You may substitute fine sea salt instead of coarse kosher salt if you prefer. Consult a salt conversion chart.
This homemade fermented sauerrüben recipe has been adapted from Stephanie Thurow’s WECK Home Preserving, with permission from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. For another great fermenting recipe, try Fermented Dilly Pickled Cauliflower.
Imagine visitors strolling through a well-stocked farm market or picking from a field of multi-colored flowers. Maybe they’re bunking down on a working ranch or vacationing in a well-appointed apartment overlooking a dairy farm. Perhaps they’re taking a road trip to an on-farm ice-cream parlor showcasing the rich milk produced onsite. These agritourism activities are just a few of many with potential to augment a farming operation’s bottom line.
With farmers a shrinking 1 percent of the United States population and the popularity of the farm-to-table and buy-local movements, the public is eager to reconnect with agriculture. They want to purchase homegrown products and channel their “inner farmer” through in-person visits. Adding an agritourism venture to an existing farm may be an opportunity for extra income with the bonus of the chance to serve as an ambassador for agriculture, educating customers as you work.
Agritourism Defined
The term agritourism can be used interchangeably with “agrotourism,” “farm tourism,” “agricultural tourism” or “agritainment.” While most states have legal descriptions of what agritourism is, a simple definition is whenever the public intersects with the agriculture sector to purchase goods or services or for education, recreation or entertainment.
The National Agricultural Law Center gives a more expansive definition of agritourism: “It is the crossroads of tourism and agriculture. Stated more technically, agritourism can be defined as a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and/or educating the visitors while generating income for the farm, ranch or business owner. Any definition of agritourism should include the following four factors:
combines the essential elements of the tourism and agriculture industries
attracts members of the public to visit agricultural operations
is designed to increase farm income
provides recreation, entertainment, and/or educational experiences to visitors
According to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, the U.S. Census of Agriculture shows an increasing trend in agritourism as well as direct-to-consumer sales of agricultural products. The Census of Agriculture first used the term “agritourism” in a question in their 2007 survey. By 2017, they recorded a 67 percent increase over the 10-year span between the surveys.
The 2017 survey identified 28,575 farms offering agritourism and recreational services resulting in $949 million in sales. That survey also reported direct sales of agricultural products brought in $2.8 billion for 130,056 farms.
There are numerous ideas for agritourism ventures you may consider. To name just a few, there are on-farm stays, farm produce stands, you-pick vegetable, fruit or flower farms/orchards, cut-your-own Christmas tree farms, hayrides, corn mazes, petting zoos, and vineyards, breweries and distilleries with tasting menus. The list goes on.
Although it may not immediately spring to mind, charging for recreational activities on your farm or ranch are also forms of agritourism. Allowing fishing, hunting (wild game, geodes, fossils, arrowheads, mushrooms, wildflowers, etc.), professional photography, horseback, bike and ATV riding, skiing and snowmobiling, and the like—these are all use of agricultural land for recreational purposes. Adding an event center to the property, perhaps with farm-to-table catering services, for weddings, meetings and reunions would also be considered agritourism. Educational events such as farm open houses, school tours, farming demonstrations and agriculture history museums would also fall under the agritourism umbrella.
Allen MacMillan
Does It Fit Your Farm?
When considering if agritourism is right for you and your farm, you must consider a number factors. However, the critical question is whether you—and/or whoever from your family and staff would be handling customer relations—enjoy dealing with people? At the core agritourism involves interacting with people with an emphasis on public relations and customer service.
In addition to being farmers and customer service providers, agritourism operators are also business managers, salespeople and educators. Additionally, they often wear other hats—chefs, gardeners, animal scientists, artists, mechanics and carpenters, event planners and more. Are these abilities that you have? If not, are you willing to research and learn new skills? Or will you hire others for some of these tasks?
Getting Started
If you’ve answered “yes” to the “Are you a people-person?” question, begin by assessing the strong points, assets and resources you have to draw from on your farm. Take stock of things such as:
available buildings, equipment and supplies
your location with respect to major thoroughfares and population centers
the skill sets and availability of staff and family members to help in the business
available space for retail sales, events, parking and possibly hosting overnight guests
available cash and credit for start-up costs
Also, make a list of what you would need to build or acquire to begin operating an agritourism enterprise. Evaluate what it would take to install facilities such as public restrooms, parking lots, a business office, a sales floor, dining space, lodging and so on. Are you willing and able to put time and money into adding any needed equipment and facility upgrades to open the proposed agribusiness?
Next, you’ll need to define your goals for new business and, based on those, narrow down the list of possible agritourism businesses you want to consider. Things to think through would include but not be limited to:
What type of agritourism venture fits into your work and family schedule?
What type of guest experience and goods and services do you intend to offer?
Based on your current or proposed facilities and the area where you live, what types of agritourism would be a good fit?
Do you want seasonal business such as you-pick produce or a year-round one such as an on-farm bed and breakfast?
Do you want to host people at your farm or would you rather interact with them off the farm at area farmers’ markets or make deliveries to their residences?
Do you have, or can you acquire, the knowledge and facilities to offer an authentic, unique, safe, fun and educational experience to customers?
Business & Financial Planning
One crucial step that many find daunting is budgeting and funding. Establishing a good working relationship with a banker will be important if you need to borrow to begin business, but also if long-term plans include expansion of the agritourism venture down the road. Sandy Hacker, a commercial/agriculture loan specialist, has worked in banking for 11 years with six at Bippus State Bank, located in northeastern Indiana. The bank has a long history of working with farmers since opening in 1911.
Hacker offers important advice to prepare before meeting with a banker.
“Be realistic with your anticipated costs and earnings,” she says. “As a lender, we will look at your projections with a conservative eye. When your proposal is added onto your baseline financials, we want to see that you have the realistic potential to generate enough earnings to cover all your expenses and debt obligations, along with family living expenses and taxes, and still have a cushion upon which to grow.
“If the numbers aren’t falling into place, it might be an opportunity to consider funding or guarantees offered by the United States Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Small Business Administration to help mitigate some of the risk involved. Commercial lenders often work in conjunction with those agencies to meet a borrower’s needs.”
She says that the bank will do a standard credit analysis. They’ll ask to see a current balance sheet or financial statement that shows what you own versus what you owe and the most recent three years of federal tax returns (personal and business entity). Hacker explains from that information the bank can piece together the trends of various financial indicators to see if you’re generating enough earnings to cover your existing debts and still have enough left for a cushion against a bad year.
If things are a go, then the bank would like to see your plans for the new venture. These could include: a building/project proposal; drawings or plans; cost estimates; additional equipment needed; increased labor needs; permits; insurance, including liability; packaging and marketing. It could also include any other items that will put the finishing touches on your venture such as special training, professional advisors, etc. Finally, they’ll want to see what you will use for collateral or down payment.
While this sounds like a lot of homework on your part, keep in mind that you’re asking a lender to put a considerable amount of money into your vision.
“Please do what you can to help us see your vision as clearly as you do,” Hacker says. “We want to set you up for success, but if the conditions aren’t right, the answer may be a ‘no’—for now. Go back, sharpen your pencil, be realistic with your expectations and build your cash reserves—whatever it may take to make your vision a reality down the road.”
Once you’ve established a relationship with your lender, keep the conversation going. Plan visits at the office or on the farm, give timely annual business reviews and discuss future plans. Hacker urges business owners to be proactive when things go off track and stay in touch with their lender who can explore ways to help with a potential snag before it becomes a bigger problem.
Another possible source of funding may be applying for grants through various government programs, business organizations and agriculture groups. Writing successful grant proposals takes practice, so research the process and ask for help from those with experience.
Four more key business-planning tasks are staffing (job descriptions, hiring and pay scale), creating a goods and services price list, signage and marketing. When starting a new agritourism business here is some other paperwork that needs to be on the checklist:
building and business permits and inspections (might include retail food sales, food service and liquor licenses if applicable)
sales tax paperwork
registering a business name and creating a legal business entity
keeping employee records, possibly providing employee health insurance, reporting FICA tax withholding and filing I-9 forms
filing business tax returns and issuing W2s and 1099 forms
completing annual property tax report forms
reviewing land and water use and sewage regulations and zoning laws
Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
Safe & Secure
Another critical piece of the business planning puzzle is to assess public and employee safety, security and insurance coverage. Develop an emergency preparedness plan that would include things such as fire and accident prevention, emergency evacuation, how to deal with medical emergencies and so on. Theft prevention and what to do if property is damaged should also be considered.
Turning to insurance, consider the need for specialized or increased liability coverage and possibly additional coverage for property loss and damage of things related to the agritourism venture. (Liability and property insurance are two different types of coverage.)
Adam Stroup is a premier agent with Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. He says that Farm Bureau does offer coverage to their clients with an agritourism business, and they have a list of their “generally accepted” types of agritourism activities. They provide agritourism liability coverage as an endorsement on a customer’s farm policy, and they can add additional property protection to the farm policy, as needed, for any agritourism buildings, equipment and inventory.
If an agribusiness exceeds $100,000 in revenue per year, then it would need to be covered through a commercial liability policy instead. “It’s best to speak to your insurance agent regarding this coverage and evaluate if it meets the ‘agribusiness’ criteria or potentially needs covered through a commercial insurance policy,” Stroup says.
With Farm Bureau liability pricing for this coverage depends on the type of business, but generally costs $100 to $200 per year, he says. “Then there can be added cost for any structures insured for loss and damage that are specifically used for the agribusiness. Check with your own agent for specifics on pricing and coverage.”
Stroup stresses that there really needs to be thorough discussion with your agent about all activities that would take place with the agribusiness to ensure the appropriate coverages are included.
“Another very important item is to include any business entities for the farm and/or agribusiness onto the liability,” he says. “For instance, if they create an LLC [limited liability company] for a corn maze, that LLC also needs to be added onto the policy, not just the endorsement for the agribusiness liability. And, liability coverage should be reviewed on their policy. Typically the maximum liability coverage available on a policy is $1,000,000, and the price for it is very reasonable.”
One caution, if you plan to incorporate any type of equine activity into your agribusiness or just have equines on your farm, check with your insurance agent on how equine liability insurance is handled by the company you use. Farm Bureau has a specific equine form to complete; it helps the company determine what type of coverage is needed for your equestrian activities. And, of course, coverage for death of or injury to an animal is an entirely different type of policy which may require an agency and company that specializes in that.
Stroup says posting signs with agribusiness liability state laws (and equine liability, if applicable) on your property is a good idea, too. Indiana Farm Bureau offers the agribusiness liability signs to their members, so look for a similar sign for your state. Many state horse councils have the equine liability signs available for purchase.
Another safety assessment task is to research biosecurity and implement measures to safeguard farm visitors and staff as well as your livestock, pets and crops. Consult your veterinarian and/or crop specialists as well as state departments of agriculture, the USDA and university extension programs for more information on adopting biosecurity measures on your farm. Create signage and “house rules” to help visitors understand why biosecurity is important to keep them and everyone on your farm safe.
Finally, consider you and your staff taking CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and basic first-aid courses, offered through the American Red Cross. Click here to learn about training and certification offered by the Red Cross. Have a first-aid kit available at your business. Also, post the phone numbers for police, fire and rescue, a local hospital and an urgent-care clinic, and your insurance agent, as well as a plan for emergency evacuation and where to shelter in a severe storm.
If your head is spinning after reading this, consider it good practice for owning a business! Then, take a deep breath and take it step by step as you develop ideas for operating your dream agritourism business. Do your homework; review as many references as possible and talk to successful agritourism business owners. Take your time to thoroughly refine a business plan and accept that it will likely take longer than you originally expected.
Happy planning!
More Information
Marketing
An agritourism business can be interesting, innovative and fun, but if no one knows about it, then it probably won’t stay in business for long. Marketing is a must do, yet advertising costs money, so creative promotions and doing research about how best to apply the dollars you have to spend will help. Here are some ideas.
Research the local, area, state and national media markets and decide on the target market best for you at the time so your advertising dollars are spent wisely.
Consider a mix of print and web-based media, radio and television and social media to spread the word about your business.
Reach out to key publication editors and local television/radio stations and tell your story. They may be inspired to do a feature on your business, which is free promotion!
Sign up for free or low-cost listings of your business through local, regional and state tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce and Farm Bureau chapters. Many publish print and/or online tourism guides.
Form strategic partnerships; team up with other businesses so you may each feature the other’s products and services in your business.
Join agriculture and tourism organizations and your local chamber of commerce since those organizations often feature member business lists online and in print.
Create a business logo to use on cards, signs and promotional items.
Use signs to attract attention to your location and make sure signs are strategically placed.
Have a booth at local trade and agricultural fairs to spread the word about your business. If booth space is pricey, share the cost and the booth with a complementary business.
Consider using coupons and promotions to attract new customers or increase business at slower times of the year.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2023 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
To boost your flower farm sales, you’ll need to come up with some business ideas beyond growing beautiful flowers. Once you have buckets and buckets of flowers, you need to figure out how on earth to sell them. You’ve been trying to put yourself out there, and get people interested, but you just can’t seem to sell all those flowers.
The truth is that it can be challenging. It’s a competitive market. It’s a fast-growing agricultural sector, and your little flower farm is competing with massive flower importers that have had decades to perfect the craft of growing cheap and beautiful flowers.
Don’t get discouraged. Plenty of opportunities exist to turn a profit on a flower farm; it just might require a bit of innovation, so I have compiled some tips and tricks that could help elevate your flower farm to the next level.
Leverage and Build Your Network
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it often seems to get overlooked. A critical part of any business venture is to leverage and build a network. Odds are that your network will be family and friends starting out, and those will make up your first few buyers. That’s great! You’re making a few sales now, but let’s take it a step further.
It’s way easier to meet 10 people that each have a network of 10 people than it is to develop a relationship of 100 people. Take free flowers to local businesses, just set them out, share with business owners what you’re doing, win them over. This way has no strings attached, but it begins building advocates with large networks in your community. Watch your orders start rolling in quickly!
Extend Your Growing Season
Perhaps one of the best ways to up your sales as a flower farmer is to simply beat the competition to market. During summer months you will notice market gardeners and vegetable farmers also typically have an influx of blooms at the farmers market. More flower farmers show up in summer when the easier varieties such as zinnias and sunflowers begin to bloom.
By planting heavily for spring flowers, using season extension methods, biennial flowers and even forcing tulip blooms, you’ll be able to beat a large number of flower farmers to market and capitalize on strong spring sales that can help carry you through a slower summer.
Start a Flower CSA or Subscription
Flower community-supported-agriculture programs, aka CSAs, and subscription models are great ways to help ensure your flowers aren’t going to waste. Begin selling them in winter. I like to offer them as holiday gifts available for purchase.
I find folks don’t hesitate to spend a little extra on bringing joy to a loved one, and these subscriptions do just that. Yes, you must manage the fund up front and fulfill each order, but if you do a good job, you’ll also likely begin earning more custom orders and opportunities.
Hotel Florist and Gift Shop Contracts
While not widely known, many hotels regularly have fresh flower installations provided every week. This is a contract that must be secured, but complimentary samples could go a long way, particularly in boutique hotels. Simply grow, design and deliver. These contracts offer a dependable source of income and can also help gain additional exposure for more orders.
If you have a major hospital nearby, consider consulting their gift shop. Many gift shops have florist contracts for a few fresh bouquets of flowers to be in their shops. A flower farm could easily win these contracts, and again garner some more consistent and stable income.
Begin U-Pick or Host Events
While this one is a lot of work and requires an ideal set-up and lots of infrastructure, and perhaps additional insurance and legal requirements, hosting u-pick flower picking or events on the farm can be great sources of revenue. Many u-picks cater to bridal-showers and “mommy and me” days that seem very popular.
You can also easily host floral design workshops, and other educational classes that utilize your blooms and pay you for your time and knowledge. This also builds a rapport and connection for individuals with your farm and brand hopefully increasing intent to purchase your flowers in the future.
Follow these tips to boost flower farm sales, and your business will be blooming.
A pastor’s wife, Kiki welcomed her first two Sicilian donkeys in December 2020. “I got them because they’re so cute,” Kiki says. “My husband helped a family with numerous issues, and they raised Sicilian donkeys. At one point, the family had to get rid of the donkeys, and they brought us two. A few months later, they asked if we wanted four more, which we took. And four months later, our first baby donkey, Magnolia, was born. Three months later our second baby, Daisy, was born.”
As small donkeys that aren’t aggressive, Kiki says her Sicilians are family friendly, very hardy and low maintenance. But the donkeys can be spooked. So visitors, especially children, need to remain calm and talk softly when around them.
Sicilian Donkey
Kiki does very little donkey grooming. In fact, her donkeys groom each other. The donkeys attract livestock flies, and she gives them dewormer. They also require hoof care. But for the most part, the donkeys are self-sufficient.
“You can’t own just one because they’re very social,” Kiki says. “They have to be with another hoofed animal. And they can’t be boxed into a stall. To protect them from cold and rain, they need a shelter with a roof and at least one open side.”
But Kiki’s concerns include Texas storms. Her donkeys find shelter under big trees instead of their farm structure. A few years back, lightning struck a tree and killed one of her donkeys. As well, one of the family horses kicked one of the donkeys, which led to the donkey’s demise.
“Sicilians are born with crosses on their backs,” Kiki says. “As babies, they’re all ears. They’re the best thing anybody who has property, who wants livestock to love on, can have.”
Sicilian Donkey
About 15 years ago, Kiki owned a horse. But that was the extent of her agricultural experiences. She and her husband now live on 30 acres. Besides the donkeys, they own three miniature horses, chickens and a zebu bull. The donkeys have access to 15 acres.
The donkeys enjoy a necessary and constant water supply with a tank that refills itself. As for mealtime, Sicilians thrive in grasslands and brush lands. Because they are miniatures, they need less forage and space. During summer months, when there’s grass, Kiki’s donkeys graze all day, and she gives them hay at day’s end. But when there is no pasture grass, she feeds them twice daily.
“I love, love, love my donkeys,” Kiki says. “They’re great for a mini farm. I just come out here and spend time with them. This is my happy place. They come running to me like puppy dogs. They’re very smart, they don’t forget, and they’re very healthy.”
History of Sicilian Donkeys
Historians differ, with some claiming Sicilian donkeys were native to North Africa before arriving on the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. They thrive in hot, dry conditions, rather than wet and cold environments. In Italy, they hauled produce for thousands of years. Owners often want them for their working abilities. Sicilians may pull a cart, may carry up to 100 pounds, and small children may ride on their backs. But overloading a Sicilian can cause injury to its back.
However, Sicilians are also popular as companion animals, including as pets. But experts recommend that Sicilians not live inside homes because they need to graze freely, and they are active which makes for needed exercise. Two miniature donkeys need at least one acre of land, plus appropriate shelter.
Carol Mowdy Bond
Traits, Size & Appearance
Known as tame, gentle, loving and friendly, Sicilians can be playful and entertaining. They’re one of the most affectionate and friendliest of all donkey breeds, and they seek attention from human companions. They bond well with family members and most visitors. In captivity, they may live up to 40 years. So, owning Sicilians requires a long-term commitment, as well as responsibility for their daily needs, which may take hours of daily time.
They may weigh up to 450 pounds and grow to be 36 inches tall. Coat colors fall into the gray, black, white and brown families.
A docile breed, Sicilians are easy to manage due to their size. They usually get along well with other farm animals, as well as dogs and cats, and they sometimes form close bonds with other animals.
Known as the miniature Mediterranean donkey and Sardinian donkey, Sicilians carry the nickname of “The Holy Cross Donkey” because of the distinct cross on the donkeys’ backs. Legends claim the donkey breed carried Jesus of Nazareth into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The donkey loved Jesus, and later followed him to Calvary. Grief stricken at Calvary, the donkey turned away but didn’t leave. The shadow of the cross fell on the donkey’s shoulders and back, and it remains there today.
“I grew up with animals and have a lot of animal experience from dogs and horses and chickens to exotic animals through my career as a zookeeper,” says Marina Karastamatis, who’s turned her animal-focussed background into raising Babydoll Sheep at The Little Homestead By The Sea in Southern California.
With Karastamatis’s husband bringing a technical interest in areas including solar panels, rainwater collection and firewood harvesting, the duo have combined their expertise into successfully establishing a venture that stars Babydoll sheep alongside an organic vineyard.
Taking time out from hobby farming duties, we spoke to Karastamatis about maintaining the vineyard and chicken coop sizing. We also got into the lawn mowing abilities of Babydoll sheep.
Little Homestead By The Sea was formed out of circumstance. After Karastamatis’s stepdad passed away, it left the family unsure what to do with their farm (which already included a nascent vineyard).
“Since my husband and I were renting at the time, and were hoping to move somewhere we could have a small farm, we figured it made the most sense for us to move onto the property,” explains Karastamatis. “So we built a second house on the property and began our small farm journey.”
It’s a journey Karastamatis admits has sometimes seemed bittersweet though: “It’s a complicated feeling as I’m grateful for the opportunity to follow our homestead dreams, and I know we’re very lucky to have that opportunity (especially living in a high cost of living area), but I wish it had come under better circumstances.”
The Little Homestead By The Sea’s social media presence includes a bio that contains the line, “I don’t actually know what I’m doing.” Building on that earnest sentiment, Karastamatis says that a key early lesson in starting a homestead or hobby farm is to ” plan for what you want not what you have—and be mindful about the choices you’re making.”
Karastamatis adds that she’s spent “so much time and effort arranging and re-arranging things that could have been avoided if I planned ahead.”
For instance, after first deciding that the homestead would benefit from only “a handful of chickens” and erecting a “modest size coop,” the size of the flock inevitably bloomed and required modifying the coop and building a bigger run.
Babydoll sheep are a crucial part of the Little Homestead By The Sea. Karastamatis says that they settled on the breed due to a reputation for being “good lawnmowers!”
Tending to an organic vineyard, Karastamatis says they avoid the use of herbicides. “We have a variety of plants that grow between the rows of vines and serve as a cover crop but they need to be cut back,” she explains. “Doing this by hand with a weed-wacker was time intensive or costly to hire out. We wanted to come up with a more sustainable, regenerative method of vegetation control.”
Having heard about Babydoll sheep being used for vegetation management by vineyards in Northern California, Karastamatis learned that the breed’s short stature successfully “allows them to graze in the vineyard without reaching the vines”—although she adds that “some of the youngest sheep will stand up on their hind legs to try and eat the leaves!”
When it comes to the personality of the Babydoll sheep at the Little Homestead By The Sea, Karastamatis says that they’re a “really fun and sweet” breed.
“Like most sheep they can be skittish at first and take some time to get used to you,” she says. “I spent a lot of time sitting with them and feeding them grain. Once they trust you, they’re just the sweetest. They’ll follow you around, come up to you for pets and are just generally very chill and easygoing. Sometimes I like to just go sit with them—they’re very calming animals.”
When it comes to the organic vineyard at Karastamatis’s homestead, she says that last year’s harvest was only “okay” due to the abundance of rainfall.
Looking on the bright side, Karastamatis says that while they didn’t accumulate “enough to be worth selling,” they instead decided to make their own personal wine with the year’s humble bounty.
“I never expected to be a farmer or had any yearning to become one,” admits Charlie Maurisa, who raises Latvian Garlic and Donkeys at Derryherbert Farm in County Mayo, Ireland. However, after relocating from London to a property brimming with possibility, the urge to farm set in and Maurisa established Derryherbert Farm alongside their partner.
Specializing in garlic, the venture has since instilled in Maurisa a deep appreciation of the land, which is situated just a few miles in from the Atlantic Ocean. “The most rewarding aspect of running the farm is seeing the combination of my efforts and nature resulting in the creation of produce and life, be it the free-range hen’s eggs, the bees thriving and producing honey, lambs being born or a successful crop,” explains Maurisa. “Seeing that life being created gives me the most reward.”
Taking a moment out from farming duties, we spoke to Maurisa about the roots of Derryherbert and the farm’s resident donkeys. We also got into the enduring nature of Latvian garlic.
Growing up in Latvia, Maurisa benefitted from having a close relationship with a grandmother who enjoying growing her own vegetables, especially garlic.
“She passed onto me a wealth of knowledge that I thought I had completely forgotten over the years,” says Maurisa. “Once I arrived in Ireland, this forgotten knowledge came back to me and a passion grew to recreate my grandmother’s smallholding here in County Mayo.”
In terms of the venture’s setup, polytunnels form a key part of Derryherbert Farm. “They’re still in their early stages of development,” says Maurisa. “I’ve had some failures and some successes and learnt a lot from both experiences.”
Specifically, Maurisa pinpoints garlic as a great success on the farm. “I’ve grown this from seeds passed from my grandmother to my mother and now onto me,” says Maurisa. “The Latvian garlic seems to enjoy the conditions here and the initial crop saw me harvest about 5,000 bulbs of excellent quality.”
Getting spcific, Maurisa says that Latvian garlic bulbs are larger and sweeter than usual.
Looking back over last year’s farming bounty, Maurisa says that tomatoes, chilies, beets, spinach, cucumbers and leeks all prospered.
“A lot of my produce supplies the kitchens at a local hunting lodge,” explains Maurisa. “The summer surplus I’ve used at home to make salads plus relishes and chutneys from the excess tomatoes and chillies. The surplus cucumbers have been pickled. Later in the year I use the root vegetables for stews.”
Overlooking Derryherbert Farm are a couple of sister donkeys named Lilly and Priscilla. “Their official duties are grass cutting and acting as fox deterrents during the lambing season,” says Maurisa. “They love life here: They have a warm dry shed, plenty of space to graze and are thoroughly spoilt by both myself and anyone that visits.”
Delving into each donkey’s personality, Mauirisa says that Priscilla is confident and enjoys cuddles and neck scratches, while Lilly can be more wary of humans but loves to eat from the hand once a person has gained her trust.
When it comes to farm plans for 2024, Maurisa says Derryherbert will be experimenting with new varieties of tomatoes and chillies. Additionally, the number of garlic beds on the farm will be increased to accommodate new types of the allium.
“I planted a few dozen trial Aronia plants (also known as chokeberries) back in 2020 and they seem to be happy enough with the conditions here,” adds Maurisa. “So I’m particularly excited about developing the Aronia berry side of the farm’s business—it is a great antioxidant and reputably the planet’s healthiest berry.”
