204 A Two-Year Roadmap for New CSA Farmers with Glen Young of Cold Springs Organics
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
Release Date: 03/29/2023
353 Turn FAQs Into Farm Sales: Answer the Questions That Stop Customers From Buying
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
The other day I found the perfect desk on Facebook Marketplace. Great photos. Fair price. Only ten minutes away from my house. But I didn’t buy it. Why? Because one simple piece of information was missing — the dimensions. Without that one detail, I couldn’t tell if it would fit our space… so I moved on. And it made me realize something. Farm customers do this all the time. They want to buy… but a small unanswered question stops them from moving forward. If customers are interested in your farm but not actually buying, the problem might not be your product -- it might be the...
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352 The Hidden Goal of Every Farm Promotion
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
I thought the goal of my recent promotion was simple: sell 40 prepaid online store credit memberships. That was it. 40 spots. Hit the revenue goal. Move on. But as I was building the emails, teasing it on social media, and checking my stats inside (my email service provider), I noticed something unexpected… My email list had jumped a LOT. And it wasn’t random. It was happening because of how I positioned the promotion before it ever opened. That’s when it clicked! Every promotion has a second goal. And most farmers completely miss it. Yes, promotions are meant to...
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351 How to Find Weekly Email Topic Ideas When You Don't Know What to Say
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
Ever sit down to write your weekly email… Cursor blinking. Brain dead. And you’re thinking: “I KNOW I should email my list… but what on earth do I say this week?” In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I actually find ideas when I feel stuck! Most great emails don’t start with “content ideas” at all! They start with stories hiding in plain sight. If writing your weekly email feels harder than it should, chances are you’re looking in the wrong place for ideas. In this episode, I walk you through how to identify the central story of an email, and why...
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350 Lessons from a Handmade Goat Soap Business - Interview with Hooves and Feathers
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
A few months ago, I opened my mailbox to find a beautifully packaged starter box of goat milk soap from Allan Laird of Hooves and Feathers. Allan is a Farm Marketing School student… and he was proudly showing me his homework. 😊 Inside the box were thoughtfully chosen products, a clear “try-this-first” experience, and a sense that this wasn’t just soap — it was a brand with intention. I remember thinking, This is what happens when someone applies simple marketing frameworks with consistency. So I called Allan and said, “You need to come on the podcast and walk us through what...
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349 What Do I Put on My Farm’s Website Homepage?!
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
Have you ever stared at your farm’s website homepage and thought… what am I even supposed to put here? Your website is the source of truth for your brand. It’s where people go to learn more, double-check you, and decide if they want to buy. And if your homepage is unclear or overwhelming, most people won’t stick around. In today’s episode, I’m breaking down a simple framework for what actually belongs on your farm’s website homepage—so it’s clear, strategic, and helps turn visitors into customers. We’re talking about the specific messaging blocks every strong farm...
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348 Building a Values-Led Farm Business with Value-Added Products (Without Going Full-Time)
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
What if your farm didn’t have to “scale up” to be successful? What if it could stay small, seasonal, creative — and still feel deeply worth it? In this conversation, I sit down with a farmer who has intentionally chosen a different path: one rooted in values, flexibility, and creativity — and who’s built a beautiful business around it. This episode is a quietly powerful case study. Claire and I talk about: Running a farm while not being a full-time farmer Letting creativity lead your product development Using one strong “gateway...
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347 A Step-by-Step Promotion Plan for Selling Monthly Meat Shares
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
What if I told you I recently ran a 7-day CSA Chicken + Pork Share promotion on my farm, using only email, a private Facebook group, and a simple promotion framework? It went REALLY well, exceeding my sales predictions. If you’ve ever thought about launching a monthly meat share — or already have one and want to sell it more consistently — this episode is your behind-the-scenes look at how I design, organize, and execute a high-performing farm promotion from scratch. I walk you through: How I structured the product How I worked with my partner farm How I decided pricing, timing,...
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346 What to Put Inside Your Farm’s Media Kit with Erika Tebbens
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
Last summer, I got invited to be on TV. Exciting, right? Then they asked a simple follow-up question: “Can you send over your media kit?” And I froze. I didn’t have one. I wasn’t even totally sure what should be in one. Fast forward to this winter, as I start doing more speaking, partnerships, and visibility work for both my farm and My Digital Farmer -- I realized this was a gap I needed to close. So I invited someone back on the show who lives and breathes this stuff. On today’s episode, I’m joined again by Erika Tebbens from Taste the Local Difference. If Erika sounds familiar,...
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345 — The Energy of Money: FMS Money Mindset Series
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
This week on the podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on something I’ve never shared publicly before… Inside Farm Marketing School, we’ve been doing a powerful three-month deep dive on rewriting your money story -- and today, I’m releasing one of those private “members-only” private podcasts here on the main feed. This is Episode 2 of that private series, and it’s all about the energy of money -- how it flows, how it gets blocked, and why the emotional tone behind your money exchanges matters just as much as the dollars themselves. You’ll hear stories from my own life,...
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344 How to Win Back Customers Who Have Gone Cold
My Digital Farmer | Marketing Strategies for Farmers
What do you do when your customer just… stops paying attention? This week’s episode was inspired by a walk on our farm -- and a stubborn dog who found a vole in the field and completely tuned me out. Calling louder didn’t work. Waiting didn’t work. What finally worked was walking back out to her, getting in her line of sight, and offering her the right treat -- something she actually wanted. That moment sparked a powerful realization about customers who go quiet (and what actually brings them back). If you’ve ever looked at your email list or customer list and...
info_outlineWhat if someone could give you a roadmap of "what to do" in your first 2 years to build your CSA business? In today's episode, I interview Farmer Glen Young -- a 2-year farmer who is hell-bent on building his new farm business to be profitable by year 5.
Glen has made all of the mistakes possible in his first two seasons of organic market gardening as he has built up to a 40 member CSA and a once-per-week Farmer's Market operation. He has "bet the farm" on making Cold Springs Organics environmentally and financially sustainable and he has a deep-rooted interest in seeing other new farmers do the same. Join him and Corinna as they discuss all the sales and marketing things that have worked and what he would do differently if he were to have a do-over for the first two years on the farm.
This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Join my free email list! I have a great "email onboarding sequence" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better.
Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller -- Glen mentioned this book several times, as a key resource that helped him identify the framework for his farm's "brand script."
Accelerator Group Coaching with Corinna -- get on the wait list for this 15-member group Mastermind and Farm Marketing School experience.
A to Z Vegetable Storage Guide -- join the dozens of farmers who have purchased this Canva template to use as a lead-generating tool
Glen offered his farm's business plan to our listeners. You can find it on his website here.
ChatGPT -- an AI powered bot that will blow your mind with its creative writing potential.
Sign up for my CSA Academy -- and get access to my CSA member resource library to use for your own CSA (as long as you're a paying member). Use coupon code TRIAL to get your first month for $1.
CSA Early Bird Launch Course -- Learn how to get your CSA members to renew their shares when you want them to, using the "launch" promotion technique in this online course
CSA Quickstart -- Glen enrolled in this comprehensive course that teaches you how to start a CSA from scratch -- all the systems and production stuff -- in 60 days.