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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Marketing and education
  • Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 19:09:14 -0600

Ed Clifford wrote:
> I have gone to several marketing workshops and have found it almost
> laughable when people say you have to "educate" the consumer. I am always
> available to talk how my farm is run, I have brochures telling people how
> and why I produce, and If I get the least amount of
> interest...I'll talk for
> hours.

Ed, you sound like me:) I have to be careful not to blab on and on. Or as
some will say "Gee, you sure are enthusiastic about this." And of course we
are.

But a goodly share of the the education has to come from outside the farm.
We have such a vested interest in selling a product that our education has
practical limits and much of that education, assuming that it is legitimate,
will need to come from the media over many years.

It is not something that can be forced, because people have to be convinced
of buying from the farm. And even then it can only be a tiny fraction of the
population, no matter how good intentioned the public may be.

> Problem is most people want what they want and to leave. I
> don't feel
> it is my job to tell them how stupid and naive they are. They
> have a life to
> live and it's not farming. I'm sure the same thing goes for
> grocery stores.
> Stores will sell rocks if they could make it profitable. Most
> market farmers
> would do the same. A smaller minority, (and I think there are some here),
> only want to sell what they want to sell. Take it or leave it. I realize
> that in order to make a profit, (there's that dreaded word
> again), I have to
> bend with the consumer, not the other way around.

So very well said:)

Sincerely,

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Direct marketed dairy beef and produce
(also dairy heifers and beef stockers)
Viroqua, WI






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