Starting & Running Your Own Small Farm Business - by Sarah Beth Aubrey (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Running your own small farm is demanding enough, but making it profitable presents a host of further challenges. In this business-savvy guide to farming on a small scale, Sarah Aubrey covers everything from financial plans and advertising budgets to web design and food service wholesalers. Learn how to isolate your target audience and craft artisanal products that will delight and amaze customers. With a solid business strategy in place, you can confidently turn your passion into a productive and profitable venture.

From the Back Cover

You Can Farm for a Living

With entrepreneurial drive, a practical business plan, and some marketing savvy, you can run a successful small-farm business that brings your products to your target audience. The demand for fresh, local, organic, naturally raised, lovingly crafted, or sustainably produced small-farm products is on the rise. With seasoned farmer Sarah Beth Aubrey as your guide, discover how you can make the most of these opportunities.

Learn how to:
*Develop a viable business plan
*Conduct market research
*Secure financing
*Comply with USDA and other food safety guidelines
*Protect your assets
*Determine correct product pricing
*Choose your selling venues: farmers' markets, farmstands, the Web, direct mail, wholesalers
*Create a marketing plan that tells your story
*Adjust and revise your plan as your business grows

Throughout, Aubrey includes profiles of successful farm businesses for inspiration, as well as checklists, contracts, and sample forms to keep you on track.

Review Quotes

"Great tips for newbies who need to determine the feasibility of following their dreams, and still helpful to those who have been at it awhile."

ForeWord

"Aubrey leads the agri-preneur from business plan to market research, from USDA guidelines to product pricing and into the strange world of marketing....This book will help farm operators find a plans that works for them."

Berkshire Eagle

"Here is everything you need to know about launching a small agricultural enterprise, from initial start-up to consumer marketing."

American Small Farm