A wide diversity of topics and presentations was in store for the Christmas tree and Christmas craft producers attending Goderie’s 9th annual Open House near Johnstown, NY, where 33 tree farms were represented. Christmas tree farmer Jim Rockis with Reliable Source in Morgantown, WV, who also serves ...

Name recognition is one of the key components of a successful branding program. You expect your customers to recall many things about their visit and anticipate they will naturally remember your name. Interestingly, however, many businesses take this element for granted promoting everything but thei...

As small family farms become larger and more profitable they begin to hire more and more employees to help with the extra work. However, many farmers have never had multiple employees and find it hard to manage and retain them. Whether you employ five people or 500 people, managing them will be cruc...

It seems there are no end to the number of studies that are done on generations and all seem to say similar things, more or less. However, I recently stumbled upon one conducted by a group called “Project: Time Off” that took a rather unique angle of research. Their group first conducted a study cal...

A new revision of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) will be enforced starting Jan. 1, 2017. “The revision of the Worker Protection Standard covers farmers, foresters, and other growers using pesticides on production agriculture crops.” Although there has typically been an exemption for immediate ...

Why farm organically? Not using toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the production of food is a much healthier choice for people and the environment. Organic production helps build healthy soil, since it promotes replacing the nutrients plants use while growing. Growing organically preserve...

Established during George Washington’s presidency, the picturesque Scott Farm in rural Vermont has been in continuous operation since then. The farm is owned by the non-profit Landmark Trust USA and rests on nearly 600 acres boasting 23 restored structures, each listed with the National Historic Reg...

Triple Creek Farm and Nursery has 9,000 Christmas trees, planted on 10 acres, in inventory. The first block of trees was planted in 2004, and the farm opened for choose-and-cut Christmas tree sales in 2009. Owners Jim and Cheryl Mangine are active members of the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers’ As...

Jackie Coldsmith started organic vegetable farming about 13 years ago, running a CSA and selling fresh produce at farmers markets. Although her primary crops were vegetables, Jackie also grew some flowers for cutting and offered them at market. She loved growing flowers, and found that her customers...