Nova Scotian Small Farmers: Ask Yourself Why, Not Who.

I have been taking a business development class alongside fellow farmers that has been put on by the Wolfville Farmers' Market with funding from Workplace Education. In this class we have been learning a wide selection of things all to help us fine tune different aspects of our business. The final goal is to have an in depth business plan that we can use to obtain funding through the "Small Farm Acceleration" program as well as apply for any business loans we may need. 

The fact that we are taking this class alongside fellow farmers really enriches the experience and we often gain insights from one another that is just as valuable. Working together has really helped build my confidence too. It has made the farm business feel more real. I know that is an odd thing to say/feel but there is this subsconscious tendency to feel negated because you are a small farm and I am not going to let myself do that anymore. Adam & I work way to hard to feel like it's for nothing. We grow valuable food! 

Recently in class I had said that "I plant about 50% more seed than I need for my CSA". Some people were surprised and some people were unsure. I then explained that because we don't spray or have a lot of row cover, irrigation, etc. that we can't take that risk because CSA members expect a crop (rightly so!). I also went on to say that our crop failure isn't 50% but some crops we harder than others. The conversation kind of ended there and I was left thinking about this more deeply. Was this the right thing to be doing? Am I just a crappy farmer? The list went on! So I decided I needed to go back and find out why I am doing this.

I am doing this to ensure I have a wide variety of high quality crops for the CSA. I want to be able to harvest crops that were never sprayed. I want to be able to pick out the best of what we have for our CSA. I want to be able to surprise CSA members every week with something new. I want to be able to have a bumper crop of tomatoes and basil so I can say "thank you for supporting our farm!" As I started to answer the "why" I started to feel better about it. 

I started to realize it's about building something of value. I have all the time in the world to get my 50% extra that I seed for our CSA to a lower number and indeed I am working on that. What I can't do is focus on the numbers because quality should come first! Numbers can be worked on slowly as I learn ways to improve our farm. I think as small farms we often find ourselves in a panic but what Adam always reminds me of is "life is about the journey not the destination." 

So I say to all the small farmers out there. When you are in doubt or feeling lost just ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing? Don't get sucked into what other farms are doing because your farm is an extension of you and your values. There isn't a right way or wrong way even though it may feel that way. 

Be Stubborn, Farm on!
​Courtney