As I watch the tomatoes my partner planted in the front yard ripen, I can’t help but think about the upcoming harvest. While harvest season depends on many factors, including the specific crops planted and the local climate, most harvesting happens between September and the end of the year. It’s an exciting time, even for people like us who planted tomatoes called Mr. Stripey just because the name sounded cool. How do you prepare for your harvest season, not just the physical harvest but in your farm marketing and promotion? Here are some tips to get you started.
Think About Last Year’s Harvest
Is there anything you wish you had done differently last year that you can change up before the harvest this year? Introspection is sometimes the best tool at our disposal. Look at some of the things you do that affected your harvest last year and make any improvements necessary. Don’t be afraid to invest in new equipment to make your experience easier.
Blogging to Build Excitement
As fall leads into winter, it’s an internal time in the seasonal cycle. Like our ancestors, we harvest to prepare for the long winter ahead. But it wasn’t just the fields that were harvested. This is also the season of storytelling. We tell ghost stories around the campfire, spooky Halloween tales, and share our gratitude for the harvest. Make that a focus of your harvest season as you create a blog to build excitement about your farm and what makes you unique. Take this time to tell your story and weave a narrative that keeps people coming back for more.
Branding to Showcase Your Farm
How will people recognize you at the farmer’s market? What sets you apart from other growers in your community? Now is also an excellent opportunity to think about your branding. When most people think of branding, they think about logos, but there is much more to creating a recognizable brand. Building a website and a social media presence can also help make your farm stand out.
Hosting a Harvest Festival
Why not have fun this season, too. The harvest is hard work, especially for small or family farms. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation. There’s a time to celebrate all you’ve done, so why not open that up to the public. Host a harvest festival at your farm to engage with the community and bring people in to see how your farm runs.
Are you interested in creative ways to prepare for harvest season?
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