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- What should I grow? How much of it should I grow and harvest at a given time?
- Who is my ideal customer? Where can I most effectively connect with that customer base?
- How will I appeal to these customers and entice them to buy my products?
- How can I estimate how much they will buy?
- How can I develop the flexibility to change my marketing strategy if my current plan isn't giving me the results I desire?
Remember, answering these questions will help you work on other parts of your operation - your farm business plan, production schedule, assessment of your financial needs - so you're actually multitasking as you peruse these pages!
| Marketing Basics | Farmers' Markets |
| Market Analysis | Marketing Associations and Programs |
| Assessing and Managing Marketing Risk |
Other Marketing Options |
| Grower Stories |
Marketing Basics
UCCE Placer/Nevada and UC Resources
- OSA 091: Internet Information Resources for New Growers
- OSA 093: Getting Started as a Direct Market Grower
- OSA 098: Local Market Wishlist (2012)
- Contact Information for Getting Started as a Farmers Market Vendor
- Determining Marketing Costs and Returns in Alternative Marketing Channels (UC Davis Small Farm Program)
Other Resources
- To Market, To Market (Rutgers Cooperative Extension)
- Direct Marketing (ATTRA)
- Farmers Markets: Marketing and Business Guide (ATTRA)
- Growing for Market: News, Advice and Resources for Market Farmers (website)
- Growing for Market: Special Report on Selling at Farmer's Markets
- Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers (SARE)
Market Analysis
These tools will help you hone your product and your marketing tactics and reduce the time you spend on ineffective strategies:
- A Marketing Primer for Start-up Business - Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
- ATTRA - Adding Value to Farm Products: An Overview
- ATTRA - Community Supported Agriculture
- ATTRA - Direct Marketing
- ATTRA - Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism
- ATTRA - Farmers' Markets
- ATTRA - Market Gardening: A Start-up Guide
- ATTRA - Selling to Restaurants
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - Developing Your Market Plan
- Cornell - Knowing Your Market: The Most Challening Part of a Business Plan
- Cornell - Travel the Road to Success with a Marketing Plan
- Iowa State U - Determining Prices for CSA Share Boxes
- Purdue Extension - Marketing's Four P's: First Steps for New Entrepreneurs
- South Dakota State University - Market Plan
Assessing and Managing Marketing Risk
Sources of marketing risk include:
- price risk due to increases in supply, changed demand, market trends, or improper pricing of products;
- loss of market access due to the relocation or closing of an existing market or processing plant or lack of understanding of the requirements of various market options;
- loss of marketing power due to lack of knowledge about potential marketing opportunities and options;
- improper or lax recordkeeping resulting in having too much or not enough product week-over-week at a given market.
- Creating a marketing plan, a constantly evolving document that relates directly to your farm business plan
- Maintaining your knowledge of markets for your products via regular market analysis and customer research
- Pricing correctly for your markets and your efforts
- Effective record-keeping
- Exploring alternative marketing strategies, alternative marketing organizations, and value-added ventures
- OSA 95C Farming in Challenging Economic Times
- UC Davis Small Farm Center Marketing - General Information
- UC Davis Small Farm Center: Developing Your Marketing Plan
- ATTRA - Direct Marketing
- Cornell - Smart Marketing - Managing Marketing Risks
- OSU Farm and Ranch Survival Kit - Marketing
- Iowa State U - Determining Prices for CSA Share Boxes
- Penn State Extension - Record Keeping as a Form of Risk Management
- University of Florida IFAS Extension - Value-Added Agriculture: Is It Right for Me?
Click here for more marketing risk information.
Source: USDA Risk Management Agency. "Introduction to Risk Management: Understanding Agricultural Risks." Revised December 1997
Grower Stories
Creating a compelling story about your operation, including your mission, vision, goals, values, products, farm landscape, and/or a bit of biographical information, can improve the marketability of your products and the appeal of your business to existing and potential customers.
The following are examples from local growers who make use of good grower stories:
- Boorinakis Harper Ranch, Auburn
- Flying Mule Farm, Auburn
- Nitta Ranch, Loomis
- Riverhill Farm, Nevada City
- The James Ranch, Penn Valley
Farmers' Markets
Foothill Farmers’ Market Association (FFMA)
The FFMA is a member-driven organization dedicated to promoting local agriculture through Certified Farmers’ Markets and educational programs. The FFMA currently sponsors fourteen markets, six days a week, in Placer and Nevada Counties.
Contact: Carol Arnold, General Manager
530.863.7487
foothillfarmersmarket@gmail.com
Mill Street Certified Farmers' Market
This Thursday night market runs from June through September offering fresh produce, flowers and plants from local and regional farms. The market includes a health and wellness fair, live music, and sidewalk dining. Community outreach and public service groups also offer information.
Contact: Grass Valley Events
530-265-9495
info@grassvalleyevents.com
ray@grizzlyhill.com
Nevada City Farmers' Market
Nevada City Farmers' Market is a certified market in downtown Nevada City that showcases local farmers, ranchers and artisans.
Contact: Mali Dyck, Market Manager
530.265.7766
manager@ncfarmersmarket.org
Nevada County Certified Growers' Market
Nevada County Certified Growers’ Markets are held seasonally from May through October in Grass Valley, Nevada City, and Penn Valley.
Contact: Ron, Market Manager
530) 265-5551
MktMgr@TheGrowersMarket.com
Sierra Fresh Farmers' Market
Sierra Fresh manages six markets in the Placer County area.
Contact: Salle Orchards (Farmers' Markets)
530.633.0805
Marketing Associations and Programs
Nevada County Grown (NCG)
Placer County Agricultural Marketing Program 
PlacerGROWN
Other Marketing Options
Multimedia and social media tools can be used to great effect in your marketing strategy. Growers make use of web pages, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other photo galleries, weekly mailings to a customer listserv, and YouTube video postings to help spread the word about their work and products.
An example of grower use of these tools is Dinner Bell Farm in Chicago Park. In addition to a website, they use of YouTube videos, Twitter, Facebook, and a Flickr photo gallery.
