Ask not only what your farmer can do for you but what you can do for your farmer…

I believe that, as much as possible, the crops grown and animals raised on a farm should be thought of as food not commodity. So, naturally, I’m interested in how we move towards having more farmers/ranchers transition into direct relationships with eaters where food is grown and moved into the hands of eaters without being commoditized.

Through my PhD research, I have interviewed over 70 farmers in Western Canada and the United States. Through this, I have been thinking about some of the reasons that a farmer/rancher might might start up or expand their direct marketing enterprise. There are cultural, political, economic and social factors influencing farmers and ranchers decisions on farm, including those decisions around how, where and to whom they sell their farm product.

I want to focus here, in a few brief words about the emotional side of direct marketing – very hard to ‘calculate’ (not that we want or need to). As I listen and read the transcriptions from my conversations with all of these farmers/ranchers, I’m finding that there is an emotional dimension to direct marketing. A farm is a business. Direct marketing is a business strategy. But a farm and the act of ‘direct marketing’ is also so much more. Yes, the financial considerations are central to a farm but… feelings seem to also matter a great deal, and many direct farm marketers experience feelings by direct marketing that are relatively absent from selling into the global commodity market.

Almost every direct marketer I talk to describes the importance of knowing that the ‘customer’ appreciates the high quality food that they receive. For example, I’ll hear, “there is nothing better than having your customer call you up and saying, ‘that’s the best steak I’ve had in years’”. This feedback around quality not only reinforces the production of quality food but also affirms the importance of having these direct relationships. These interactions with the eater of the product give a direct marketer the ability to FEEL proud and good about what they are doing. This direct feedback is impossible (for the most part) in the commodity system where the producer loses her/his identity the moment the product leaves the farm gate. Commodity producers used to feel good/proud about ‘feeding the world’ but now, I’m not sure. I get the sense that the bitterness over feeding the corporations and the banks might shadow these sentiments.

Another way that farmers FEEL differently in direct marketing is when they are affirmed by customers/eaters that they and their farm family are headed in the right direction – that is they are provided with moral support for going against the grain – the path less followed. There are few formal/institutional support systems out there for farmers/ranchers driving the local food networks that all us non-farmers (eaters) benefit from. Many of your direct marketers are systematically excluded from government support programs and payments. You, the eater/customer, can be an incredible source of support for farmers. This MORAL support matters to the farmers I have talked to. Of course, eaters often contribute much more than moral support and I would encourage you eaters out there to think about how else you can support your farmer(s).

Eaters/customers can be an important part of a farms financial (buying food), physical (volunteering), cognitive (providing feedback that allows them to think through improvements for their food/farm), political (pushing our decision-makers to support alternative food producers) and, our focus here, EMOTIONAL/MORAL support system. You can also help by promoting your farmer to your friends and family – where do they buy their food?

The economics of direct food marketing don’t always make sense (but same also goes for commodity farm production), it doesn’t always pay to do what they do. Some of the ‘pay’ is in the emotional dividends paid by customers who show their appreciation for a farmer that grows their food so they don’t have to.

My sense is that many of those farmers who are just dabbling in direct marketing may be encouraged to further develop their direct marketing initiatives if they can experience the renewed sense of worth that comes with interacting directly with those who are eating your farm food. Farmers often feel undervalued in society, direct marketing can be extremely rewarding by allowing farmers/ranchers to feel appreciated for providing food to families. Finding ways to make direct marketing economically worthwhile are (obviously) extremely important. But my findings suggest that direct marketing is also ‘worthwhile’ to farmers for these non-economic reasons. Again, feelings matter.

To close, I will share (in the video below) with you some suggestions from Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor at Kookelan Farms about a few ways that an eater can show your appreciation for a farmer at a farmers market. Of course, there are many (usually quite simple) ways you can express your support for your farmer. To start, the next time you see her or him, simply convey your appreciation for what they do – a small gesture can go a long way!

Please share your thoughts, suggestions or criticisms of these ideas in the comment box below!

Transcript from video: “I think the relationship that people can form in a farmer’s market for instance, and I think consumers can drive a lot of that too. Understand that farmers are by nature I think strongly independent people. They tend to be kind of shy and not that socially engaging in general…But if you’re going to your farmers market and you’re going to buy a bag of apples, if it’s a hot day take them a soda and just say here you must get hot and thirsty standing here all day, let me give you a soda. Or if it’s in the winter, you know those little hot things that you can put in your boots when you’re skiing, you know? You must be cold standing there. Here have some of these toe warmers. I really appreciate you coming out here and bringing your vegetables into town. You can open a dialogue that way. The thing farmers love most to hear at the farmer’s market is what’s the nicest thing you’ve got for sale today? I’ll take the biggest one. And that’s a great way to start the conversation. Another great question is what do you offer directly at your farm that you don’t have a license to bring to the farmer’s market? Because some of the best food in the country is available that way, but shhh, you have to ask. Then you get the real interesting conversations and you can really start those relationships. There’s a lot people can do.”