ROANOKE, Ind. — At a time when many U.S. farms struggle to stay afloat, Seven Sons Farms is experiencing historic success, buoyed by the regenerative agriculture principles through which they produce their nutrient-dense food.
Most businesses would jealously guard the secrets behind their competitive advantage, but the Seven Sons Farms’ mission extends beyond growing and selling their pastured products. One of the Hitzfield family’s primary goals is to help their fellow farmers “grow in nature’s image—so they too can harvest healthier soil, food, farms and profits.”
““It wasn’t easy and it took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get where we are, but we now have 5,000 loyal customers and a farm that supports 20 full-time family members and staff,” said Blaine Hitzfield, one of the farms’ seven sons. “We believe there’s plenty of market to go around and we feel an obligation to share our experience with our fellow farmers with the hope that they, too, will harvest the many benefits of transitioning from conventional agriculture to regenerative agriculture.”
To help teach others the keys to regenerative success, Seven Sons Farms will host the three-day, Soil Health Academy school at their Roanoke, Indiana farm Nov. 3-5. In addition to the Hitzfield team, the school will feature instruction by SHA’s Shane New, Gabe Brown, and Allen Williams, Ph.D., all of whom are widely considered to be among the most preeminent pioneers, innovators and advocates in today’s regenerative agricultural and marketing movement.
Specifically, this school will merge the soil health-centric principles of regenerative agriculture with key enterprise-stacking and direct-marketing processes that allow farms to shift from being “price takers to price makers,” Hitzfield said. “The emphasis will be on helping farmers monetize the nutrient-rich products they grow through their regenerative agriculture practices, increasing profits and providing business and product diversification,” he said.
Topics will include…
- Strategies for acquiring and retaining customers
- How to ship perishable products
- How to create regional delivery zones
- How to choose box templates
- How to choose shipping carriers
- Covering costs and perfecting pricing
- An overview of the Seven Sons’ fulfillment process—from order received to order shipped
“Becoming a price maker, rather than a price taker, requires the knowledge and tools to successfully package, brand and market more diverse products on the farm,” Hitzfield said. “This school is taught by farmers and ranchers who are successfully marketing their products directly to their customers. Their experience is worth its weight in gold to any farmer or rancher who’s ready to create a more profitable, diverse and enjoyable operation—and there are scholarships available to qualifying applicants,” he said.
For more information on the upcoming school and scholarships available, visit www.soilhealthacademy.org.
— Soil Health Academy
For more news from Indiana, click here.
For more news from Ohio, click here.