2019 Trends and Who’s Setting Them

Here’s SPIN-Farming’s Alphabet List of 2019 Trends to look forward to, culled from all the presentations at this year’s Member Meetups. Thanks to all of the forward thinking SPIN farmers listed below who presented their business plans, how they implemented them and the revenue they targeted and achieved.

SPIN’s online Member Meetups are THE place to get in on the latest entrepreneurial farming trends as they are happening and learn from the real-world experience of those who are using SPIN-Farming to create and develop successful businesses. If starting a farm business, or learning the business of growing food, is on your New Year’s to-do list, you’re welcome to join in. (see below).

SPIN’s Alphabet of 2019 Trends
Agrihood – free land access and captive market
Buying clubs – gets around the bad rep of CSA’s
Compostable containers – consumers want them and will pay for them
Demographics – need to target customers more accurately, now that local is such a large market
EBT’s –  catering to the underserved is a big opportunity
Food safety – using it as a competitive advantage
Ginger – new niche crop which works pretty far north
Hiring – some actually need a parking lot for their workers
Ingredient analysis – big part of value added products
Jackfruit – reselling non-local fruits leads customers to your local vegetables
KETO – the special diet crowd becomes a sizable market
Loofa – diversifying with health/beauty products
Moving the farm – not hard to do, is being prompted by search for better markets
Nutrition information – consider it a value add
Onsite farm stands – more are doing them
Pricing power – average unit pricing  is increasing to $4, 3 for $10                                  Quick freeze- farm to freezer is the next big opportunity to expand the local food market
Rural –  urban farmers are giving up the city to expand
Snacking – lots of new product opportunities and customers here
Transit stops – farmers markets are setting up there
Unit prices – the average is creeping up to $3
Vistaprint – your partner for brand building; great for sings, business cards, banners
Weddings – brides want local flowers
X-piration date – prepared foods have a shelf life that needs to be stated
York Fresh Foods – new urban farm role model that is more sustainable
Zoning – city governments are finally taking commercial urban farming seriously

SPIN Farming 2018 Start Performers

SF photo Trends 2019 a

Chris Kimber, 3 Crows Farm, Cranbrook BC                                                                   Lisa Patton, Hope Rising Farm, Garden City MO
Steve Patton, Hope Rising Farm, Garden City MO                                                        Ryan Doan, Urban Greens, Cincinnati OH 
Nick van Riper  Urban Greens, Cincinnati OH                                                                Tom Hinman, Sweet Harvest, New Hartford CT                                                      Blythe Woods, Maggie’s Farm Gettysburg, Gettysburg PA                                          Rex Landings, Cackleberry Farms, Meridian ID                                                Courtney Tchida, Cornercopia Organic Student Farm, Univ. of MN, St.Paul  MN      Cathy LeValley, New Earth Micro Farm, Unionville, MI                              Lourdes Casañares, Masagana Flower Farm, La Broquerie MB 
Bruce Manns, York Fresh Foods, York PA

WANT TO GROW WITH THESE PRO’S?
There are two options. You can purchase membership here, to participate in our online support group and get access to all past and future Member Meetups as well as monthly instant learning sessions conducted by SPIN-Farming’s creator, Wally Satzewich.

If you are committed to starting a business, purchase our learning program here which also comes with a trial membership. Be on trend and in the money in 2019!

Local Flower Business Pops Up

Courtesy of Roxanne C.,  Philadelphia PA

How do you break into the cut flower business? By setting up a pop up florist shop inside a retailer that;s looking to establish its local cred. This is SPIN farmer Lourdes Casañares’ display inside a fruit market she frequents in Manitoba.

SF photo fb flowers

She hopes to build up her market here because it is close to her backyard farm, and it is on the busiest highway east of Manitoba. The market owners have been tagging her in their own social media account, which will help increase her own followers. Selling bouquets direct is a cross-selling opportunity for her wedding and events services.

We held a member meetup with Lourdes one year ago where we reviewed how to start a flower farm the SPIN Way, and plotted out Lourdes’ land base, crop repertoire, sources of supply, marketing plan and financial goals. Her trailer cooler should be done next month, which will support her production goal of 50 bouquets a week. Her income goal this year is $9k on 1,660 sq.ft. We’ll see how close she comes at the end of the year. In the meantime you can follow her progress via her   FB and IG accounts: masaganaflowerfarm.

LEARN FROM ENTREPRENEURIAL BACKYARD FARMERS LIKE LOURDES  CASANARES IN THE SPIN ONLINE SUPPORT GROUP. FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP WHEN YOU PURCHASE ANY SPIN GUIDE