The Ohio State University Extension New and Small Farm College Team graduated 44 families, with the completion of more than 25 hours of instruction at each of two locations, Butler County and Gallia County, Ohio. Tony Nye, team leader presented each family with a frameable copy of their mission statement and a class diploma.

Eric Barrett, Ohio State University Extension specialist in Washington County, Ohio, taught the last session on direct marketing. Barrett is excited about the opportunities for farm operations with the growing interest of consumers in locally produced foods. He even found a word, “locavore.” that describes these persons in the 2007 Edition of the New Oxford American Dictionary. Locavore is defined as “a person who does all they can to eat locally grown food.”

Barrett told the graduates that direct marketing is retailing their product not just selling it. Direct marketers must treat their farms as retail outlets. He suggested this would include watching the business numbers closely, focusing on details, changing quickly to meet your customer’s needs and paying attention to trends.
Many farmers enjoy growing things, but just want to sell it when it’s ready. Barrett suggested that if you are one of these people direct marketing may not be for you. There is a great deal of additional work in marketing your product rather than just selling it. If you are a marketer, and you do it well, then you will be successful.
Barrett also provided the classes with a list of what he believes are the top 10 opportunities for profit, trends in direct marketing:

•Community supported agriculture
•Farming local cooperatives. Working together with other farm retailers to benefit all involved.
•Natural resources – recreation and hunting
•Locally focused meats
•On-farm bakeries and coffee shops
•Farmers markets
•Specialty and ethnic vegetables
•Pick your own berries
•Farm tours and events
•The Internet

A new class of the Farm College is planned for January 2009 in the Miami/Montgomery County area. Contact Tony Nye in Clinton County, 937-382-0901 or nye.1@osu.edu for details next fall.