BF 109: Finding Your Market

Trainer – Allyson Angelini & Keith Padin, farmer/owners, Full Heart Farm

Allyson has a degree in Agriculture Education from UMass Amherst.  In 2012, she purchased Full Heart Farm in Ledyard, CT, where she raises small scale vegetables, berries, herbs, pork, and chicken for a 70 family meal-based CSA. Allyson has spoken at many conferences and events, including the Young Farmers Conference.  She serves as a mentor for Holistic Management International’s Beginning Women Farmers Program and Cornell’s Small Farms course.  Allyson was named one of CT Magazine’s 40 under 40 for 2015, as well as eWomen Network’s Emerging Leader of the Year for 2015.

Keith is the Director of Marketing and Communications at A Thyme to Cook – one of Southern New England’s most respected farm-to-table catering companies. Keith has decades of experience with Corporate Training, Sales and Marketing. He has worked with large corporations such as GMAC and Prudential as well as some of Connecticut’s top agri-tourism farms including Jones Family Farms and Fort Hill Farms. Keith is is honored to be invited often to speak on the topics of marketing, branding and social media by various local and national farming organizations.

Workshop Objectives:
This workshop will delve into the variety of local markets available to CT farmers. Both new and experienced growers will have the opportunity to examine the advantages and challenges with selling through an on-farm stand, organizing a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), becoming a farmers’ market vendor, preparing and selling a value-added product, selling to restaurants, and selling to schools. Each participant of the workshop will receive a copy of the Finding Your Market guide, which outlines these six local marketing options and features interviews with experts and experienced growers.
Bonus: Attendees will receive a free toolkit at this training.