T HE M ANY H ATS OF THE FARMER
E NTREPRENEUR
B ETH O SMUND
C EDAR VALLEY S USTAINABLE FARM

2003 – Began Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm, a
vegetable CSA serving Chicago

Left a corporate job to begin farming w/ my
husband Jody

2007 – Launched Illinois’ first meat CSA

2012 – Cedar Valley Sustainable Meat CSA feeds
over 250 families a month
W HAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ?
What I Do
• Spread the word about my
business as widely as possible.
• Make our farm “media friendly”.
How You Can Help
• Send a reporter my
way.
• Offer classes in new
media.
• Communicate through a wide
variety of outlets.
•
•
•
•
Popular press
Web
Newsletter
Social media
• Promote our “brand”.
What I Do
• Keep the books for our
business.
• Set prices.
• Look for the best value
for goods & services.
How You Can Help
• Classes in QuickBooks, etc.
• Make connections between
farmers and financial
services professionals.
What I Do
• Website design &
maintenance.
• Electronic communication.
• Maintain customer
database.
• Social Media.
How You Can Help
• Classes in Access, etc.
• Workshops in new
media.
• Facilitate high speed
internet access.
What I Do
• CSA deliveries to Chicago.
• Livestock to/from butcher.
How You Can Help
• Classes on how to drive,
back, park with a trailer.
What I Do
• Look for new opportunities.
• Customers
• Markets
• Enterprises
How You Can Help
• MarketMaker
• Facilitate networking –
connect people.
What I Do
• Encourage people to cook!
• Teach people how to get the
most from our products.
• Share recipes.
How You Can Help
• Community cooking demos
(pair up chefs & farmers).
• Cross program w/
nutritionists.
What I Do
• Create and build
equipment to meet our
needs.
• Chicken “tractors”
• Trailer cooler box
• Helped assemble 40’ X
80’ hoop building.
• Help maintain fence line.
How You Can Help
• How To & Safety Classes:
• Power tools
• Fencing
• Maintenance Classes:
• Farm equipment
What I Do
• Help care for a wide variety
of livestock.
How You Can Help
• Basic livestock info:
• Care & feeding
• Gestation
• Breed selection
S OMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE I
NEED THIS
I TRY NOT TO DESERVE THIS
WWW. CEDARVALLEYSUSTAINABLE . COM