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Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Introducing our e-gift cards

It has been two years since Brown Leaves Farm changed from being a land to being a business. I remember clearly the first day on my farm, two months after me and my husband moved in the house, on a sunny day in March 2017. I stepped out of my house to see what's out there. At that time, I had no clue about things will turn out and how will I bring a 10,000 sq feet section of grass and weeds to a productive space. I inspected the farm and did the easiest thing I could do that day...picking up some fallen tree branches and measuring bed space for two raised beds. That was it for the day. On that day, in my mind, everything else that needed to be done was beyond my skills and labor.

In last two years, I have not only raised vegetables on the same plot but also built a business around growing quality food for local markets and community. The appreciation, support and response about what I grow is the thing that kept the business going. Brown Leaves farm is a two person operation (1.75 person to be precise 😊  )  and we only sell what we grow during the season . As such, we try to keep the farm a lean operation so that we can maximize our tight budget and minimize food waste. We also continually try to improve our operations not just from production stand point but also for our customers that support us through out the season, even when we got 46" of rainfall in one year.

This year, we are introducing our first ever digital gift cards that can be purchased from our website here and used year round to make direct purchase of our produce. We want to make your shopping experience with us more than just cash based purchases. When you buy a gift card from us, you show your support for a small farm, it's value and it's people. This, in turn, helps us get some early season capital for the farm and keeps the wheels rolling. 

The gift cards also enable a cashless transaction during a saleThe gift card is unique to you and by just telling us your gift card number, you can make a purchase from your available balance. The gift cards do not require a weekly or quarterly commitment. You refill them as you like during the course of the year. It’s like supporting our farm but without any huge upfront investment on your part. When you use our gift card, it comes with the benefit of early season produce offerings including things that we grow in limited quantities or do not always bring to farmer’s markets.   Our farm’s gift card comes in denominations of $50, $75, $100, & $150. You choose a type you want and make purchases by ordering online or using it at farmer’s markets. Don’t forget, when you order online, you also have the option of produce delivery at your location. Here is how we see the gift card as beneficial to our customers: 

  • Customers with gift card get preference on produce in small quantities or seasonal availability . 
  • Shop cashless at farm or at farmer's markets
  • Purchase our early produce before farmer’s markets commence 
  • Ease of purchasing without always using cash, at farm or at farmer’s markets 
  • You subscribe, we keep track of your balance.  
  • No monthly or quarterly upfront cost. Use or refill the gift cards when you like. Gift cards are valid till end of the year. 
  • Know that you support a real farm that grows it’s own produce, takes utmost care of its soil and brings you healthy and tasty produce at all times. 
  • BONUS : for first 25 sign ups, to every dollar purchase of our gift card, we add 6% value on top your purchase quantity. A $100 gift card enables $106 worth of produce.

I hope you will like this new service and give it try. If you have questions, send us a message or an email. We can also be reached on facebook and instagram. 

Peace happiness and health 

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

2019 - purpose, plans and emotions

The year 2018 was an exciting and whirl winding year that ended on a good note. I spent Christmas in North Carolina with family and new year again with close family locally. As a little escape, I spent a day in New York City a day before New Years Eve to watch the dazzling lights and crowded streets. A little escape from gloomy suburbs suits me once in a while.

On New Year's eve around 5:00 pm,when I looked outside the window, the heavy rains reminded me of the year that passed. 2018 was a year of record high rainfall in northeast USA. It reminded me of summer days when I stood at farmer's market soaking in rain, when I couldn't go in fields to do work due to mud and rain and when hot humid weather messed up a lot of my crops in my second season of farming. In retrospect, I don't know why I worried so much for unforeseen weather events on which I have no control. Perhaps because crop loss for a farmer means revenue lost. That lost revenue cannot be recuperated the same year. I still did the best I can during the fall months and harvested as much (or as little) as I can after a tough season.

I winded off my season in December. When my fingernails are not filled with dirt and skin not heavily sun-burnt, it indicates I am not working outside anymore. After long tiring days of the growing season from March till November, the month of December was when I really wanted to be indoors and didn't feel like doing much in the field. I still had things to do on farm but couldn't drag myself outside for more than a few days a week.

With time on hand, I spent better part of the month thinking what new offerings can be made to customers in 2019, which new channels can be explored and how can I offer a better, more seamless shopping experience to people. I am also increasing my produce line to include more exciting crops for 2019. One the feedbacks I got from customers in 2018 was to bring more produce variety to the market. A more consistent offering was also something that customers were looking for from us. The feedbacks that we get from customers at markets directs us to adopt methods and systems best suited for our small farm's needs. When I say 'us', the 'us' represents me and my husband. He does most of the heavy lifting and infrastructure projects on the farm.

A good part of winter from December onwards is also spent ordering seeds and supplies for the farm, reading, budgeting and crop planning for next growing season. This year, I met a few very interesting farmers during my downtime in winter. It's exciting to see what other farmers are doing in their region and how their operations impact the local community. This time of the year, while a lot of farmers are already in the fields planting seeds for spring, my wet fields are resting and taking a break. I am carefully examining ways to improve production, improve soil and fix some inefficiencies in operation. I say 'some inefficiencies' because even after knowing what to change, there is only so much I can change in a given year. For one, I am learning to be realistic about my capabilities, strength and weaknesses.

Farming, for me, is a lifestyle where personal and professional parts are intertwined. Everything I do professionally in business impacts me personally and personal events impact the farm business closely. The ebb of flow of personal emotions is tied to what happens at the farm every day, the tasks I accomplish, the positive feedback I get from customers and connections I make with people year round.

I hope all of the readers have a healthy and blissful 2019. 

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