Pivot Points

Hannah Weber from The Land Loom and Nate Lada from Green Things Farm share how they transformed from struggling solo operations into the successful Green Things Farm Collective in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Both farmers faced burnout, with Hannah as a one-woman salad operation working multiple jobs, and Nate managing a complex diversified farm without sufficient expertise, before joining forces with three other local farmers in 2020. Green Things Farm Collective now employs 25 people and has evolved from trying to do everything to strategically focusing on what works best while allowing spin-off enterprises and thereby demonstrating how collaboration can create both financial viability and work-life balance.  

Katie and Hans Bishop from PrairiErth Farm in Atlanta, Illinois share their transition into organic grain farming after operating an 80-acre diversified vegetable operation with 25 employees and 450 CSA members. Faced with land management pressures, family transitions, and severe burnout after 14 years of intensive vegetable production, they made the difficult decision to pivot their business model entirely. In this candid conversation, the Bishops discuss the challenges of letting go of their identity as vegetable farmers, the relief of finding work-life balance, and why sometimes "quitting" may be the smartest business decision you can make. This episode is sponsored by Practical Farmers of Iowa. Practical Farmers of Iowa equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities through farmer to farmer learning and farmer led research. https://practicalfarmers.org/  

Jim Crawford and Jenni Glenister from New Morning Farm explain how they transitioned ownership over nearly a decade through strategic succession planning. Jim shares how he identified and mentored Jenni through an apprenticeship system that gave employees real management responsibilities, leading to her evolution from apprentice to full owner by 2021. The conversation covers financing farm transitions, building profitable farmers market operations, and the benefits and career development that help New Morning Farm retain 90-100% of staff.