Every farm has friction. The question is… can you see it?

Friction is anything that makes buying from your farm harder than it needs to be. It shows up in every business—often in places we've become blind to because we know our own systems so well. The good news? You don't have to eliminate every point of friction to see results. Sometimes removing just one obstacle can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode, I'll introduce you to the concept of becoming a Friction Detective. Together, we'll explore the most common places friction hides in a farm business, the questions you should be asking as you audit your customer experience, and how to identify one simple improvement you can make this week to help more customers move from interested... to buying.

It's time to put on your detective hat.

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step monthly membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 20 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)

What is a lead actually worth to your farm business?

Most farmers know how many email subscribers they have.

Far fewer know what those subscribers are actually worth.

And that can lead to some very bad marketing decisions.

In this episode, I introduce a simple metric called Earnings Per Lead (EPL) that helps you measure the value of the people entering your world -- i.e. whether they came from a Facebook ad, a farmers market, a farm tour, a referral, or a lead magnet.

You'll learn how to calculate EPL, why it's different from Cost Per Lead, and how it can help you decide which marketing activities deserve more of your time, money, and attention.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• What Earnings Per Lead (EPL) is and why it matters

• Why Cost Per Lead can be misleading

• How to calculate EPL using a simple formula

• How to track the value of different lead sources

• Why some leads are far more valuable than others

• Real-world examples from CSA farms, meat producers, flower farms, and online stores

• How EPL can help you make smarter marketing decisions

If you've ever wondered whether your lead magnets, email list growth efforts, farm tours, or Facebook ads are actually producing customers, this episode will give you a new way to look at your marketing.

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step monthly membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 20 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)

One of the questions I hear all the time from farmers is:

"What marketing channel should I focus on?"

Or:

"If I only have a few hours a week, what's the minimum marketing I need to do?"

But I think that's the wrong question.

The real question is:

Where should I invest my limited marketing time so it creates the biggest impact?

In this episode, I share a simple framework to help you decide where your marketing time should go based on the three metrics that actually drive farm revenue: customer count, average order value, and order frequency.

We'll talk about the four places marketing time can go, why some marketing activities create far more leverage than others, and how to know whether your next hour should be spent communicating, planning, optimizing, or measuring.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by all the marketing advice out there (or wondered if you're spending your time on the right things), this episode will help you focus on what matters most.

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step monthly membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 20 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)

I got this podcast episode idea in the middle of Aldi.

Seriously.

I was walking down the grocery aisle when a sign stopped me in my tracks. It said:

"Shop Aldi First."

And I remember thinking: "Dang. That's good."

Buried inside that simple phrase was a powerful marketing lesson that applies to almost every direct-to-consumer farm business.

Aldi isn't trying to convince customers to buy everything from them.

They're trying to become the first stop.

In this episode, I unpack the marketing strategy behind Aldi's campaign and show how farmers can apply the same thinking to become the first place customers think of when they need your __________________.

This is going to make you THINK!!

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Ep 333 Finding Your Farm's Gateway Product - I reference this in the podcast. It's a great primer on how to find your farm's official "first offer."

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step monthly membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 20 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)

What if the fastest way to grow your farm business wasn't finding more customers… but finding the people who already HAVE your customers' attention?

In this episode, I'm introducing the concept of the "Dream 25 List" -- a simplified version of the famous Dream 100 marketing strategy -- and showing farmers how to identify partnership opportunities hiding all around them.

We're talking about:

• what's a Dream 25 list?
• why partnerships can accelerate trust faster than social media
• how to identify 25 businesses and influencers that already serve your ideal customer
• examples of creative partnerships for flower farms, CSA farms, meat producers, and wedding flower growers

I also share real examples from Shared Legacy Farms, Anderson Farms, Weber Ranch, and a coaching call inside Farm Marketing School that sparked this conversation.

Create your own Dream 25 List:

• Who already has the trust and attention of your ideal customer?
• Then choose THREE relationships to begin building this month.

What email provider do I use? I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step monthly membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 20 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)

In this episode, I sit down with Krista Barzen-Hansen of Thirsty Fruit Farm (one of my students from Farm Marketing School!) to break down how her farm marketing has evolved and strengthened over the past year.

In this farm marketing case study, we unpack:

• how customers discover her farm,
• how she nurtures leads,
• how she's constantly optimizing her "gateway" product
• what content she creates,
• how she thinks about onboarding,
• the systems she's building,
• and how she's learning to approach marketing with confidence and experimentation instead of overwhelm.

Krista's primary sales model happens to be a CSA "buy down" structure, so much of the conversation naturally flows through that lens. But the real lesson here is seeing how marketing principles come together inside an actual farm business.

If you've ever wondered what it looks like to move from "random acts of marketing" into a more intentional marketing ecosystem… this episode will give you a practical example.

Meet Our Podcast Guest:

Krista Barzen-Hanson from ThirstyFruitFarm.com

Krista is an environmental chemist turned farmer. She and her husband, Brad, started Thirsty Fruit Farm in upstate NY during the pandemic. They farm about 10 acres of certified organic fruit and vegetables and sell direct-to-consumer through their buy-down CSA farm share, online store, and farm stand. Krista oversees the vegetable operation and marketing.

Krista's Tip Jar Ideas: You can find these at our show notes page: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/364

Proof Sentence Live Workshop: Want help finding your farm's proof sentence? This June inside Farm Marketing School, I'm hosting a bonus live workshop where we'll write your farm's proof sentence together. You'll get time to draft it, share it for feedback, and get coached on revisions so you can use it in your emails, product descriptions, website, and social media.

Join here: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

What email provider do I use to connect with my farm customers? Choosing a good marketing email provider is SO important. It's one of the most important tools for making money! I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 15 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)

What if one sentence could help your customers trust you faster?

In this episode, I'm introducing a powerful marketing tool called a proof sentence — a simple line that helps your customer think, "Yeah… this is probably going to work for me, too."

A proof sentence doesn't just describe your product. It shows what happens after someone buys it.

We'll talk about why promises are so powerful in marketing, how to identify the transformation your farm product creates, and how to build your own proof sentence using a simple formula.

Because your customers aren't just buying vegetables, meat, flowers, or CSA boxes.

They're buying the transformation.

• Why proof sentences help customers overcome hesitation
• The 4-part structure behind a strong proof sentence
• How to start identifying the real transformation your product creates
• Examples of proof sentences for CSA farms, flower farms, meat producers, and more
• How to use proof sentences in your emails, website, product descriptions, and social media

Take a first stab at drafting your own farm's proof sentence.

Ask yourself:

What can I honestly promise will happen to most of my customers after they buy from me?

Get specific.

Your customers are already experiencing a result.

Now point to it.

Local Line is my farm's preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can't recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline

Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you'll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you're a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 15 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

Proof Sentence Live Workshop: Want help finding your farm's proof sentence? This June inside Farm Marketing School, I'm hosting a bonus live workshop where we'll write your farm's proof sentence together. You'll get time to draft it, share it for feedback, and get coached on revisions so you can use it in your emails, product descriptions, website, and social media.

Join here: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms

What email provider do I use to connect with my farm customers? Choosing a good marketing email provider is SO important. It's one of the most important tools for making money! I recommend Kit.com -- it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!

Love the My Digital Farmer Podcast? Help me reach more farmer earbuds!

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
⭐️ Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts, because it helps other farmers find the show.
Share this episode with a fellow farmer or small business owner. Or forward my weekly email about the show to a farmer! (Get on that email list here to get more marketing tips: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe)