Shifting Focus After Crop Disaster

American Family Farmer

10/23/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: courses for farmers sponsored by the Cornell Small Farms programs, family farmers affected by the recent hurricanes and how USDA is offering assistance, the continued “right-to-repair” fight, and how this election cycle could lower food prices. Then, Doug introduces us to Sara McGuire of Royal Farms: Farm Market & Winery (royalfarmsinc.com). As young farmers, Sara and her husband experienced crop disasters before shifting their focus to farm marketing, with he added help from Sara’s degree in merchandising. Royal Farms has a bakery, highlighting made-from-scratch pies, a greenhouse, wine and cider tasting, and more. They grow apples, cherries, peaches, pears, and more. Northern Michigan allows for a variety of year-round offerings and pick-you-own experience with something for each season. Then, Doug opines mental health of farmers, off-farm jobs farmers take to keep their operation afloat.