At Huckleberry Farms, we’re passionate about providing high-quality, sustainably raised products for our community. From our eggs to our pasture-raised meat, everything we do is centered around regenerative farming and delivering food that is not only nutritious but also ethically produced. However, as many small farmers know, there are significant restrictions that make it difficult to expand beyond these offerings.
The Regulatory Roadblocks to Selling More
One of the main reasons we can’t offer more than just meat and eggs at our farm is due to the layers of regulations surrounding the sale of farm products. These restrictions can be daunting for small farmers and, in many cases, prevent us from providing the full range of products we could easily grow or raise on our land.
For example:
- Dairy Products: The sale of raw milk and other dairy products requires strict regulation and often high licensing fees, which are simply not feasible for small-scale producers. Even though we have the ability to raise dairy goats or cows, the costs and legal barriers to sell raw milk or homemade cheese are too high.
- Processed Goods: Jams, pickles, canned goods, and baked items all require a commercial kitchen to be legal for sale. Setting up such a facility is expensive and requires permits and inspections that can be difficult to obtain.
- Poultry Processing: While we can process chickens for meat on the farm, selling them at locations other than the farm, such as at events or farmers’ markets, presents additional challenges. The regulations surrounding off-site meat sales are much stricter, often requiring third-party inspections and certifications. These regulations increase the cost and complexity of bringing our poultry to the wider community. This is why, for now, all poultry sales must happen directly on the farm, ensuring we comply with the law while still offering fresh, locally-raised meat to our customers.
These types of regulations are in place to ensure food safety, but they can also limit small farms’ ability to expand their offerings and connect directly with their local communities.
The Rise of Farm Shares: An Alternative Model
Given these roadblocks, one innovative solution that’s gaining traction in the small farming community is the idea of Farm Shares—a model that allows farmers to bypass some of these regulations by creating a closer, more direct relationship with consumers.
So, what exactly is a Farm Share? It’s an alternative to traditional sales, where customers essentially become members of the farm for a period of time (usually a year) by paying an upfront fee. In return, they receive a percentage of the farm’s total production. This could include:
- Eggs
- Poultry or other meat products
- Seasonal produce (depending on what’s grown)
- Value-added items like preserves, honey, or even crafts
The concept is simple: members own a share of what the farm produces and get to enjoy a slice of everything the farm yields throughout the year.
Why a Farm Share Program Could Work for Us
The idea of a Farm Share aligns perfectly with our mission at Huckleberry Farms. It allows us to build a stronger relationship with our community while providing transparency in the food production process. Here are a few key reasons why a Farm Share could be the next step for us:
- Bypassing Sales Restrictions: While regulatory hurdles make it hard to sell certain items through traditional means, a Farm Share program allows us to offer a broader range of products to our members without navigating as many legal restrictions. Because members are essentially buying into the farm, they have access to what we produce rather than “purchasing” it outright in a typical retail transaction.
- Financial Stability: Farm Shares offer the farm financial stability by providing upfront capital at the beginning of the year. This helps us cover the cost of feed, infrastructure, and other expenses while ensuring that members receive the benefits of their investment through farm-fresh products.
- A Sustainable Option: With a Farm Share model, we can plan our production more sustainably, reducing waste by matching supply directly to demand. Instead of producing extra and hoping it sells, we know exactly how much to grow, raise, and produce based on our committed members.
The Benefits of a Farm Share Program
For You:
- Consistent Access to Fresh, Local Food: Your share will include a rotating selection of whatever’s fresh and in season, giving you a diverse and healthy diet straight from the farm.
- Support Local Agriculture: By becoming a part of our farm’s community, you’re directly supporting sustainable, small-scale farming practices that are good for the environment and good for our local economy.
- Transparency: You’ll know exactly where your food comes from and how it’s produced. Every egg, every piece of meat, and every vegetable has been grown with care, using regenerative farming practices that prioritize soil health, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.
For Us:
- Predictable Income: The upfront payment for a farm share helps us cover costs at the start of the season, giving us the financial stability we need to invest in seeds, equipment, and other farm essentials.
- Flexibility: The farm share model gives us the freedom to offer a variety of products without the burden of complying with multiple layers of regulation for each individual item.
- Closer Relationships with Our Customers: Farm shares foster a stronger sense of connection between farmers and the community. We love the idea of getting to know the families who rely on our farm for their food and sharing the journey with them each season.
How It Would Work at Huckleberry Farms
We envision our Farm Share program working as follows:
- Members pay an annual fee, which gives them access to a set percentage of everything we produce. This could range from a few dozen eggs each month to larger shares that include meats, garden vegetables, and more.
- Throughout the year, members receive a weekly or bi-weekly pickup of farm-fresh products, depending on what’s in season and what’s being produced.
- Special items and value-added products like our homemade preserves, baked goods, or even extra poultry cuts could be included based on availability and interest.
Our goal with a Farm Share is not just to offer food—it’s to offer an experience. Members would get regular updates on farm operations, invitations to special farm events, and opportunities to visit and learn more about how their food is produced.
The Community Connection
One of the most powerful aspects of a Farm Share is how it deepens the connection between farmers and their customers. Members aren’t just buying food from a store—they’re investing in a farm. They get to see firsthand how their food is grown, understand the care and attention that goes into every product, and feel a direct connection to the land that sustains them.
For us, this is the ultimate goal: to build a community around Huckleberry Farms where people feel connected to their food, their environment, and each other.
Looking to the Future
While we’re currently limited in what we can offer due to regulatory constraints, a Farm Share could provide the flexibility and sustainability we need to expand. It’s a model that benefits both farmers and customers, providing fresh, healthy food and fostering a stronger, more resilient local food system.
We’re still in the planning stages, but if you’re interested in learning more or becoming part of our Farm Share program, please reach out. We’re excited about the possibility of expanding what we can offer and continuing to grow our Huckleberry Farms family.
Join the Conversation:
What would you like to see included in a Farm Share from Huckleberry Farms? Have you ever participated in a similar program? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
