North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Convention
v. (grÖ west) a direct marketing journey of innovation and inspiration through Alberta's historic Cowboy Trail
| REGISTRATION |
Track: On-Farm Ranch & Retail
- Elna Edgar
Innisfail Growers Co-op was established in 1993 to market the produce grown and packaged by five member families. We are one of the founding five families that helped with the original setup and development of the concept of co-operatively marketing the produce we all grow and package on our own farms. I will give a detailed desciption of the day to day operations of Innisfail Growers and how we have survived the challenges of working with four other families to a common goal.
- Shelley Bradshaw
A brief history of how Innisfail Growers came into being. How we started from one business looking for help to grow a variety of products, to a co-operative marketing group, selling its members products at over 20 farmers Markets per week throughout Alberta.
- John Buyks
To set up a marketing-coop as Innisfail growers was not easy. Yet, it all happened, over time. When I look back, as a founding member, its almost tiring to see what we all did. From the very beginning, where five families with young kids, get together and start growing and cooperatively selling their produce through farmers markets to where we are now, going to about 25 markets per week, from Calgary to Edmonton, with all the logistics in place to do so. Over the years things as database, stalls, trucking and coolerspace have developped and are still improving. It is never ending. There are always the changes that can make us better and more efficient.
Two Decades of Retail—It's Never Status Quo
Retailing and Appealing to your Repeat Customers- Doug Hennigar
My first NAFDMA conference was in 1990. The Association was only 5 years old but the information exchange was years ahead of its time ! Since then as a faithful follower, I've seen many trends and changes as the Farm Direct Marketing has evolved. To be sure I became involved as a Director and later President of a super charged Board that was passionate about the growth of the industry .
Our Farm Market has been in existance since 1949. We've changed a lot over the years, especially with the help of travel and conferences throughout North America. The people in the industry have been a great help!!
My talk will focus on some of the changes as a before and after view as we have developed over the years as we learned from the Association and brought ideas back to the farm and Farm Market.
Don't ever be afraid of change!! Be known for your differences. Take risks. Take Big Risks.- Kay Hollabaugh
I hope to share with the audience some things that worked well for us, and others that did not. I also hope to share how we enticed our children to return to our business and whether or not that was a good thing to do! Being heavily into production, I will also speak to how we have built our retail business to where it is today - on a shoestring budget!- Jack Moore
My presentation will focus on how our business has evolved over the past 30+ years. Starting out as a way to put my siblings and myself through Catholic high school, and College, to the business as it is today. I will cover how we have evolved from 1,000 acres of cash crops & seasonal produce stands to 1½-acres of production greenhouse space and 15,000 sq. ft. retail garden center & farm market.
- Glen Price
Sound business practices and savvy marketing have given this Calgary-based, family owned organization solid footing in an ever-expanding food market, from swine to wine — and beyond. With strong roots in primary agriculture, Sunterra has been a consistent innovator in production, processing and retail. Sunterra Markets are modeled after European food markets where customers purchase groceries daily for freshness and convenience. Glen Price, President, Sunterra Quality Food Markets Inc., will share his insight into increasing customer visits through the use of loyalty programs, branding, and the prepared meals markets.
You're never too small to think BIG
- Klaus Berger and Michael BergerTrack: Farmers' Markets
The lifeblood of a successful direct farm market is ideas! But where do they come from? Why can’t you just do what everyone else does? Klaus and Michael will guide you through the formation of some BIG ideas that will benefit you today and tomorrow.
In this lively and entertaining session, participants will:
· Discover how to create a network of people who can assist you in furthering your business
· Learn how to maintain and improve upon the success of this network
· Experience a networking exercise
· Use your network to form a focus group
· Solve a business problem using a focus group
· Discover how other entrepreneurs have come up with ideas
· Obtain at least 5 examples of creative ideas that have made businesses prosper
If you want to expand your business, increase your customer base, and become more profitable you can’t afford to miss this session.
Meat Sales that Make Cent$
Value Added Tips & Techniques to Maximize Your Meat Sales - James DucsSolutions to Vendor Burnout
James Ducs, a foodservice specialist for Alberta Pork, will show you what value-added items direct marketers have to do in order to break into and be successful in an extremely competitive marketplace. James has direct interaction with all aspects of Foodservice and has a great understanding of where Food Service is today. He will also give you insight as to where he feels Food service will be heading in the future.
- John and Patricia Sondgeroth
We will explain what we feel are a few key components to direct marketing our specialty beef such as: CONTROLLING QUALITY (why we established our own federally inspected processing plant); MARKETING EVERYTHING from the cheeks to the (ox)tail (including some terrific new cuts in between); and the equally important task and challenge of PRICING the beef FOR PROFIT!
Vendor Burnout: How We Avoid the Meltdown - Elna Edgar
After the first few years of trying to "do it all"--growing, harvesting, packaging and direct marketing our produce to our customers, we realized that both physically and mentally we could not keep this pace up and survive. We have just successfully completed our 14th year in the vegetable business. At peak season we attend upwards of 20 Farmers Markets weekly with a wide and varied selection of produce on our table. We will share our ideas and thoughts on how to avoid "meltdown."
The Solution to Seller Burnout is your MARKET TEAM and Practicing Preventative Medicine - Randii MacNear
Vendor burnout is a manager's worst enemy as it affects the whole spirit and future of the market. Come learn some easy-to-implement startegies that the market manager should be doing every market day to help vendors avoid burnout before it starts. Your Market will improve dramatically and quickly.
The Most Magnificent Market Managers
- Speakers soon to be announced
There are so many elements to a successful farmers’ market, the location, the community, the farmers, the funding, the leadership, the camaraderie, the willingness to embrace the competition, and the list goes on. But more and more industry insiders are recognizing that the one most important ingredient that makes a farmers’ market excel is the market manager. The best ones are the those who invest in themselves by learning new skills, studying the needs of the individual vendors, discovering new heights in community involvement and reaching out beyond the community to learn from others in far away places. Their passion, drive and commitment can’t be taught. They are the individuals who connect all the other elements of a market and weave them into a hallmark of the community. Each of us in this business knows we can look at a farmers’ market for the first time and determine if there is a great manager behind the scenes.
In this session, three of the greatest will talk a little about themselves, more about their market systems, and a whole lot about how they have brought all the elements together to create the hallmark for which none of them wants to take full credit. You will learn tricks and tools and strategies you may never have thought of for your market back home.
In the world of farmers’ markets, it’s all about sharing... the work and the brainstorming to improve the bigger cause. And it’s sharing in the overall success of working in harmony to achieve individual gains. In this good-natured competition, our finalists will be challenged to share their successes with you in ways that will help you achieve improvement back home. And in the end, you’ll help NAFDMA determine which manager among these three awesome winners will be hailed the next Farmers’ Market Manager of the Year.
Wheelin' it to the Calgary Farmers' Market
Consider this to be a session on wheels! You'll board the bus at the Hyatt and head to the year-round Calgary Farmers' Market. Be sure to spend some time learning at this young, upscale, premiere farmers' market. Plan to explore, ask questions and, of course, shop! Buses will depart and return as they fill and will continually run until lunch.
Food Safety -- Your Farm Direct Advantage
Marketing Food Safely at Farmers' Markets - Betty VladickaFarmers' Markets: Attracting the Next Generation
“No one ever got sick on my food” is a phrase often heard. But, would any of your customers with the 24-hour flu connect their
bout of food poisoning to something they ate that you sold or served? Customers assume that you have systems in place to ensure
their safety.
This presentation will focus on the quick and easy things you can do to improve your facility and your food handling procedures.
Sales and customer service is about meeting or exceeding customer expectations. Make food safety a priority for your business.
Quality + Food Safety = Competitive Advantage
- Janelle Herbert
This presentation will tell people about my business, how I got involved in a farm direct marketing business and especially, at a farmers' market, what attracted me to doing business at a market and why I continue. How I make it financially viable? As well, let you know what my needs may be from organizations like the Alberta Farmers' Market Association, or the market where I sell, or from Alberta Agriculture.
- Brent Lane
This presentations is focused on new and innovative ideas that will help to draw young entrepreneurs back into farming and agricultural related ventures. It will include: value-added product proposals & how to develop a start-up a farm-based business with limited capital.
Join us for all or any part of our convention.
Each component is priced separately.
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Feb. 12, 2007 |
Feb. 13, 2007 |
Feb. 14, 2007 |
Feb. 15, 2007 |
Feb. 16, 2007 |
Feb. 17, 2007 |
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Bus Tour |
All-Day Workshops |
Conference Sessions | |||
62 White Loaf Road
Southampton, MA 01073