Measuring the Impact of Marketing & Technology in Driving Support for Small-Scale Farms Near Population Centers

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Farm Business Management: e-commerce, farmers' markets/farm stands, market study, marketing management, new enterprise development, value added
• Production Systems: organic agriculture, transitioning to organic
• Sustainable Communities: urban agriculture

Problem Addressed:

More than ever, there is a disconnection between local families and the food they buy. A diesel-reliant, monopolistic food system has filled pantries with overly processed foods and far-from-local produce. Consumers know little about where their food comes from and what makes it healthy. However, the answer they’re looking for could be right in their backyard!

Small-scale farms in the suburbs of major midwestern cities are already doing much of the hard work to grow, prepare, and package. However, they need a reminder that on-farm sales outlets can still be a sustainable and viable practice when coupled with modern communication technology.

Technologies are more available and affordable than ever, now is the time to leverage the entrepreneurial revolution. Unfortunately, small-scale farms typically fail to adopt new technology out of cost concern. “Small-scale farmers often face barriers to adopting technologies in a financially sustainable manner. Barriers include lack of capital… and market constraints” (The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN). 

Previous SARE projects have explored Radio & Direct Mail with limited results. For today’s farmers and producers, it is necessary to adopt new technologies to draw local support. New technologies and educational content will drive cross-generational participation in sustainable agriculture.

The growing disconnection between consumers and local food systems—in addition to the struggle small-scale farms face in overcoming outdated marketing approaches—was a large reason our research was necessary. This project sought to address these challenges by testing whether an on-farm marketplace combined with digital outreach could improve awareness and support for small-scale producers.

Research Approach:

This project did not involve formal research trials or experimental design. Instead, it functioned as a real-world evaluation of whether an on-farm retail model in a context like ours where city meets neighborhood setting, could outperform participation in a traditional farmers market, particularly when using modern marketing and social technologies. The project relied on operational sales data, digital marketing analytics, and observational evidence to assess outcomes related to revenue, customer engagement, and stakeholder response.

Sales performance was evaluated using Square Point-of-Sale (POS) data to compare two distinct market channels across separate 5-month seasons: the 2024 farmers market season (June 22–October 31), during which sales occurred exclusively at weekly farmers markets, and the 2025 on-farm store season (August 23–December 31), during which sales occurred exclusively through the farm’s on-property retail store. Online and invoiced sales were excluded to ensure a clean comparison between in-person market outlets. Sales reports were reviewed daily and weekly throughout the project period to track revenue trends and customer purchasing behavior.

Digital outreach efforts were evaluated using Square Marketing analytics for SMS campaigns, which tracked the number of messages sent, customer engagement, and attributable purchases. Qualitative observations were also recorded, including informal customer feedback, visitor behavior, and responses from stakeholders. Although food waste and spoilage were not quantitatively measured, the on-farm store model extended the sales window for harvested produce from a single weekly market day to continuous weekday availability, allowing more product to reach customers before spoilage. Earned media coverage, including local print and television news, provided additional insight into customer awareness and engagement, serving as an unplanned but influential factor in project outcomes.

A big part of what we learned came simply from watching how people used the farm store. Neighbors didn’t just stop in to grab produce and leave. Families came together, kids asked questions, and many visitors said it was their first time ever setting foot on a farm, even though they lived nearby. People stayed longer than expected, talked with us, and came back again. That response showed us that an on-farm store can work not just as a sales outlet, but as a practical way to invite the neighboring residents into the life of a small farm and build real, lasting support for local growers.

Our Solution will have 3 Phases:

1) deploying a tangible on-farm marketplace for residents within a 30-minute radius
2) driving awareness and engagement with innovative technology, educational content, and community marketing campaigns.
3) measuring and posting results on social media platforms, quantifying the effectiveness of our efforts and making recommendations for future farmers.

Phase 1 - Building the On-Farm Marketplace

Our project will begin with the setup of an on-farm produce stand. We will place an existing 12x20 ft shed building near the front property line, visible from the heavily traveled arterial road (E 41st St). The stand will use grant funds to provide the necessary internal components to test the efficacy of the on-farm experience. These materials include signage for directional, educational, and informational purposes. The stand will be equipped with year-round temperature control, lighting, surveillance cameras, sturdy shelving, a display freezer and refrigerator to reduce food waste, and a self-checkout area.

The business model will be an innovative modification to the traditional self-serve, honor system experience using modern technology like the Square Point-of-Sale Kiosk, Email and Text Marketing Campaigns, and a Customer Loyalty Reward Program. Products will include traditional produce (spring mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) and animal products (eggs, honey), but we will also use the results gathered by Gail Dawn in her 2001 SARE Project (FNC01-354) to incorporate value-added products to the stand.

This on-farm experience is the necessary first piece of our project, because it gives context for the remainder of the measured outcomes. By designing a space for the neighborhood to interface with a farm just outside the largest city in SD, we are creating the perfect opportunity for students and families alike to reconnect with the land in a way that's practical and informative.

Phase 2 - Driving Customer Awareness with A Dual-Technology Approach

With the produce stand properly deployed and active, we will send a first-round direct mail campaign to invite neighbors and stakeholders to an on-farm launch day for the produce stand. Then, using a text message campaign, email newsletter, and a YouTube announcement, we will use contemporary technology to welcome visitors to attend. By using both old and new technologies, we can measure the ways different mediums of communication involve the full spectrum of generations in this opportunity to interface with a local farm, just outside city limits.

Phase 3 - Quantifying the Effectiveness & Publishing Findings

A key element of this project is proving the hypothesis that creating a practical on-farm marketplace and using digital-first communications are some of the most effective ways to increase local awareness and improve support of small-scale producers. This research especially underscores the importance of farms using digital marketing tools like Square's customer relationship management software and posting educational social media content via YouTube. We will film and document Phase 1 & 2 and publish for farmers and customers alike to become informed about our research and innovation on the farm.

Objectives

• Establish a self-serve, year-round produce stand
• Conduct at least 4 marketing campaigns (direct mail, text message, email newsletter, YouTube announcement) to inform the people in our area, leveraging modern technology and social media content.
• Film & Document the process of building and opening the stand, as well as growing the produce and farm products.
• Edit & Post social content (a 12-episode video series) to inspire and inform other small-scale farmers.
• Publish a PDF guidebook for other producers to follow for opening a produce stand in areas like ours, where cities meet neighborhoods, and using dual-technology marketing techniques