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HOME DELIVERY, DIRECT FROM THE FARM
Home delivery of produce direct from the farm is a growing trend in Michigan, according to a report in The Detroit News. "Many Michigan farmers who deliver say they've seen a significant increase in home delivery customers during the past few years," Jennifer Youssef reports. "And consumers say they like the delivery services because they want farm-fresh food but can't always get what they're looking for at the grocery store." Youssef profiles home delivery services by Avalon Farms in Climax, Michigan, and To Your Door Delivery in Niles. Home delivery works best in rural areas with high-income residents willing to pay a premium for the service, according to grocery analyst David Livingston, but middle- and lower-income consumers nmay be a harder sell and urban locations will be difficult to reach. 

 He offers free advice, based on his 40 years of horticultural experience, to any customer that asks, even a month after the original purchase. Farm Direct Profile

BUFFALO GUYS GO OUT DIRECT
Based in rural Kansas, The Buffalo Guys are "going out direct" -- producing buffalo meat and selling it to customers all across the U.S. Seeking alternative ways to market their buffalo, the owners sold locally at farmers' markets, they tried selling to four- and five-star restaurants. Finally, they set up a Web site and started shipping buffalo products directly to people's homes... Farm Direct Profile

SMALL FARM DIRECT MARKETING
Direct marketing refers to selling that is based on a personal, one-to-one relationship that ties farmers and consumers together. Many times this relationship is face-to-face, like at farmers' markets. Other times, the consumer and farmer may not actually meet, for example, Internet sales.. Farm Direct Tip Sheet

MANAGING TIMBERLAND AS AN INVESTMENT
If you're a savvy investor, you know your financial portfolio should include a retirement plan, some stocks, some bonds, a money market fund -- and that timberland you inherited from your grandfather 20 years ago. Timberland as an investment? Absolutely. Timber is a commodity, and it needs to be treated like any other investment a landowner manages. Farm Direct Tip Sheet

RAISING MEAT GOATS
Increased market opportunities have led many folkss to consider raising meat goats, but many are unfamiliar with modern production techniques. And because the interest in meat goat production is new, there are few experienced goat producers in most areas to help newcomers in their desire to learn as much as possible The following tip sheet covers a range of topics that potential producers should understand before launching a meat goat enterprise. Farm Direct Tip Sheet

MARKETING MEAT DIRECT TO THE CONSUMER
Selling directly to the consumer may significantly increase profits and prices above those received in conventional markets. Small-scale operators and part-time producers, in particular, have the opportunity to market additional services or special aspects of their product and realize significant price premiums. Farm Direct Tip Sheet

GROWING A HOME BUSINESS WITH HERBS
Phyllis Shaudys of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, turned her hobby of making herbal sachets from dried home-grown herbs and flowers into a full-time business, Herbal Acres. In a profile of her enterprise in Mother Earth News she explained: "I had always made potpourris and sachets to give as gifts, but it had never occurred to me to go into business." Shaudys sold small pillows filled with fragrant herbs, packages of potpourri, and herbal wreaths.

THE BEST MARKET
Some one has said that the great difficulty with farmers is that they sell at wholesale and buy at retail; and this difficulty is nowhere better shown than in the fruit business. The less fruit you can sell a customer, at one time, the more he is willing to pay for it. Did you ever stop to think of that? Traditional Orcharding

OHIOANS WANT TO BUY DIRECT
Ohioans are unquestionably interested in buying high quality fresh produce, according to an Ohio State University survey of "Ohio Consumer Opinions of Roadside Markets and Farmers' Markets." The survey of the general population in Ohio was designed to gather information regarding purchasing behavior and attitudes in regards to fresh fruits and vegetables. Over 88% of Ohio households said they believe they receive higher quality produce directly from the farmer and an even greater percentage (90%) of the households said they prefer to buy their fresh fruits and vegetables directly from the farmer, whenever possible. OSU Horticulture and Crop Science

ORGANIC FARMERS PUSHED INTO EXOTICS
Organic produce is the fastest-growing part of the agriculture industry, but as mainstream markets seek to meet consumer demand their favorite fruits and vegetables year-round it's making things tough for local organic farms that are limited to producing what is in season. Many wholesalers won't bother with small producers when they can get all they need from one large grower. To survive, some family farms are offering what the big guys can't: hard-to-find, heirloom or specialty crops.  Associated Press

BUYING LOCAL PRODUCE BOOSTS PROFITS FOR CHEFS
Buying locally grown seasonal produce can be a profitable move for food service establishments, a University of Nebraska market survey indicates. Market researchers at the university's Food Processing Center surveyed members of the Chefs Collaborative, a national network of food service professionals that promotes sustainable cuisine by using local, seasonal and specialty ingredients. The poll identified specific reasons for buying locally grown food and factors that motivate chefs to continue buying from local farmers and ranchers. Leading reasons included: locally grown foods have higher or better quality and are fresher; positive relationships with producers; customer requests for local products, especially after carrying local foods for a period of time; and the availability of unique or speciality products. University of Nebraska, Lincoln