91 My Interview with a CSA Master Farmer ~ Liz Graznak from Happy Hollow Farm

January 20, 2021 by Corinna

This week’s episode was originally recorded as a Facebook live video series called “Interview with a Successful CSA Farmer” inside of my private Facebook group for farmers (CSA Marketing Discussion group). It was SO good, that I decided I would repurpose it as a podcast episode, to make sure as many people as possible could learn from it.

I interviewed Liz Graznak from Happy Hollow Farm in Missouri. As you listen to her interview, pay attention to the intentional experiences she gave herself before she started a CSA in earnest. All these experiences helped build her confidence that she could actually provide what she promised to her CSA members. She also talks about some of her other secrets to success:

• her work requirement for her members (on the farm and as site hosts!)
• getting her members out the farm to meet her
• 2 week-long breaks in the CSA year so she can use that time for big planting sessions
• her custom-built CSA software that allows her customers to customize their box
• learning how to run a business from her garden center job
• keeping good harvest and planting records
• hiring the right people and managing them well (she uses interns!)
• knowing who the right kind of CSA customer is (and trying to attract them)

A Little Bit about Liz Graznak:

Liz Graznak is a Columbia, Missouri, native whose love of gardening and the outdoors is the result of time spent outside with her grandparents growing up. It was in graduate school at Cornell University that Liz discovered Community Supported Agriculture farming and realized her passion for growing food & building community. After working on a number of different farms out east Liz decided to move back to the Columbia area. While farming with her friend & mentor Dan Kuebler, who owns The Salad Garden in Ashland, MO., Liz realized that if she was ever going to be able to afford to purchase her own farm than she was going to have to have a “real” job for a while. Liz worked for six years at Superior Garden Center honing her business & employee management skills.  In November 2007 Liz & her wife Katie purchased Happy Hollow Farm. CSA farming has provided the opportunity to fulfill Liz’s long anticipated goal of growing beautiful, healthy food and sharing it with a community of people that share her enthusiasm and commitment to a local food system.  With a six year old daughter and a new baby on the way, Liz has just wrapped up her 10th year of USDA certified organic production and has expanded to nearly 7 acres of veggies, fruit, eggs & flowers.  Happy Hollow Farm sells thru a 72 member CSA 32 Weeks a year, 50 Saturdays a year at the Columbia Farmers Market and to a number of local Columbia restaurants and grocery stores.  Winter production has become a key component to the viability and financial success of Happy Hollow Farm.

Hit play and let’s get started!

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Some of the resources mentioned in this episode:

• • • Find my Facebook group for farmers! I jump in here every month to teach farmers tips and fundamentals of marketing.
    • If you’re a “new” CSA farmer, and you’re looking for help with how to build your CSA box plan, grab my free “Perfect Box Planner Guide.” This 13 page PDF will give you the formula for how to build your perfect box plan for next year’s season. Use this to guide your crop production plan this winter! Grab it here.

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My hope is to feature guests periodically on the show. If you know someone who is innovating in the area of marketing as a farmer, please send me an email at mydigitalfarmers@gmail.com.

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