This Dairy Month, we’re celebrating more than just milk—we’re honoring the hardworking families who bring it to our tables. Just outside Campbellsburg, Kentucky, siblings Sharon and Terry Rowlett turned a family farm challenge into a thriving creamery business. With grit, creativity, and support from KCARD, they transformed their dairy operation into Rowlett’s Milkhouse Creamery—proving that with the right support, rural dreams can grow strong.
Considering a grant for your farm or food business? Grants can help you grow—but success takes more than a good idea. You’ll need a clear plan, strong documentation, and the ability to manage reporting and reimbursements. Before you apply, make sure the grant fits your goals, you're ready to handle the admin work, and you understand the requirements. With the right prep, grants can be a game-changing investment in your business.
Thinking about incorporating your business into a legal business structure? As your business grows, choosing the right legal structure becomes a key decision. Incorporating can offer protection and perks—but it's not always the right move for everyone. Here's what to consider before making it official.
Looking to sell your products online but not sure where to start? This quick guide compares top e-commerce platforms—like Square, Shopify, Local Line, and more—designed for farmers and small businesses. Find the right fit to streamline sales, manage inventory, and grow your business online.
The USDA's Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) includes three key grant opportunities in 2025: the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP). These programs support efforts to improve food access, boost market opportunities for local producers, and strengthen regional food systems. Applications are due by June 27, 2025. Learn more about the programs and how to get started in this blog post!
Two weeks ago we talked about dealing with the crank in person - that person that leaves a bad review, yells at your staff, decides to leave and never come back and tells all their friends to do the same. What happens when the person complains online?
This past Friday and Saturday the 4th Annual Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference was held at the Morehead Convention Center in Morehead, KY. A technical assistance “ThinkTank” and an Eastern Kentucky Grower Buyer Meetup added to the conference this year, giving attendees the opportunity to not only network with other producers but also buyers, funders, and technical assistance providers. The conference offered 16 different sessions, including 4 short courses on Friday discussing topics such as high tunnel production, food safety regulations, business planning, and online marketing. Saturday included 12 different sessions on topics such as starting a CSA, no-till vegetable production, non-timber agroforestry, agritourism, and small fruit production.
We all have that one customer that refuses to let it go. I stopped at the local frosty freeze to pick up food one night and when I was looking up the phone number on their Facebook page, saw a bad review. It was harsh, laying the business out for something so silly that you had to laugh. My first reaction was, “This guy has never run a business.”
While it is important to always invest in marketing your business, the holidays bring a unique opportunity. Customers are looking for inspiration as they finalize meal plans, gifts and decorations. Make it easy for them to see your brand as a solution to their problems.
While developing your marketing strategies and posts, it can get overwhelming on what to create, how to create, and what tools you need to succeed. We have pulled together five tools that help us with everything from content creation to event registration to data analysis.
Sharing the story of your business is a way to make a stronger connection with your customers and can give them a compelling reason to buy from you. So, how do you capitalize on your story when developing promotional plans for your business? Click to learn five ways to share your story.
You can easily “fall into” a marketing channel or a product that you did not plan because you want to take advantage of every opportunity you can in an effort to make your farming business work. Unfortunately, all too often an “opportunity” may not be as good as it first appears, and you end up with lots of things your business is doing that really do not match where you want the business to go. And you may be doing a lot of things that actually cost the business more money than they make.
If you have a retail spot or retail product at a farmers market, you have some valuable real estate. Every square foot of that space has the potential to earn money and you need to use that space as effectively as you can to maximize your profit. Here are three tips for using every square foot to increase your sales.
You never have to look far for a great gift during the holiday season! This holiday season, the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development is showcasing products of producers and agribusinesses on Facebook and Twitter beginning November 26th through December 21st.
Facebook – it’s one of the best free tools you have to promote your market and reach current and new customers. It’s also constantly changing. In 2018, Facebook changed their algorithm used to show posts on users’ news feeds to make it more community oriented. With the new changes, how can you bring awareness to your market while promoting content? Leverage Facebook’s post boosts, ads, and the ability to go live to help you reach audiences that might not be aware of your market and help “advertise” your market to new customers.
The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development is a non-profit organization established to facilitate agricultural and rural businesses in Kentucky. We are supported primarily through grants provided by the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Program and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board. Additional support is provided through our work with partners around the state and through fees charged for select client services.
