On-Farm Store Has It All

On-Farm Store Has It All Shady Grove Ranch of Jefferson Texas runs a “one-stop shop” with a mix of farm-grown local and organic products “My husband Matt and I were studying engineering at LeTourneau University when he became very ill with ulcerative colitis ” says co-founder Jerica Cadman “After years of struggle we realized answers wouldn’t be found inside the medical establishment ” The family’s solution was to dig into history “We began learning about traditional foods—what our great-great-great grandparents ate before the Industrial Revolution ” she says “Things like butter lard bone broth fermented vegetables additive-free unrefined starches unrefined salt and sugar raw milk grass-fed meats and pasture-raised eggs We sought them out and Matt’s body began to heal The results were so convincing that we decided to switch careers and start raising these kinds of foods and make it easier for others to find them in one location ”  Cadman explains that the decision to start a farm store was simple “We knew a store would give us freedom compared to a farmers market Here in Texas a grocery store operates as a fully licensed retail food establishment We can do a lot of value-added food processing like making soup and yogurt ” Cadman says “Even better a physical location lets people see the operation before they buy This lends credibility to our farm business and has brought a lot of new customers our way ” That’s not to say the venture is without challenges “Since we’re both a farm and a family business it can be hard to take time off ” says Cadman “Traveling is rare and requires tons of preparation ” The farm also struggled initially with building up the capital to keep things fully stocked “The photos of our shelves when we first opened are a little sad compared to today But slow and steady wins the race ” The store’s main products are pasture-raised chicken pork eggs turkey and grass-fed beef all raised onsite They also supplement with products from local and organic suppliers including produce organic fruits pantry items like locally roasted coffee unbleached organic flour fermented veggies natural grass-fed dairy products and more New products are added monthly and the farm staff is happy to share specifics when asked “We dabbled in shipping around the beginning of the pandemic but found that even now it’s not a good fit for us ” says Cadman “We much prefer to do business face-to-face ” Now several years into the venture Cadman has advice for other farms looking to expand into a storefront “Grow slowly and work hard to control expenses both day-to-day and capital expenditures ” she explains “Our best advertising has been a good email onboarding series plus regular communication of interesting farm happenings and purchase opportunities Email is a super low-cost marketing tool but it’s very powerful Keep your emails brief but genuine ” Likewise she believes one of the most important principles is understanding who you’re selling to “Don’t try to compete on price Your target customers have already decided not to buy the cheapest product so don’t undercut your cost of production or paying your labor to try to win bargain-hunters ” Instead she suggests investing in customers looking for quality and authenticity “Make those your goals as well as fabulous communication and customer service and you’ll have lifelong customers who’ll tell all their friends about you ” The Shady Grove Ranch store serves East Texas and the Shreveport region Visit the farm store info page for the most up-to-date hours and purchase information Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Shady Grove Ranch 559 Shady Grove Rd Jefferson Texas 75657 sales@shadygroveranch net; www shadygroveranch net

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