F2F: Danelle Myer and Jordan Scheibel – 2021 Virtual Annual Conference

Starting a farm anywhere is difficult process, but finding your customer base in a rural area can be an added challenge. In this session, Jordan Scheibel and Danelle Myer have an open conversation about their journeys towards building robust customer networks, as well as some of the challenges that face direct-marketing farmers.

• Jordan Scheibel runs Middle Way Farm near Grinnell, Iowa, on the Lacina family farm, where he raises 2 acres of chemical-free vegetables sold primarily through CSA shares and online sales to Grinnell-area residents (population 9,300). Having built his farm reputation through the Grinnell farmers market, in 2020 he chose not to sell at farmers market due to COVID-19, and worked to transition his customers to farm-direct online ordering.
• Danelle Myer is the fifth generation to farm her family’s land near Logan, Iowa. At One Farm, Danelle raises vegetables for farmers markets, pop-up farm stands, online ordering, and restaurants and wholesale in Omaha and Des Moines. In November 2020, she opened a pop-up farm store in downtown Logan, population 1,400.