Brian Bates and his wife Anne run Bear Creek Organic Farm in Petoskey, Michigan. A little over a decade after starting their farm, they are grossing over $1.5 million from their on-farm store- which is surprising considering that before COVID, their farm was mostly wholesale, whereas now most of their sales come from on-farm retail. In retrospect, it’s easy to think the last decade was an uninterrupted period of growth; however in this interview, we’ll talk about the bumps along the way and how they overcame the...
Brian Bates and his wife Anne run Bear Creek Organic Farm in Petoskey, Michigan. A little over a decade after starting their farm, they are grossing over $1.5 million from their on-farm store- which is surprising considering that before COVID, their farm was mostly wholesale, whereas now most of their sales come from on-farm retail. In retrospect, it’s easy to think the last decade was an uninterrupted period of growth; however in this interview, we’ll talk about the bumps along the way and how they overcame them. We also talk about the big pivot that changed their farm from wholesale to retail, how they have used smart borrowing over the years to grow their business, and how they farm year-round and take direction from their customers to make sure they’re providing what their customers want.
Connect With Guest:
Website: bearcreekorganicfarm.com
Instagram: @bearcreekorganicfarm
Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:
Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm.
Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.com.
There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com.
Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more.
This episode is brought to you by Tend, the all-in-one, AI-powered farm management platform trusted by modern growers. Tend helps you cut through the busywork, so you can focus on growing and selling what matters. With Tend, you can plan your crops, assign and track tasks, manage inventory, and handle your sales and accounting, all in one smart, easy-to-use platform. Whether you run a 1-acre farm or manage a large operation, Tend adapts to your scale and style, supporting everything from manual labor to fully mechanized workflows. Try it for free at Tend.com, no credit card required.
BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that’s tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.
Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial
