Farmer-Turned-Mentor Offers Virtual Coaching Services

Farmer-Turned-Mentor Offers Virtual Coaching Services Lisa Wheeler Duff of Oak Spring Farm in Freeland, Md., offers virtual business coaching for workers in the agricultural industry. “My consulting business grew out of my own journey as a CSA farmer,” she says. “Twenty years ago, I started Oak Spring Farm with a passion for growing food but very little understanding of how to run a profitable farm business. Like many farmers, I focused on production and assumed the business side would somehow work itself out.” Those early years of farming were marked by many mistakes. “I underpriced products, overcommitted my time, and tried to be everything to everyone. But as a single mom with three kids, I didn’t have the luxury of farming as a hobby. It had to support my family.” The pressure worked, and Wheeler Duff built a profitable Certified Organic CSA farm that generated more than $200,000 annually on just 4 acres. “Other farmers began asking me how I made it work,” she says. “I realized that many were struggling with the same challenges I had faced. That’s when CSA Love was born.” Wheeler Duff stepped back from the day-to-day operations of her farm to focus on mentoring. Today, she helps beginning and growing CSA farmers build profitable, sustainable farm businesses without sacrificing their families, health or love of farming. She focuses on one-on-one coaching, often through a six-call coaching program. “This gives us enough time to identify challenges, create a plan, and implement meaningful changes,” she says. Sessions are virtual, allowing her to connect with farmers worldwide. “Each coaching relationship is tailored to a farmer’s specific goals. We might cover launching a CSA, improving profitability, streamlining operations, strengthening marketing, or creating better work-life balance.” She’s also expanding resources on her website to provide farmers with practical tools and guidance for 24/7 access. Duff offers an introductory coaching package for new and growing farmers, consisting of six 45-min private sessions for $600. “I ask farmers to commit to the same day and time each week and to show up prepared,” she says. “Coaching isn’t a passive experience. These conversations can be challenging because we often uncover the root causes holding a farm business back and develop practical solutions. Six sessions give us enough time to build momentum, implement changes, and see measurable results.” She also offers a free 30-min discovery call to help farmers determine the fit. “Coaching is a partnership. It’s important that both of us feel confident moving forward.” Clients see real results. Currently, one is a first-year farmer using grant money to work with her. “We recently completed 10 sessions, and he’s already signed up for 10 more. Together, we refined his crop plan, filled his CSA, strengthened his confidence as a business owner, clarified his purpose and vision for farming, and developed a marketing strategy to grow his audience. Watching him move through his first season with clarity and confidence has been incredibly rewarding. That’s what I love most about coaching — not just helping farmers solve immediate problems, but helping them build the skills, systems and mindset needed for long-term success.” Next on the agenda is the launch of group coaching programs. “One of the greatest benefits of group coaching is that farmers can learn from others’ experiences,” Wheeler Duff says. “This industry can be isolating, and there’s tremendous value in hearing how others have solved similar challenges. Group coaching will also help reduce the per-session cost while creating a supportive community of farmers who are learning and growing together.” Wheeler Duff’s most common advice is simple. “Treat your farm like a business, not just a production operation. Many farmers spend hours figuring out how to grow better crops, with very little time understanding their numbers, marketing, pricing and customer experience.” In this way, she helps farmers identify the bottleneck holding them back: pricing, marketing, poor systems or a lack of boundaries. “You don’t need to grow more to make more,” she says. “Most farmers assume the solution is to scale up. In reality, improving efficiency, increasing retention, raising prices and creating better systems can increase profitability without adding acres, employees or stress.” Her mission remains the same: to help farmers build businesses that support the life they want. “Whether you’re dreaming of starting a CSA, trying to make your existing farm profitable, or simply looking for more balance in your life, reaching out for support can dramatically shorten the learning curve.” Interested farmers can visit her website for free resources and tips to protect their profits while living the life they love. “Reach out to me directly for a free discovery call. Sometimes one 30-min call is revolutionary.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lisa Wheeler Duff, CSA Love (lisa@csalove.com; www.csalove.com).

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