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Dive into the multifaceted life of Beth Osmund from managing Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm to juggling roles as a Newsboy, Accountant, Geek, Delivery Person, Sleuth, Chef, and Builder. Learn how she spreads the word about her farm, keeps the books, designs websites, delivers produce, cooks, and cares for livestock. Discover how you can support her in her various endeavors by offering classes, making connections, facilitating networking, and more. Engage with a true farming entrepreneur who wears many hats to sustain her thriving business.
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Beth OsmundCedar Valley Sustainable Farm • 2003 – Began Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm, a vegetable CSA serving Chicago • Left a corporate job to begin farming w/ my husband Jody • 2007 – Launched Illinois’ first meat CSA • 2012 – Cedar Valley Sustainable Meat CSA feeds over 250 families a month
Newsboy • What I Do • Spread the word about my business as widely as possible. • Make our farm “media friendly”. • Communicate through a wide variety of outlets. • Popular press • Web • Newsletter • Social media • Promote our “brand”. • How You Can Help • Send a reporter my way. • Offer classes in new media.
Accountant • What I Do • Keep the books for our business. • Set prices. • Look for the best value for goods & services. • How You Can Help • Classes in QuickBooks, etc. • Make connections between farmers and financial services professionals.
Geek • What I Do • Website design & maintenance. • Electronic communication. • Maintain customer database. • Social Media. • How You Can Help • Classes in Access, etc. • Workshops in new media. • Facilitate high speed internet access.
Delivery Person • What I Do • CSA deliveries to Chicago. • Livestock to/from butcher. • How You Can Help • Classes on how to drive, back, park with a trailer.
What I Do • Look for new opportunities. • Customers • Markets • Enterprises • How You Can Help • MarketMaker • Facilitate networking – connect people. Sleuth
What I Do • Encourage people to cook! • Teach people how to get the most from our products. • Share recipes. • How You Can Help • Community cooking demos (pair up chefs & farmers). • Cross program w/ nutritionists. Chef
What I Do • Create and build equipment to meet our needs. • Chicken “tractors” • Trailer cooler box • Helped assemble 40’ X 80’ hoop building. • Help maintain fence line. • How You Can Help • How To & Safety Classes: • Power tools • Fencing • Maintenance Classes: • Farm equipment Builder
What I Do • Help care for a wide variety of livestock. • How You Can Help • Basic livestock info: • Care & feeding • Gestation • Breed selection Wrangler