| Greensboro, NC: Urban sprawl is a term which appears
more frequently in headlines as North Carolina's cities expand, and subdivisions
are built on ground which once seemed destined for an eternity of agriculture.
Though this trend is troubling to many farmers, an Extension agent says
that with the challenges come opportunities.
"Cities everywhere are expanding," said Morris Dunn, an agricultural
Extension agent with NC A&T's Cooperative Extension Program. "Many
times, those farmers with land bordering a city either have to sell off
or make the most out of the situation."
In Wake County, where Dunn is based and where the growing city of Raleigh
is stretching over former farmland, Dunn advises farmers that adjustments
in their growing practices and different marketing strategies can be the
difference between surviving as a farmer and selling the farm.
"Farmers in urban areas should look closely at their new neighbors
for opportunities," said Dunn. "For example, a subdivision down
the road can mean new customers for a produce stand. If farmers can offer
good products and make people aware of it, they can be successful regardless
of the changing environment around them."
Dunn points to the success of Ken's Produce and Garden Center in Garner
as an example of changing to meet the market. The sprawling store owned
by Ken Walker and located along Highway 50 about nine miles outside of
Raleigh began in 1970 as a little roadside stand.
Now, only a few hundred feet up the road from the small original stand,
with 4,800 square feet inside and 1,600 outside, Walker's store has grown
beyond the limits of a conventional roadside stand. With that growth came
an expanded inventory which now includes a supply of garden products, such
as seeds, fertilizer, shovels and garden hoses, as well as staple groceries,
such as milk and bread.
"Our customers used to stop by for tomatoes and say that if we had
some bread, they wouldn't have to stop anywhere else to make a sandwich,"
said Walker. "We took them seriously, and are now selling quite a
bit of bread. It's all about listening to your customers."
According to Dunn, Ken's Produce and Garden Center is successful because
Walker mixes reputation with diverse products.
"Ken is known in the area for the quality of his products," said
Dunn. "When changes in the road system rerouted some of the traffic
that once passed by his stand, he reacted by diversifying his inventory,
while maintaining the availability of quality produce. Since people know
that they can expect quality from Ken, and they know he cares about what
they want, they come back for new products."
Other farmers who suddenly found the city in their backyard have added
recreational activities to their agricultural mix. Dunn cites farms offering
horseback riding, fishing, picnic areas and pick-your-own produce as ways
that farmers are capitalizing on a new market.
"Families want family activities," said Dunn. "An operation
that uses a novel approach like a pick-your-own strawberries can meet that
demand and continue to sell their produce."
Another way that farmers are meeting the new demands of their customers
is by offering the convenience of modern technology.
According to Dr. John M. O'Sullivan, a farm management and marketing specialist
with the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program, urban customers often
expect to be able to use credit cards, or to fax in their orders.
"The bottom line is that customers expect convenience," said
O'Sullivan. "If producers can meet that demand, and meet it better
than their competitors, they are more likely to survive in this changing
environment."
At Ken's Produce and Garden Center, employees are able to not only accept
credit cards and fax orders; they are also able to contact Walker using
a cellular phone or two-way radio. The communication technologies allow
Walker to respond to customer inquiries promptly, although he may be in
the field when the customer visits.
"The trick is to maintain a high quality rural image, while offering
the technologies which meet consumer needs," said O'Sullivan. "Any
technology needs to be weighed in terms of its impact on a market's image
and delivery system. It's also important to examine costs versus benefits
in order to maintain revenues and enhance profitability."
For Walker, as it was with expanding his inventory, the decision to incorporate
technology was driven by his customer's needs.
"The world is changing, and if a farm or any other business wants
to stay viable, they need to change with it," said Walker.
For more information on innovative farm-based enterprises, contact your
local County Extension Center.
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