This fall we’re transitioning our farm from working full-time to part-time.
This decision was largely made for us back in February. Our largest account closed with no warning, we learned about it on their Instagram page, a $60,000 – $70,000 deal gone without so much as a phone call or email.
Just poof.
We came into 2026 resolved to let the data decide our farm’s future. Trend up and we push forward on our growth path. Trend down and we get jobs in town.
At the same time, if you’ve ever started a small business, you’re always holding on to a lottery ticket. “If this one thing happens… maybe… just maybe.”
It’s a fantasy every small business owner holds onto.
And you know what? Over and over in my career when I held out hope for something big to happen it did.
Back in February, we decided to continue on with the Summer CSA and make a decision by August 1st.
Starting in late Spring I was holding out hope that I’d find something, a project or a new line of business, to keep the farm growing.
And late in the game I thought I found it.
I was given the opportunity to pitch a project in the area that would have kept the farm operational financially in its then-current form through the end of 2026, at least. That would give me time to find the next project that’d keep us going until the spring when our next nursery season hit, which rolls into our Summer CSA.
Translation: If I could land this deal I could probably get us to fall 2027.
Once again, as I’d done for most of my adult life, maybe I could pull a rabbit out of my hat?
Survive at all costs vs. Live to Fight Another Day
Fight or flight, basically. I’m hard-wired to fight but experience has taught me that sometimes flight is the best path to long-term survival.
That’s the paradox every small business owner faces at some point.
But at what cost?
The client was really excited and seemingly motivated. And most importantly, they had budget to make it happen.
I sent them a well-vetted proposal with an aggressive timeline. I could get started right away and have their project completed before the winter set in.
Just give me a green light and magic will happen.
They stalled.
Then they pushed back on costs without adjusting the timeline or scope.
Then they just dropped off the face of the earth without making a decision.
I’ve done a ton of project work, albeit in website development, but it’s not altogether different. When a client starts balking and flaking out like that I know those are red flags. I’ve learned it’s better to simply walk than to try to keep negotiating as the project will disappoint everyone.
We moved on and that was that.
Then they came back to me recently to try to renegotiate one more time. I had to give them a hard no because in this case, “Live to Fight Another Day” for us is far less costly to my body, family, and budget than taking on a “Survive At All Costs” project.
Hard pass. No hard feelings. Thanks but no thanks. Not this time.
Unable to pull a rabbit out of my hat we proceeded with the data-driven decision we’d laid out earlier.
“Let’s get off-farm income like 75% of small family farms in the United States.”
And you know what? Living to fight another day is farm more hopeful in this season of life than surviving at all costs.
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