SCHAGHTICOKE, NY – There’s an iconic phrase that says “Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn.” It aptly describes the connection farmers had with the New York Beef Council’s two-day “Pasture to Profit: Maximizing Beef Sales in 2025” farm tours and beef producer workshop hosted in Rensselaer and Washington counties.
Beef and dairy producers from around the state converged at Otter Creek Farm in Johnsonville and Ghost Light Farm in Cambridge for a glimpse of how each operation produces their beef and the context which drives their decision-making.
Attendees learned about bale grazing strategies, solar water systems, grazing management, soil health practices, farm stays and planned projects for spring. Each operation talked about their connection to the consumer and how they market their beef and their farm as good stewards of the land while mentoring other farmers. The first day ended with a delicious beef dinner and networking time.
The second day brought the crew over to the newly remodeled Tiashoke Farm Store where they sampled Jessica Ziehm’s first “legal” straight-out-of-the oven donuts and coffee as they settled into learning about the latest consumer insights on beef and beef checkoff education. They were treated to a marketing bonanza led by Vancouver, British Columbia, social media influencer and farm marketing consultant, Kendall Ballantine.
Farmers look over cattle and bale grazing at Otter Creek Farm. Photo by Troy Bishopp
In her “Marketing for Farmers,” she teaches the nuances of building your own beef brand marketing ecosystem. Jam-packed with practical information, she led the group on implementing the three pillars of marketing: Attraction, engagement and conversion.
Ballantine helped producers do their own self-assessments, craft their stories and create unique selling propositions that sell to their ideal customers. She then launched into getting found (locally and digitally), developing an email strategy that funnels customers to what you’re selling and limiting time-wasting with friction point identification strategies.
Her presentation skills and stories prompted many questions and conversations that will yield quality results for attendees – provided they practice the concepts.
The New York Beef Council’s own marketing guru, Chrissy Claudio, said, “It was an honor to bring producers together for meaningful peer-to-peer learning. The conversations and experiences shared sparked ideas, built connections and gave farmers valuable takeaways they can apply right away.”
The event was co-sponsored by an Ag Enhancement Grant from Farm Credit East and CoBank. Ballantine can be found at marketingforfarmers.co.
by Troy Bishopp
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