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Operated by Katie Miller and her wonderful family, Positively Grown LLC in Hopkins, Michigan serves as an example of the power of farming innovation, community support, and resilience.
What began as a commercial dairy operation, Positively Grown now thrives through its successful Herdshare program. The journey to transition to a Herdshare was fraught with both challenges and triumphs, but once they reached their destination they were able to expand their customer based beyond in-person sales and into the world of e-commerce.
At the heart of their journey is Local Line, the all-in-one farm e-commerce software that powers their herdshare operations and helped foster deeper connections with their customers.
Positively Grown’s story began over three decades ago as a commercial dairy farm. Operating for 35 years, they were facing the common struggles of fluctuating milk prices and rising costs. “My dad actually earned the same money per pound that his grandfather did in the 60s. So while the cost of everything has increased like 10 times, the prices we were being paid for milk were essentially completely flat,” shares Katie. The farm's trajectory changed dramatically when the concept of Herdshares came into the picture.
“My dad has been a commercial dairy farmer up until last year, when we kind of discovered Herdshares were even a thing. Once I caught wind of that, it was on at that point! I went down a rabbit hole of information. And here we are, a year later. We've got one successful year so far.” - Katie, Positively Grown LLC
Herdshares offers a viable solution to the restrictions on selling raw milk directly. In Michigan, raw milk sales are not permitted, but through a Herdshare, customers buy into the herd and pay the farmer for care and maintenance, rather than the milk itself. This model allows Positively Grown to cut out the middleman and reap higher profits for their milk.
With Katie's positive outlook on growing Positively Grown into a successful operation, the Herdshare has gained 60 members over the last year. They currently offer different types of shares (e.g., half share, whole shares) to accommodate customers with varying consumption (i.e., some families need different quantities of raw milk). In addition to the Herdshare program, they offer eggs, pasture-raised beef, chicken, and pork. They also sell other products like honey and maple syrup from their local community.
“When you're a small farmer, community is everything. If I can help the neighbour down the road sell some of their honey, I'm more than happy to be able to do that.” - Katie, Positively Grown LLC
Transitioning to a herdshare model was a significant step for Katie, and she knew that managing it effectively required a robust system. This is where Local Line came into play. But before Local Line, Katie was with a different farm e-commerce platform that fell short of their expectations.
“I had a subscription with Barn2Door that I wasn't that happy with. They were expensive, especially for where I was at, just starting out,” Katie recalls. She was paying over $200 a month for a basic subscription. “I was putting a lot of faith into them and I didn’t have the connection with their team that I wanted,’ shares Katie.
Determined to make their online Herdshare program work, Katie started looking into other farm e-commerce solutions. Katie first learned about Local Line through the My Digital Farmer Podcast hosted by Corinna Bench and was immediately intrigued. “Once I heard about Local Line, I went to their website and had the initial meeting with Andrew [from the Local Line team]. From there on, it was a no-brainer,” she mentions.
Local Line provided an accessible and easy-to-use online farm tool that simplified Positively Grown’s order management, billing, and customer interactions. The ease of use and the supportive customer service were additional game-changers for their Herdshare.
“Having the team with Local Line to ask questions and help with any issues that arise has been so helpful. Knowing that the solution to my problem is just an email away is incredibly reassuring.” - Katie, Positively Grown LLC
With continuous support from Local Line’s customer success team, Positively Grown has made use of its range of features available, including subscriptions. Positively Grown is now able to manage subscriptions effortlessly. Customers can set up their orders online, and payments are automatically withdrawn, making the process seamless. “[Subscriptions] helps me retain and gain customers by being able to do the order quickly versus on the phone or coming out to the farm (which we still do regardless),” tells Katie.
While Positively Grown continues to accept cash, they have streamlined their payment options with Local Line's flexible payment options, making the whole order process smooth and effortless. Katie especially appreciates the ease of tracking income and billing through Local Line, "The billing portion and keeping track of overall income is really exciting to see how I grow each month,” she says.
Positively Grown has also leverages flexible fulfillment options to meet customers' demands near Hopkins, Michigan. Local Line's fulfillment options allow customers to choose convenient pick-up locations or delivery. Positively Grown has set up three handy pick-up locations: their farm, Kalamazoo, and Kentwood. With Local Line's reliable fulfillment options, you can select delivery or pick-up options that work for you and your customers, as well as set delivery pick-up fees too.
“Who knows if I would have gotten started as quickly as I was able to if it wasn't for Local Line. Where would I be at this point in my sales? Just the simplicity that it brings to my life is worth every penny!” - Katie, Positively Grown LLC
While the adoption of Local Line has brought numerous benefits, the journey wasn’t without its obstacles. The initial setup and learning curve were daunting, especially for someone not particularly tech-savvy. “I'm not super computer savvy, which I feel like lots of farmers can relate to. We'll go out and do the dirty work, no problem. But as soon as I have to write an email, my thinking just goes right out the door,” explains Katie.
“The transition of making a website and getting used to the new system was intimidating, but it’s been incredibly worthwhile,” she shares. The support from Local Line’s customer support team has been instrumental in overcoming these hurdles, ensuring any questions or concerns are promptly addressed.
Positively Grown has plans to expand its herdshare program and reach more customers across Michigan. Their success story serves as a shining example of how traditional farming practices can adapt and thrive in a modern context.
Through their innovative herdshare model and the support provided by Local Line, they have built a strong, loyal customer base and expanded their offerings. As Katie wisely advises, “Just get started. Start putting out flyers, talking to people, and making posts on Facebook. You’re never going to be in the perfect position to start. The first step is just getting started, and once you get the ball rolling, you'll work out the kinks along the way.”
Positively Grown is set up for continued growth and success with this mindset and the right tools, inspiring small farms and herdshares everywhere.
