Member Spotlight
A SAFE HAVEN FOR THEIR
Community
Story and photos by Andrea Haines
Our world has certainly changed over the last few months, and we have no way of knowing how day-to-day events will turn out. Agriculturalists are some of the people on the frontlines, working to provide healthy, nutritious products to keep consumers going when the world looks bleak. Local Homestead Products contributes by providing fresh food that is readily available during the pandemic.
6 LEADER VOLUME 25 | ISSUE 2
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armer’s markets and small businesses have become the heartbeat in a lifeline plan for consumers to safely obtain fresh products without having to walk amongst populated areas. Trevor and Victoria Hoff of New Windsor, Maryland own and operate Local Homestead Products, an “on-farm” market. Established in 2011, Trevor’s business began as a small produce stand off the side of the road, catering to locals visiting for fresh products. Since then, the business has grown from just offering produce and some beef, to processing pork, chicken, and turkey raised by the couple. The market now offers many local products like jams and jellies, glassbottled milk, cheese, and syrups, to name a few. “Trevor handles the field planning, care, production and harvest, communications with other growers, bookkeeping, and also shares market duties,” explains Victoria. The couple may share market duties, but Victoria handles animal care and management, employee management, orders and recordkeeping, and marketing efforts. The couple are very active in their community, always having a meticulous plan for attacking an issue or incorporating something new to the market. “Trevor and Victoria are great to work with,” shares Farm Credit loan officer Kelsey Maslen. “Our first project we worked on was their hydroponic greenhouse. I remember being incredibly impressed when I first met them. They presented me with a color-coded binder highlighting all of the supporting information for the project. They could tell me, for a single cucumber they grew, all of their expected costs as well as their projected income.” Kelsey assures that this is how they have approached any expansions they have made. “They are constantly coming up with new ways to improve the farm, and create great customer experience,” she says. Speaking of customer experience, the Hoffs have had to make changes to shopping protocols due to COVID-19 rules, but just like the prepared couple they are, they had a plan. “Our loan officer called at the beginning of the pandemic to see how we would be pivoting, and to let us know that Farm Credit was ready to support us during the weeks to come,” shares Victoria.
