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.

Farmer’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.

“The pandemic has spotlighted local foods, farmers, and farm communities. We hope that consumers remember their farmers and growers as we return to a ‘normal’ state.”

“We remained open the entire time, but limited the market to 10 shoppers at a time, elevated hand washing, required masks, encouraged credit card payments, disinfected handles and shopping baskets more often, no returning of egg cartons or containers for reuse, and making produce bundles available.”

At the beginning of the outbreak, markets and grocery chains were slammed with consumers stocking up on products to stay safely in their homes. “We saw a major increase in the amount that people were buying,” comments Trevor. “Then there was the meat shortage, people bought up everything they could in fear that nothing would be available in weeks to come. For weeks there was a line of sometimes over two hours to get into the store, due to the limiting of guests.”

Many businesses experienced hectic crowds. “Customers were patient with navigating the new measures,” he shares. “We started a curbside option, which was incredibly busy for about four weeks, but is much calmer now.” Victoria further explains, “As weeks went on, lines lowered and we have found a new, calmer normal.”

Food supply for meat and milk have kept up with demand, but the butchering and processing overloads caused a kink in the works for some locations. “We are very lucky to have pre-booked our appointments early in the year. With the higher sales, no extra appointments were available,” explains Victoria.

“It has always been evident how much the Hoffs care about their community,” shares Kelsey. “Since the outbreak, they have used their market as well as their social media platform to support other local businesses. Through social media, they encouraged followers to buy gift cards for heavily impacted restaurants. It’s not something they had to do, but felt called to do. They provided a safe outlet where people could get access to local foods, and managed to keep a positive outlook and continue to look for new ways to serve their customers.”

The Hoffs want to send consumers away with an important take-home message: “The pandemic has spotlighted local foods, farmers, and farm communities,” says Victoria. “As a smallscale grower, we strive to provide highquality and safe food to our community. During the pandemic, the grocery stores had many empty shelves and product gaps, thus pushing consumers to fill those gaps in other ways. We hope that consumers remember their farmers and growers as we return to a ‘normal’ state.”

The Hoffs reiterate, “As farmers, we are still doing the same job that we did last week, last month, and last year. We will continue to farm for safe, fresh, and high-quality foods.”

Check them out on their website at lhp.farm, or on Facebook @localhomestead and Instagram @localhomesteadproducts