Roly Reenders story starts out the way a lot of Canadian farm stories start, with Reenders taking over the family operation when his father retired. But that s about as far as the similarities go.
Reenders father wasn t a typical farmer, and it wasn t a typical farm. Instead, his father was a full-time teacher who farmed on the side for much of his career, and the farm was 30 acres of vegetables just north of Winnipeg, the city in which Reenders grew up.
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My dad bought 30 acres of farmland in 1969, recalls Reenders, who was just seven at the time. Because we had 30 acres of vegetables, it was a lot of hard work& and, as a kid you re not really interested in a lot of hard work. But growing up, I realized I still liked seeing things grow, growing food, and I always knew I d get into some sort of produce farming.
Reenders went on to graduate from the University of Winnipeg in kinesiology and today, on top of his U-pick operation, he works full time for the province as an ergonomist in the Department of Labour and Immigration.
To some farmers, Reenders story will seem like it s short on commitment. Yet Reenders doesn t see it that way.
Like many other U-picks, the Reenders began with other plans.
My dad started up the U-pick operation back in 1976, says Reenders. Before that, he brought his produce to a wholesaler. But at one point, he was left with a whole bunch of really nice peas because the wholesaler couldn t take them. So, he put an ad in the paper saying pick your own peas.
People came and helped clean off that field, giving him the idea to try it out with some other crops.
But, having 30 acres of U-pick to manage came with challenges. Simply put, it was an enormous amount of work, especially since it was being farmed organically. So over time, the family sold lots off the farm, with Reenders father farming just eight acres when the reins changed hands.
The first year I had the land, I didn t grow any vegetables or farm it other than planting the whole acreage into rye, Reenders says. The rye made that land gorgeous. There wasn t a weed to be found. The next year, in 2000, my dad and I started working the land together this time with him helping me out, instead of the reverse.
In the intervening years, Reenders has seen the U-pick sector start small, get big, and then get small again. Today, Reenders said he only knows of a couple remaining U-picks. That s likely because it s a lot of work to maintain and for people to come and pick.
Now, however, Reenders believes U-pick is poised to increase again, thanks to more people wanting to buy local food, as well as wanting to get back to the earth and eat naturally grown produce.
For Reenders, it points to the essential ingredient for U-picking. You must stay on top of it, he says. U-pick farming takes active management.
It also takes a willingness to let people onto your land. Sometimes that s easy. Sometimes not so much.
Reenders says he sincerely enjoys working with the public. You need good people skills and to be able to explain proper picking not damaging your crops while also helping to teach them.
Floodway Gardens has a website (h ttp://floodwaygardens.com) and two phone lines feeding into an answering machine that provides crop availability and picking conditions. Reenders doesn t do mass emailing or advertising, with most of his business coming from word of mouth.
Although the market is growing, Reenders warns that starting up a U-pick may be difficult, because it takes time to build up a solid reputation.
You need steady clientele coming in to pick your fields, he says. That s not just to generate cash flow, but also to make efficient use of the crops. If cucumbers aren t regularly picked, for instance, they ll quickly get too big. Not only is that a lost sales opportunity, but Reenders then has to pick the oversized fruit and either give them away or compost them.
Some of Reenders more profitable crops are cucumbers, beets and garlic. Still, he continually makes a variety of crops available because, he explains, You need a diversity of vegetables to get people out.
But does the U-pick strategy pay?
I m not sure how much farmers can make on an acre of grain, but it s substantially lower than what you can make on an acre of vegetables, Reenders says.
My equipment costs are also a lot lower, he adds. I need less equipment, using only a cultivator, plow, discer, brush cutter, and a 45-hp tractor.
More than anything, Reenders sees the biggest challenge for running a U-pick operation as working with the weather. He uses irrigation to keep plants growing, but nothing will convince customers to venture out when the weather is extreme.
This year has been good for Floodway Gardens, because it s been a warm, dry summer with nearly no mosquitoes. With good irrigation, the crops come in nicely, and people get used to the heat and come out regularly, says Reenders.
In fact, Reenders has been seriously eyeing expansion for some time now with adjacent land to his property possibly being available for rent. The market demand for fresh, locally grown produce is growing. Expansion could also allow more diversification with the possibility of adding a greenhouse, but there are challenges of finding labour and simply managing a bigger property.
Meanwhile, Reenders focuses on improving the performance of the existing farm, and he also focuses on maximizing its non-monetary rewards too, getting to meet and help new people and developing relationships. They re so happy to meet the producer and to know exactly where their food is coming from, Reenders says. People simply love buying their food directly from the farmer. CG
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Roly Reenders tips for starting your u-pick business
1. Location, location, location
Proximity to your city and town customers is a huge bonus. You need a large pool of potential pickers. They also need to think their costs (i. e. time and gas) are worth paying for the freshness.
2. Organic and non-GMO
Know what your customers want. Organic non-GMO will give you the largest possible customer base.
3. Grow a wider variety of crops
A wide variety will attract more customers. Even better, if the crop they want is in short supply, you ll have other choices for them to buy. Plus you can teach them to like specialties that only you grow.
4. Look for ethnic preferences
M anyethniccommunitiesarelookingforcropstheycan tbuyingrocery stores. Others want more and better quality. Reenders, for instance, plants extra cucumbers for Ukrainian-Canadians who love to pickle.
5. Manage crops for long harvests
Stagger planting dates to spread out your harvest, and use irrigation to ensure there s always plenty to pick. Customers who come for a favourite fruit or vegetable will buy others if they re available.
6. Let your customers know what s ready
Consider a website and a phone message system so customers know what s available before they drive.
7. Focus on customer service
Select workers based on their ability to provide a positive experience for your customers (and remember that this goes for you too).
8. Don t start too big
Yes, advertising works and is especially important in the early years. The best way to build your customer base, however, is through word of mouth, which takes time.
9. It s a business, not a hobby
Keep records, grow what sells, keep the fields clean, label the crops, publish your business hours, and have business cards, a website and professionally printed materials.
