Raising the Barn

Today’s episode is for anyone who's ever wrapped up a farm tour, u-pick event, or harvest festival and thought, “That went great—but how do I make sure they come back next season?”

If you've wondered how to turn one-time visitors into lifelong customers, this episode is for you.

I’m walking you through one of my most popular presentation:“Cultivating Repeat Customers: Marketing Tips to Keep Agritourism Visitors Coming Back for More.” And I’ll be sharing The Farmer’s Feed Agritourism Marketing Checklist, which breaks down what you can do before, during, and after your event to keep those connections growing.

Episode Sponsors:

The SC Annie's Project summer retreat will be held in Charleston, SC from July 22-24th. Over 3.5 days, participants will receive 18 hours of education on Financial, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing, and Production risk management.

Participants can expect to learn from a diverse range of speakers, spend time networking, go on farm tours, and build confidence in the future of their operation. The deadline to register is July 17th. More information can be found at bit.ly/25APRetreat. This ad was brought to you by Clemson University Cooperative Extension.

Chef Lynsey Comalander is bringing big flavor and local flair to the town of Clover, South Carolina. As the executive chef behind the popular food truck It’s Worth It, Lynsey draws inspiration from her travels and serves up inventive dishes like tacos, paninis, and Puerto Rican-inspired specials that have her customers coming back for more. But her commitment to local food goes beyond the truck — she’s a partner at Five Blossom Farm and resident chef for their events and farm-to-table dinners and is kicking off the 2025 York County Ag + Art Tour with a locally sourced dinner at the Mercantile.

In today’s episode, Lynsey shares how she works with farmers to source fresh ingredients, what she looks for in a farm partner, and what it really takes to create a meaningful, seasonal meal. If you’re a farmer looking to get your products into local restaurants, this conversation is packed with helpful insights and real talk from a chef who believes that fresh, local food isn’t just worth it — it’s essential.

Some of the questions we chat about:

• You’ve had such an interesting journey– from flight attendant to executive chef and food truck owner. How have your travels influenced the way you cook and the kinds of ingredients you seek out?

• Tell us about “It’s Worth It.” What inspired the food truck, and how do you come up with your rotating menu items?

• What do you look for when sourcing ingredients locally? Are there specific qualities or values that matter most when working with a farm or farmer?

• For farmers listening who want to get their products into local restaurants, what’s the best way to approach a chef like you? Cold emails? Farmers markets? A sample drop-off?

• You’re a partner at Five Blossom Farm. How did that relationship begin, and what makes it work well?

• What’s one thing a farmer could do that would instantly make your life easier as a chef trying to source locally?

• Are there any ingredients you wish you could source locally but haven’t found the right farm partner for yet?

• You kicked off the Ag + Art Tour in York County with a farm-to-table dinner. What went into the planning of that meal — and what can guests expect from the menu?

• How do you balance creativity with seasonality when putting together these big, special dinners?

• In your opinion, what role do chefs and farmers play in reconnecting people with where their food comes from?

• What’s your favorite locally grown ingredient to cook with right now — and how do you like to use it?

• Are there any local farms or producers you’ve recently discovered that you’re excited about?

• What do you wish more people knew about where their food comes from — especially when they’re eating at a local restaurant like yours or grabbing food from your truck?

• What advice would you give to farmers who want to be more involved in the local food scene — whether it’s collaborating on events, supplying restaurants, or just raising awareness about what they grow?

• And finally—what’s one thing about life as a chef  that would surprise people?

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Mentioned in this episode:
It's Worth It Food Truck & Catering

It's Worth It Food Truck & Catering Facebook

Lynsey Comalander

Ali Cox is an agriculture and food ingredient marketing visionary, an Olympic Silver Medalist in rowing, and founder of Noble West, an award-winning marketing consultancy that specializes in the entire agricultural ecosystem. From fresh produce and nuts to dairy and agTech, Noble West works in all aspects of agriculture. Ali is not only a changemaker but is considered the industry leader when it comes to strategic and creative services including brand identity, campaign development, content planning, media planning, production and more.A fifth-generation farmer who is a fierce advocate for farmers, Ali’s blend of a deep personal connection to the land and business acumen has made her a highly sought after strategist by her clients. With an eye on the future of farming and the climate crisis, Ali regularly consults with her clients on upcycling, regenerative water use, and hydroponic and organic farming practices. Ali joins Raising the Barn to talk about the challenges affecting the future of farming, whose responsibility it is to tell Ag stories, and what it was like to compete on Team USA.

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The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is back in York County, SC! Join us for this FREE, family-friendly event—a self-guided tour showcasing 18 farms with artisans at every stop. Experience first-hand where your food comes from, witness and shop from artisans in action, enjoy local musicians, and learn about the importance of supporting our local farms! You don’t want to miss this unique event, so mark your calendars for June 7th-8th! This ad is brought to you by Visit York County.

Matthew Gusmer’s family has been growing apples, pressing cider, and making their now-famous cider doughnuts at Windy Hill Orchard & Cidery in York, South Carolina since 1987. What started as a family pastime using a hand-crank cider press has grown into one of the York County area’s most beloved fall destinations.

Today, Matthew joins the podcast to share what it’s like to carry forward a multigenerational business rooted in tradition while embracing the growing world of agritourism. We talk about hard cider, U-pick operations, seasonal marketing challenges, and what it means to build an experience—not just a farm stand—that keeps people coming back year after year.

We also dive into Windy Hill’s participation in the York County Ag + Art Tour—how it brings new visitors to the orchard, builds community connection, and gives folks a behind-the-scenes look at how apples and cider come to life in the South Carolina Upstate.

This episode is brought to by Visit York County.

Jene Therrell oversees Marketing, CSA, and Wholesale at Springs Farm in Fort Mill, South Carolina and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, specializing in marketing strategies, the benefits of Community Supported Agriculture, supporting local farmers, and mastering the art of social media. 

In today's episode, we'll dive into Jene's journey in agricultural marketing, uncover the secrets behind successful CSA programs, and explore the innovative marketing techniques she uses to promote Springs Farm.

It is our first episode of 2025 and I’m so excited to be back in the podcast studio aka my sunroom. This episode is going to be a little different than our usual sit-down interview. With the new year comes new opportunities so I asked a few past guests of Raising the Barn who are experts in Ag marketing and market research to share their predictions for the Ag industry in 2025. In today’s episode you’ll hear from Abriana Johnson and Colson Steber.

Abriana, founder of Black Unicorn Creative, merges her expertise in brand strategy with her love for horses to empower businesses and individuals alike. With a background in Animal Science and Health Sciences, she's not only a visionary in the equine and agricultural industries but also the creative force behind industry-transforming brands Cowgirl Camryn and Black In The Saddle.  As a podcaster and speaker, Abriana champions diversity and creativity, crafting impactful narratives that connect and inspire.

Colson is the Co-CEO of Ag Access.  With over 20 years of experience, Ag Access has positioned themselves as the leading resource for reaching Ag audiences through their 400,000 market research insights community of professionals working in the agriculture industry.

And I’ll also be sharing some predictions of my own.

I have to agree with Colson when he said “2025 is going to be farming's best year ever.” With that, I’m excited to bring you new interviews this year. Some of the topics that I have planned include:

If there are any topics you’d like to see if you’re interested in being featured in an upcoming episode, reach out to me [email protected].

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Mentioned in this episode:

AbrianaJohnson.com

Abriana Johnson Instagram

Ag-Access.com

The Farmer’s Feed Events Calendar

Abriana Johnson, founder of Black Unicorn Creative, merges her expertise in brand strategy with her love for horses to empower businesses and individuals alike. With a background in Animal Science and Health Sciences, she's not only a visionary in the equine and agricultural industries but also the creative force behind industry-transforming brands Cowgirl Camryn and Black In The Saddle.  As a podcaster and speaker, Abriana champions diversity and creativity, crafting impactful narratives that connect and inspire.

Abriana joins the Raising the Barn Podcast to talk about the shifting narratives within the equine and agricultural industries and how she’s building a community of “Barnyard Besties.” 

Some of the questions we chat about:

Mentioned in this Episode:

AbrianaJohnson.com

Cowgirl Camryn

Black In The Saddle

Abriana Johnson Instagram

Purchase the Cowgirl Camryn Books

Cowgirl Camryn Instagram

Black in the Saddle Instagram

High on the Hog: How African Cuisine Transformed America (Episode 4: Freedom)

I have yet to meet a farmer or rancher who isn’t looking for a better way to sell direct-to-consumer more successfully. Tiffany Rufus is trying to change that.

Tiffany is the Founder and CEO of Freedom Harvest, the first direct farm-to-consumer mobile app with a built in same day delivery solution. For busy consumers who depend on services like Instacart and DoorDash, this app can help make buying directly from small family farms easy and convenient. Tiffany joins the podcast to talk about how she’s working to address the twin challenges of declining family farms and the accessibility of fresh, healthy food.

Some of the questions we chat about:

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Mentioned in this episode:

Freedom Harvest Website

Freedom Harvest Instagram

Freedom Harvest TikTok

Freedom Harvest Facebook

Get Freedom Harvest in the Apple App Store

Get Freedom Harvest on Google Play

Episode 15 | Farmers are not just farmers. You’re also marketers, educators, and advocates for your small businesses and the industry as a whole. And as Ag experts, you have the ability to not only influence consumers and public policy, but also the companies who are supplying everything you need to run your business.

With over 20 years of experience, Ag Access, a research logistics company that specializes in the agriculture industry, has positioned themselves as the leading resource for reaching ag audiences through their 400,000 member research community. Colson Steber, Co-CEO of Ag Access joins the podcast to talk about the importance of farmers having a voice in the innovations coming to the Ag industry, the continued investment in Ag Tech, and what factors will impact the Ag industry in the near future.

Some of the questions we chat about:

Join the Ag Access Insights Community:

Ag Access is an invite-only market research insights community of professionals working in the agriculture industry. Members get access to a multitude of research opportunities including online surveys and discussions, in-person focus groups, phone interviews, and various other methods. By voicing your opinion and participating in a study, you’ll get cash rewards, gift cards, and gain industry influence from your opinions.

Join the Ag Access Community

Subscribe:

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Mentioned in this episode:

Ag Access Website

Join the Ag Access Community

Connect with Colson Steber on LinkedIn

Ag Census: A Review of Insights and Gaps

USDA Broadband Report

Episode 14 | Less than 11% of the food that we eat in South Carolina is grown in South Carolina. 

Ben Boyles, Senior Agribusiness Extension Agent from Clemson Cooperative Extension, is working to change that. Ben joins the Raising the Barn podcast to talk about how he has worked to develop and implement programs aimed at strengthening South Carolina's agricultural economy and rural communities since 2007.

In 2019, Ben was named Director of Clemson Extension’s South Carolina New and Beginning Farmer Program where he works to enable new and beginning farmers to be successful, productive, and innovative members of their local agricultural community.

And he is also the founder of the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour, so if you’re planning to take part in it this year, you know who to thank.

Some of the questions we chat about:

Subscribe:

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Mentioned in this episode:

South Carolina Ag + Art Tour Website

South Carolina Ag + Art Tour Instagram

South Carolina Ag + Art Tour Facebook

York County Ag + Art Tour

Clemson Cooperative Extension

SC New and Beginning Farmer Program

Visit York County

Episode Sponsors:

Visit York County - The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is back in York County, SC! Join us for this FREE, family-friendly event—a self-guided tour showcasing 25 farms with artisans at every stop. Experience first-hand where your food comes from, witness and shop from artisans in action, enjoy local musicians, and learn about the importance of supporting our local farms! You don’t want to miss this unique event, so mark your calendars for June 8th-9th! Visit agandarttour.com/york to learn more.