Check out and read the helpful articles that Matt has written over the years. Just having a dream isn’t enough to start with.
New fruit growers should check out The New Fruit Grower Articles!
We enjoy working with new commercial growers who need help in getting their fruit operation off the ground and established.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have grown up on a family farm and have the wisdom and financial base to continue in a commercial fruit operation. With the new emphasis and interest on local foods and small agriculture, there are many non-farm raised people interested in horticulture and fruit production. Getting help from experienced and knowledgeable people is very important. Matt likes to work with new growers who are serious in their interest to grow fruit. Here are some important tips he suggests you follow before contacting him.
- Develop a business plan! Your dreams will require a lot of thought and planning.
- Determine whether or not you have the financial where withal to follow through with your dream. Inadequate capitalization and operating funds spell failure.
- What is your marketing plan once you have trees in production. You can't eat it all!
- What will be your growing style? Your own desires, beliefs, and character do have a significant impact on your possible success or failure.
- Do you have a potentially successful fruit site?
Once you have a basic plan, feel free to ask Matt for help in refining and implementing it. While Matt is more than willing to help the serious person, it is very frustrating when someone calls and says “I have a piece of ground that I want to plant into fruit trees, but I really don’t have any plan or knowledge about what I am about to do!”