IARN — In most cases, it’s important to not have all of your eggs in one basket. That holds especially true for farmers. Since they depend upon such volatile prices in order to make profits, you’ll almost never find a farmer who only specializes in one crop. By investing in multiple crops, farmers are able to offset some of the inherent risk they face. This strategy- called diversification- is on full display at a small orchard in Southwest Iowa.
As part of their 2022 Field Day series, the Practical Farmers of Iowa held an event out at 3 Bee Farms near Griswold, Iowa. The day highlighted the benefits of diversification on a small farm. At 3 Bee Farms, Mike & Donna Brahms & family do a little bit of everything. They grow hydroponic tomatoes, manage a 1,000-tree apple orchard, and even host field trips and tours. I had the chance to talk with Donna Brahms in one of their greenhouses last month. She talked about the farm and how diversification helps protect them from crop issues.
For more on this story visit the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
Hydroponic tomatoes in a greenhouse at 3 Bee Farms, just outside of Griswold, Iowa. Photo by Riley Smith.
