Throughout this course, we'll learn how five Pennsylvania farmers are applying Internet technologies as they manage their farm operations. These five represent very different types of farms; different in enterprise types, size, market outlets, and stage of business development. These individuals were interviewed in 2005 and shared their experiences and advice.

Rod Hissong
Mercer Vu Farms, operated by Rod Hissong, his father, and his brother, is located in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. The Hissongs own and operate an 1,100 cow dairy farm, with 975 in the herd milking three times each day, and farm 800 acres. The business underwent a large expansion in November of 2002, updating all of its facilities. They use a flush system with sand-bedded free-stalls and a manure handling system. They raise their calves on site until they reach six months of age, at which time they have them custom-raised off the farm until they are ready to enter the milking herd. The business grows 75 percent of the forage it uses on site and buys the remaining 25 percent locally.

The business utilizes the Internet to host its website (http://www.mercervufarms.com) and to do research on the dairy industry and new technologies. The Hissongs currently have not used their website as a marketing and sales tool. Rather, they use the Internet to provide information to the public about their farm expansion. Therefore, their experience provides a great example of how a website can be used as a public relations tool as urban-rural interaction increases.

Brad Hollabaugh
Brad is one of five family owners of Hollabaugh Bros., Inc., a fruit farm and retail market located in Adams County, Pennsylvania, just north of Gettysburg. Started in 1955, the business now includes three generations of family members. Additionally, the company has many non-family seasonal workers and twelve full-time workers. The company operates a 500-acre farm, growing tree fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, apricots, plums, and Asian pears and has just recently ventured into small fruits, including strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries as well as growing assorted vegetables.

The farm business includes both wholesale and retail operations with wholesale clientele spreading west to Iowa, north to Vermont, and south to Florida. The retail store, located on the farm, sells the farm's home-grown fruits and vegetables as well as baked goods, jarred goods, and gift items. The farm also hosts educational tours of its operations. Use of the Internet has become an integral part of business management, from the creation of a website (http://www.hollabaughbros.com) and e-store to mailing e-newsletters and managing inventories on-line.

Cindy Latchaw
Cindy and her husband Mike own and operate Fair Winds Farm (http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M7446), a hydroponic vegetable greenhouse farm located on 1.5 acres in Jackson Center, Pennsylvania. They grow lettuces, herbs, and salad greens, marketing them through local grocery stores and restaurants. They opened their business in 2002. When they bought the property in Jackson Center several years ago, they didn't know what hydroponic production was. Through research and professional consultation they learned and decided to operate their greenhouses as hydroponic. The farm has two greenhouses on site, each covering approximately ¾ of an acre.

Hydroponic production is done mostly in greenhouses in warmer climates and includes several different methods. Fair Winds Farm uses a channel system in which the plants are raised off of the ground and grown substituting a liquid nutrient for soil. By using liquid nutrient instead of soil, 50% of the pests and diseases that would normally originate because of soil are eliminated. Fair Winds Farm uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and other certified organic means to eliminate remaining pests and works with Cornell University to produce their own beneficial insects to control aphids on the plants. Cindy and Mike have focused most of the startup period on production issues, but have used the Internet to perform research and to communicate with input suppliers, customers, and others. They hope to expand their use of e-commerce via their website and  e-mail as they grow and deal with an increasing number of clients.

Joe Phillips
Joe is the owner of Phillips Ranch, located in Mercer, Pennsylvania. The business raises pure-bred Boer goats for meat and for show. There are few Boer goat farms, but demand is growing because the leanness and taste of the meat appeal to consumers. Joe notes that even though he's just beginning in his business and not really marketing his products yet, he receives many inquiries about his goats. The company has a goal of operating a full-blooded commercial herd of 500 head that can be marketed for both the show ring and for meat. Joe currently uses the Internet to perform research and communicate with others. However, he does plan to launch a website as he expands.

Kim Tait
Kim operates Tait Farm Foods, a diversified family farm with several different enterprises. The farm is located just outside of State College, Pennsylvania. The business began over 25 years ago as a small Christmas tree, fruit, and dog breeding endeavor and has since diversified into multiple enterprises in several markets. The farm grows certified organic fruits and vegetables and runs a community supported agricultural program called “Community Harvest,” which has 125 local members. The business also manufactures about 40 different products on site, which are sold through the business's retail store, “The Harvest Shop,” through its website, mail order catalog, and various wholesale accounts in the mid-Atlantic region. The Harvest Shop is open year-round. In addition to the store, Tait Farm Foods offers cooking and gardening classes throughout the year. The company's website has been the central part of Tait Farm Foods' use of e-commerce.