Small Farms Program Newsletter

Cultivating new community online

The Context

Farmers, famously, do their work outside. It’s hard to catch them at their computers, and even harder to get a response. But a new Small Farms Program through Oregon State University Extension needed a way to reach regional farmers in order to promote their work to current and potential stakeholders. 

The Work

How do you create a newsletter for people who don’t have much time to read? I turned that question to the farmers. Through a brief needs assessment, I identified that my potential audience was interested in an easy-navigate digest of resources, combined with insight into what other area farmers were up to.

I developed a newsletter that combines featured content with a list of timely resources and opportunities. Subscribers can build familiarity with the consistent format and can move easily through the newsletter to find the resources most relevant to them.  The featured content at the top of the newsletter is selected to catch the eye of readers as they scroll down, and promotes upcoming Small Farms Program events.

The Outcome

By focusing newsletter content on resources farmers need, readership has risen steadily, from a few dozen early participants to hundreds of the region’s farmers, community partners, and technical assistance providers.