April 2025 Farm Marketing News
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, it’s so nice to meet you! My name is Mary, and I joined the Grapevine team this February.
I feel so lucky to join this rock-star team of passionate, down-to-earth, and hard-working farm and food system marketing professionals.
I am both a farmer and have worked with many farm and food systems folks from across the country. Let me tell you, Grapevine really knows their stuff, and they seriously uphold a high standard of quality, intention, and care in their work.
I look forward to meeting you and hearing more about how Grapevine can support the important work you are doing.
For now, read the latest farm marketing news from Grapevine below!
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Now Booking New Marketing Projects
Our waitlist to take on new marketing projects is growing shorter as the spring days are growing longer! To get started, download our pricing guides, then schedule a call to reserve your spot on our calendar.
More Farm Marketing News + Tips
Free Legal Assistance for Appealing Lost USDA Funding
The Legal Food Hub is offering free legal support to farms and organizations located in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire or Vermont that have lost funding from the USDA. They share, “If your farm or food business or organization is dealing with frozen or terminated funding from the USDA, you may be eligible to appeal the actions/decision. The process is simple and can be done on your own or, we have attorneys who can guide you through it.”
Google is Now Displaying Info From Email Campaigns
As of April 3, 2025, businesses using Google Merchant Center — the platform that allows businesses to enter product information so it shows up with photos and prices on the “Shopping” tab in Google results — were automatically opted in to a new feature.
Now, the content businesses share in email marketing campaigns is informing what Google displays for Search, Shopping, and Maps. Businesses can choose to opt out of this new feature to maintain more control over the content being automatically displayed.
If you’d like help getting your products on Google Shopping, you’re welcome to set up a call with us!
Consumers Easily Spot AI-Generated Marketing Content & View it Negatively
Two new studies show that consumers can easily and accurately identify if content is AI-generated. Roughly 80% of study participants could accurately identify AI-generated images and text used in marketing. The majority of participants also reported that they think less favorably of a business if they are posting AI-generated content. This is why Grapevine always produces human-powered written and visual content for our clients! 😊
Upcoming Webinars
How to Wholesale Meat: Pricing and Margin
Kathryn Quanbeck of Stemple Creek Ranch and Tom Richards of Richards Regenerative will discuss some of the theory and practice behind pricing your products and how to understand and balance margins. Hosted by the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network. Register for April 11 at 12:00 EST
Maximize Sales with Innovative Storefront Solutions
Preview Local Food Marketplace’s new storefront design, learn about other features they have added over the past year and will be launching later this spring! Hosted by Local Food Marketplace. Register for April 15 at 02:00 PM EST
How to Wholesale Meat: Working with Distributors
In this webinar, “NMPAN Guide to Wholesaling Meat: Working With Distributors“, Kathryn Quanbeck of Stemple Creek Ranch and Tom Richards of Richards Regenerative will share about their experiences in working with a wholesale distributor. Hosted by the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network. Register for April 25 at 12:00 PM EST
"The website is beautiful! It was a shock when I opened it, I couldn’t believe it. Then I thought, they’ve got everything I wanted here. I really really like it."
"Tell Gabi that she did a great job designing the website. I’m totally impressed. I LOVE what you wrote about the pickup location and the details."
"Jacy, Whew...how do I thank you enough for all the patience you have had with me throughout this project? These projects seem like great big hurdles to me...so I am beyond grateful for all your help. Thank you very very much!!"
— Sheila Schlatter, Canal Junction Farm
It's Nice to Meet You!
I started working at Grapevine in February 2025 as a Senior Marketing Consultant. You can learn more about me below!
A few fun facts about me:
📍Where are you located?
A little lakeside town called Westport, in Upstate New York
✨What were you doing prior to working at Grapevine?
I led a regional local food marketing program where I supported 200+ local farms, food hubs and local food-focused small businesses throughout the Adirondacks. There I had a fun creative challenge — how do I use my marketing and communications background to increase public awareness of local farms and the importance of buying local food? I planned events, convened stakeholders, secured federal and state grant funding, wrote content, developed advertising, email and social media campaigns, SEO strategies, and did website management and design.
I also have a farm business of my own called the Creative Kitchen Garden where I offer a you-pick CSA, bulk cut flowers, and value-added herbal products. In my photo above, I have just harvested a pile of echinacea and marshmallow roots for making a cold-care tea blend!
🍅 What’s your current favorite meal?
A good piece of bread, a slice of a sun-ripened tomato, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
🌲 What do you like to do in your free time?
Visiting the many nature trails, lakes, and rivers throughout the Adirondacks. I also enjoy cooking, baking, and fermenting new things!
🇳🇿 If you could travel to one place in the world right now, where would it be and why?
New Zealand… so much lush nature, beaches, food, farms! I also love that their seasons are opposite to the Northeastern US.
📚 What was the last good book you read?
I recently read “What Goes With What” by Julia Turshen before wrapping it to give to my partner for their birthday 😀
🍽️ Who would be your ideal dinner guest?
Rosemary Gladstar! I have been studying herbalism, growing medicinal plants, and making herbal products for the past 5 years and Rosemary’s teachings have been integral to my learning. Rosemary is an herbalism icon!
🎄 What’s your favorite holiday?
Labor Day, because it’s warm enough to swim, the mosquitoes are gone, and it’s the start of harvest season… it’s the time of year to sit back and enjoy the season’s bounty!
🐶 Do you have any furry co-workers at home?
I have two chihuahuas, Twiggy and Peppino.
✨What’s your favorite thing about working for Grapevine?
Getting to meet so many awesome farmers and folks leading food systems change across the country.
