Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian & Rachel Harding.
Hi Ian & Rachel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our farm started with Ian. When Ian was very young, he grew up around bigger farms in rural Pennsylvania, so little Ian was always watching tractors & combines from the front porch. He always thought it would be great to be a farmer, but he needed access to massive amounts of land and a big tractor. Sometime in his 30s, he started to research jobs in agriculture and found all the smaller-scale stuff – such as using hand tools and more market garden-style farming. This farming style also aligned with Ian’s world view – creation care and the garden of Eden as ideal – Producing food that’s healthy and not damaging the environment simultaneously. As I encouraged Ian to pursue his dream, I started to look at my life with our growing family in mind. Growing flowers came to mind and is also part of my roots as my mom was a master gardener, so it wasn’t a foreign concept for me. A few weeks later, a friend shared a grower to look into – Floret. After visiting her website, I was hooked. Seeing my idea into reality sealed the deal for me. And that’s how it all started!
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Smooth road? Not at all! We started in 2019, and we had a fairly typical start. In February of 2020, our entire farm was underwater. We ripped out all food crops and replanted 60 days later, and that year was a massive setback in terms of profitability. In 2021, we had another flood, and we knew we couldn’t continue farming in the exact location. We were ready to quit – but we prayed for God to direct our steps. The community came together in more significant numbers than the last time, and a new farm location became available, and our every need was provided for. Rebuilding a farm twice in the first 3 years was mentally, emotionally, and physically difficult – but our community rallied around us and kept us going. 2021 was the year of COVID-19 as well, which had some challenges, but we were already direct-to-customer sales, and our market stayed open. The biggest problem was supply chain issues – everyone wanted to garden, and seeds and supplies were sometimes difficult. In January of 2022, we found out Ian needed brain surgery. With him at risk of having another stroke, he couldn’t leave the hospital until it was done. He graduated from therapy at the end of May (2022), and it took most of the year to regain his strength and energy. So many farmers came and watered, bed prepped, and planted our crops that spring. Because our fall-planted flowers floated us that spring, we were primarily a flower farm that year. In 2023, we went hard, and without all the mid-season challenges, we saw what we could do. I had some personal challenges, with the loss of my mom and my health challenges, but this only affected the farm a little since Ian ran the farm and we had an employee. Sadly, we weren’t able to end 2023 on a high note – due to Ian needing another brain surgery. During his stay, he needed an emergency brain surgery (which makes a 3rd) but is now home recovering and in a much better state than the last time and already planning the 2024 season. With all the hardships, our survival boils down to three things. Community, diversity of crops (food and flowers), and I’ve been working an off-farm job since we started, providing us income and insurance for our family. But I believe our farm name encompasses our challenges – “Wet Knot”- because a wet knot is hard to break.
As you know, we’re big fans of Wet Knot Farms. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
During 2022 and 2023, we started to find our niche – cutting flowers and salad greens. Ian is a fantastic grower; everything looks beautiful and lasts long when stored. Our customers often say the same thing about our salad and veggies. Our flowers sell well, and people comment on how beautifully arranged they are and how long they last at home. Essentially, we focus on the customer’s experience. One way we do that is by harvesting to order, harvesting at the optimal stage of growth, and establishing a process of storing, washing, and packing to promote the product’s most extended shelf or vase life. Another way we help our customers is by education. We are creating guides to storing your veggies or enjoying the flowers at home and introducing them to your not-so-typical things – like tatsoi & kohlrabi, or for flowers – Lisianthus and heirloom mums. And share recipes or other helpful stuff over on our blog. More to come in 2024.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Books, Audiobooks, and podcasts are our jam! Ian is constantly reading or listening to something farm-related. I usually have an audiobook or podcast about flowers, leadership, or other educational/lifestyle things. Because I have a background in Six Sigma and Process Masters, I enjoyed The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman and am about to dig into his new book, The Lean Micro Farm. Ian has always been an avid reader and has a collection of books, including various farm topics. A couple of audiobooks I have listened to multiple times is Fast. Feast. Repeat by Gin Stephens, Scattered Minds (a book about ADHD) by Gabor Maté, MD, and Atomic Habits by James Clear. The podcasts I love for business and marketing are My Digital Farmer by Corinna Bench and Profitable Mindset by Charlotte Smith. Ian’s favorites are Growing for Market and the Bible Project.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wetknotfarms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wetknotfarms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WetKnotFarms/
Image Credits
Brad Smith – Ian and Veggie photos; Megan Nigh – Family and Flower photos
