Welcome back to Female Farmer Friday. This week, we are highlighting Kelsey Jorissen. Kelsey is an online marketing genius, a sustainability expert, and one hell of a chicken mama! I fell in love with her when I heard her on The Rural Woman Podcast, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed following her since then. Enjoy Kelsey’s story.
• Sara Beth

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Please briefly introduce yourself.

I’m Kelsey Jorissen and you may have heard my episode on Rural Woman Podcast! I run a five-acre permaculture farm in Franklin, WI and we sell pastured eggs, maple syrup, and organically grown produce through a roadside farm stand. I’m 30 years old, a first generation female farmer, and I run most of our operation by myself.

What type of farm do you have?

We are a permaculture farm, where we believe in the concept of permanent agriculture. We utilize lots of perennials and work hard to reduce external inputs on the farm so we can become as self sufficient as possible. We do pastured eggs, organically grown popcorn, squash, garlic, potatoes, maple syrup, and anything else I can put in the ground and grow!

How long have you been farming?

This is my fourth year farming, but second year in business.

Do you have an off-farm job?

I run online marketing for two e-commerce businesses that my husband and I own. I also work as a family and senior portrait photographer and have run my own business for 11 years.

Please share with us one of the biggest struggles you have with farming. 

Finding mentors. Hands down. I’ve learned everything from books and online courses when it comes to farming.

What is something about your farm life that you think would surprise most people?

Everyday is filled with humor thanks to working with animals. I have so many hilarious stories thanks to raising the chickens, the roosters, and the chicks.

Can you share one of your long-term goals for your farm? 

I want to teach farmers across the world how to use online marketing to grow their customer base and harvest consistent profit. The more I connect with other farmers, the more I realize how big of a need there is for education in this area. Farmers across the world are struggling to learn how to build a functioning website for themselves and keep up with it. We live in a digital age and our customers are looking to buy online. If your farm doesn’t have an online presence, you are failing your perfect customers and missing out on lost profits. But farmers already wear so many hats, adding “learn how to do online marketing all by yourself” to the pile is incredibly overwhelming. I am helping farmers by teaching them exactly how to use online marketing in the agricultural sector. My long term goal is to see farmers all over the world thriving because their online marketing is on point!

If you had the chance to tell one thing to someone without any first hand knowledge of the farming industry, what would it be?

Farming is so much more complicated than people give it credit. Everyday we use biology, math, physics, and everything in between to make our farm go. Stereotyping farmers as hicks or stupid is just ridiculous to me.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about agriculture? 

That farmers are hicks, are abusing the earth, and hate city people. Stereotyping farming as a dead end industry is also frustrating, there is so much to be gained with regenerative farming in the face of climate change and we desperately need people choosing to farm as a career path so we can rebalance the carbon cycle.

What is something you are deeply passionate about?

Sustainability! I run the Positively Green Podcast with Becca Tetzlaff and every episode we educate and empower our listeners how to live a green life they’ll love.

What is one podcast you think everyone should check out? 

I love the Green Dreamer Podcast. Kamea Chayne does an amazing job with her sustainability content.

If people want to follow your farm journey, where can they find you?

Website: www.greenwillowhomestead.com/farmers
Facebook: GreenWillowHomestead
Instagram: @kelseyjorissen

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Thank you so much, Kelsey, for sharing with us! Friends, I highly recommend you check out her website! She has so many goodies, including a farm Marketing email series, plans to build your own mobile chicken tractor, and a guide on how to have a green wedding!