Once spring starts it is easy to get lost in field work. The plants need compost tea feeding; weeds that are starting to encroach on stems need pulling up; caterpillers need removing; dead work needs pruning. The plants are growing so time is an issue.
Time is an issue is the problem. We had a British Sea Buckthorn Co. Ltd meeting yesterday to discuss progress and plans for 2015. Ben said – ” do you need to be doing all the field work?”. It was a very good point. It was particularly valid as I had had an email from Ireland from some one that was interested in growing sea buckthorn. My original concept of growing sea buckthorn was that it was a hardy plant that would survive almost anywhere. As an idea it worked in 2012 and I allowed the grass to grow. The plants looked healthy. In 2013 the whole plantation was hit by disease. The advice that was given was that the plants were under too much stress from weed competition. So from then on I am focused upon stress management. In my answer to the question I said – sea buckthorn is a crop and a crop that we expect to provide a high quality yield. You cannot expect something for nothing. Hence i justify the time i spend every day on keeping the plants weed and pest free. Every day because everything is being done by hand. This year’s objective is to mechanise the mowing/ spraying/ compost spreading. Time is not the only asset in finite supply. When funding is limited to income then spending is prioritised as to what is absolutely necessary.
Field work can be done by hand, therefore machinery can be considered to be a non-essential. This year I have to crack a low cost harvesting method; storage and processing. Harvesting and processing that can maintain the nutritional quality of the crop as much as is possible. So it is this that has to take the priority. This year is about trial and development. New product development to generate new income streams allowing the bringing on board of a knowledge transfer graduate linked to a university. This will bring focused and managed work and research capacity to move the farm crop and product development forward sustainably funded through product sale. It all just takes time.
But more importantly developing a business with the right brand image is also a prime objective. Yesterday I read an article relating to presentations from Peter Wennstrom of the Healthy Marketing Team. British Sea Buckthorn have used the Team for advice and follow their philosophy. The current thinking is that consumers have moved on from being calorie counters – Nutrition now matters. Ingredients are important not just health claims. The issue for sea buckthorn is is ensuring consumers understand what it is. In Peter Wennstrom’s approach there are four factors: need the product; accept the ingredient; understand the benefit and finally trust the brand.
Here at British Sea buckthorn we are following these principles and look to ensure that the ingredient that we are going to sell fulfills a need and that consumers understand and accept sea buckthorn as an ingredient they understand. By doing that well we will build trust in our brand.
