Uncured Markets

So there have certainly been many changes that have come along with it but, for the most part, they have all been good for us. We’ve had to manage some supply chain issues, slaughterhouse issues, and customer hesitancies about COVID. But those have all been relatively manageable, especially given the increased business we’ve seen from people looking to shop more locally and shop at smaller stores. And we didn’t have all of the supply chain issues, empty shelves, and crowds that the grocery stores did. We are small— normally there isn’t more than one person in our farm store at a time. We’ll see where things end up in five years, but I think people are just more aware of where their food is coming from.

DY: Aside from the pandemic, what industry challenges have you faced as a New Hampshire pork farmer? 

MF: It’s certainly a challenge on the production side. It’s a double-edged sword because in some ways it’s good that there are fewer pork farms here because there’s less competition. But there is also less of a knowledge base. We brought in our specific pig equipment from the Midwest because that’s where it all is. We have a grinder mixer for our grain that came from there because there just isn’t enough business in New Hampshire. We have a hard time getting quality, reliable livestock around here. In a lot of ways, that’s why we raise all of our pigs on-site. Nobody produces and sells piglets because it just doesn’t make sense around here.

So there are those problems. But from a business perspective, those farm production challenges are not what’s going to make or break my business at the end of the day. They are all things that you figure out and overcome. For me, it’s much more the sales and marketing that will make or break local farms; where they sell their products, how much they cost relative to conventional products, and how they are marketing and branding themselves. That is what I lose sleep over more so than the pigs themselves.

DY: Imagine your organization in 10 years, it’s thriving. What does thriving look like to you? How has Archway overcome the industry and marketing challenges you mentioned?

MF: I have been happy with our focus on staying in the Monadnock region. Our other focus is on adding more value to the pork from start to finish by controlling the feed, the livestock, all the way through processing the meat. That is a way to bring value to the product while keeping more dollars local. I’d like to continue to work on that, there’s still a lot more we can do on both ends of the process.

Also, I hope to continue getting in front of more customers in the Monadnock Region to increase awareness. It’s a challenge that people buy their food through large grocery or convenience stores, which are so difficult for local farms to get into from a size and scale perspective. We are in a good position where we are relatively convenient to Keene. A lot of farms don’t have that benefit of location and are trying to draw people in from much further away or trying to manage with farmers’ markets. Again, it’s a challenge when the majority of people are buying their food through big grocery stores, where they do a good job of making products look local but really aren’t that local. I’m not sure that’s the store’s fault, it’s part of a system of what products sell and how they make their money. 

So many of the obstacles of whether people buy local or not have to do with access and having products in front of them. The cost is a factor, but a lot of times I don’t think it’s the primary factor. Moreso it’s about what is in front of people, what’s convenient, and what they think of. They go to the grocery store and buy most of their groceries and it’s easy to buy whatever kind of fancy local-looking meat is there versus going out to an actual farm store.

DY: Tell me about what gets you out of bed in the morning. How does Archway sustain you and your family?

MF: My wife and I were both working office jobs. And then we had kids, and we were looking for one of us to have more flexibility to stay home. I had always had an interest in farming and that’s sort of what started the whole thing when my kids were toddler-age. The business has grown along with the kids, who are in upper-elementary school now. It’s worked out well for our family and it’s been a nice lifestyle for the kids growing up. I frankly enjoy it a bit more than a traditional office job. We still have health insurance through my wife’s off-farm income, so it’s the best of both worlds. 

I do it at the end of the day because I enjoy it and it works well for our family. I like raising the pigs and having control and insight into the whole process of where our food comes from. I like the environment in which it gives me to raise my kids. I’m fortunate that I have the stability of my wife’s off-farm income to fall back on.

In that sense, profitability is not as important as if it were our sole income. Even a lot of the commodity farms out in the Midwest still have off-farm income and are getting their health insurance from somewhere else. Sometimes I have a hard time justifying that, but it is the nature of farming in the United States.

DY: I saw you recently started a Meat Shares Program, which seems similar to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model. How will this program help your goal to increase product visibility?

MF: We have been selling a fair amount through our farm store for the last 3-4 years. We are not a tourist destination, so it’s a lot of recurring customers. I see the same names over and over again. I always feel like people are interested in the product, but I won’t see them come for a couple of months. What I’m trying to do with the meat subscription is give them a hook to purchase from us. It’s the scenario where the person has the income and desire to purchase our product but it isn’t in a grocery store where it’s easy and they’re low on time. It’s just easier to buy meat from the supermarket rather than coming out to Archway Farm. I’m hoping the meat subscription will give the hook and incentive for them to get the meat from us on a more regular basis rather than intermittently.

DY: Tell me about the importance of local food production. What action can every individual take to support their local food culture?

MF: We have such a disconnect now between consumption and the production of food. People don’t understand what goes into producing food and what the considerations are for farms that are producing it. I think the more you can keep the production close to people, it gives them a better understanding of what the tradeoffs are of what they are consuming. Whether it’s food or forest products, I think buying local keeps people closer to the process and more informed about the decisions versus having to rely on a glossy label, or grocery product, when in reality you have no idea where it came from, you are just taking their word for it.

I urge people to buy local when they can and be aware of the farms, and what their challenges are. Again, I think New Hampshire is blessed to still have a lot of farms close to where people live that offer direct-to-consumer products and are open to the public. It’s a great state to live in from that perspective and people should take advantage of it. 

Archway’s farm store is open every day from 9AM to 7PM. You can order whole and half pigs or join the brand new Meat Shares program on their website. Product options are always changing, so make sure to tune into their Facebook and Instagram for updates and more information.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.