Brett Wolff led a 9-part webinar series from March through May 2020 designed to help small agricultural businesses—particularly those selling directly to the public—to pivot toward online and other adaptive methods to cope with emerging impacts of COVID-19.

Some webinars were presented just by Brett while others were presented in collaboration with the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD), Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), Community Farm Alliance, and the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH). Session topics are below:

• Building a Simple Online Store
• Low-tech Preordering Options
• Pick-up, Delivery, and Shipping for Direct Marketers: Key Considerations (KCARD)
• Components of a Facebook Business Page
• Nice, Easy Graphics and Advertisements
• Promoting Your Product for Online Sales (KCARD)
• Adding Your Business to Google Maps
• COVID-19 + Farmers Markets: Best Practices for Managers, Vendors, & Patrons (KDA, CFA, KDPH)
• COVID & Farmers Markets Update (KDA, CFA, KDPH)

Total Registration for all webinars was 977, with some of those registrations being returning clients. In addition to live participation, recordings of the webinars have been viewed a total of 909 times

Response to these webinars was overwhelmingly positive. We have quantitative evaluation data if desired. A separate qualitative feedback form asking for feedback yielded the following comments:

“These class will improve the way we conduct our marketing and sales.”

“The setting up and preordering webinars were EXTREMELY valuable, suggesting things I had not thought of.  I feel much more confident on Facebook as a tool now. also. Thanks for putting yourselves in the shoes of a farmer! The price reports are extremely valuable too.   A whole session on their value might be good and why all should submit theirs.”

“I use a lot of the info I received about promoting your product all the time now.  I had never used canva, pexels, or unsplash before.   I used canva to help create an add for my fiance and for my work.  Also, so very glad to have a source for free images.”

“Changed packaging and prices to reduce handling as many smaller items”

“I opened up Square store and selling produce through that outlet.”

“Promoting pre-ordering, not just during this pandemic but ongoing to better manage stock needed for markets. Got some great ideas for handling booth set up. Improved online marketing and gained an understanding of feedback and info on facebook. Able to create more professional looking online and print materials”

“All the webinars have been very helpful during this time. They have provided me with some great information and resources on establishing and implementing a more effective online presence and setting up online options for selling. I haven't yet begun selling online as of yet, but I am working on getting it set up and ready to lunch soon. Thank you for all the great work that has been done and the time that has been put into it, please continue and keep the great work. It helps to know that organizations like the CCD, KCARD and Grow Appalachia are out there for us farmers to turn to for information and assistance.”

“We postponed the opening of the Market because we wanted to provide a protected space for all and were just not sure how to do that in light of all the information and its ever changing state.  Once we attended the webinars and got information out to the vendors we were able to make educated decisions and plans to open and only lost 3 weeks of our market season instead of months.”