Client Story: Bennett Family Farm
Client Name: Laurianne Bennett
Business Name: Bennett Freedom Farm
Business Website: bennettfreedomfarm.com
Industry: Agri-Tourism
Location: Ossipee, NH
SBDC Advisor's Name: Jean Nelson
SBDC Client: 6 Years
Veteran-Owned, Woman-Powered, Rooted in Purpose.
As a young girl, Laurianne Bennett worked alongside her grandmother in the kitchen learning the art and skill of homesteading. Together they made sausages, canned veggies, and plucked delicious foods from the garden for dinner.
Having grown up in an outdoorsy family, Laurianne kept up with the basics of homesteading as a hobby, even throughout her career as an Operating Room nurse. She’d make baskets filled with gourmet candies, jellies, and things she’d preserved. Friends and family were always nudging her that she should sell her delicious wares, but Laurianne assured them it was “just for fun and gifts”. Her husband pitched the idea of them purchasing land and starting a farm. While she loved the idea, she knew she couldn’t work 60+ hours a week as an OR nurse and run a farm. So, in 2019, she retired from her nursing career, and they sold their home in southern New Hampshire, and purchased farm land in Ossipee.
Planting the seeds for growth
Laurianne doesn’t take the “woman-powered” tagline lightly. She’s resilient, persevering, and a natural problem solver, but as capable as she is, she knew from the beginning that she needed help making the farm a successful, viable operation.
“I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and I knew enough to know that!” - Laurianne Bennett
With a big mission for the farm, Laurianne reached out to the SBDC in 2019 as a first step. She didn’t even know where to start in getting Bennett Freedom Farm up and running as a legitimate business.
Her first SBDC business advisor, Kyla Brustin, answered Laurianne’s many questions and helped her overcome the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship. “It was a huge help right from the start,” she shares.
One of the things Laurianne most appreciated about Kyla, and now in her ongoing work with advisor Jean Nelson, is the ability to take an overwhelming list of tasks and to-dos and help her to prioritize them, break them down into step-by-step actions, and make sense of things she’d otherwise have to spend hours researching on her own. If they didn’t have the answer, they were able to connect her to someone who did. As a busy business owner also trying to run a farm, there simply isn’t enough time to track down the right resources, learn everything from scratch, and build a business simultaneously!
“The SBDC has saved me hours of my time, and kept me from making costly mistakes.”
- Laurianne Bennett
Blooming into success
Laurianne took advantage of the SBDC’s LeAF program, which offered her cost-free legal counsel for her forms and agreements. Her advisor, Jean, also connected her to someone who could design a logo for the farm and create a website that will allow for online sales.
Jean has helped Laurianne prepare for zoning board meetings, connect with valuable collaborators, and comply with regulations as the vision and impact of Bennett Family Farm blossoms.
The paperwork involved in running a business can feel overwhelming at times, especially when you’re looking for resources to grow. Laurianne finds confidence and calm knowing she can reach out to Jean at any time for answers and assistance, and for accountability and encouragement every step of the way.
Veteran-owned, woman-powered, rooted in purpose
Laurianne operates the farm as a traditional farm (chickens, pigs, cows, and soon alpacas!) and also has a wide variety of seasonal offerings, including jams and jellies (think summery blueberry lemon and NH apple marmalade), homemade marshmallows, breads, and other food items.
She sells produce, breads, and homemade goods to three local stores. They frequently open the farm up to community experiences - inviting people in to pick their own fruits and veggies, learn about canning and preserving, and enjoy paint nights on the farm.
Committed to a zero-chemical, made-from-scratch lifestyle and sustainability, Laurianne also collaborates with local organizations and hosts classes to help raise awareness and educate others on how to support a family living off of local foods and products sustainably.
The farm is as rich in values as it is in vegetables. Laurianne comes from a long line of military on both sides, and as a former nurse, has always had a heart of service and helping others. She hopes to offer first responders and active duty military respite as they are dealing with the emotional struggles.
Growing beyond “Marshmallow Money”
What started as a hobby making delicious jams and marshmallows unlike anything you’ve ever tasted, Laurianne’s goal now is to make the farm profitable and grow. She is at capacity, and needs to upgrade kitchen appliances and all that goes with renting out yurts so others can enjoy the farm as well. Jean is helping Laurianne to plan for and secure funding to take her business where she wants to go.
Laurianne encourages entrepreneurs to contact the SBDC and to go for their big dreams. Seek advice right away and be prepared to adapt, improvise, and overcome. Don’t be afraid to try, and don’t get too attached to the plan because, inevitably, it’s going to change along the way!
Be it a fresh batch of Strawberry Rhubarb jam or a business plan, Laurianne knows that the best things are made from scratch and always better with help along the way.