How to Turn Local Press Into Real Farm Growth

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Meet Tanner Kaufman — farmer and owner of Theo’s Harvest (New Port Richey, FL), a half-acre urban farm growing biointensive vegetables in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. He didn’t hire a PR firm or run ads. One local news story snowballed into multiple outlets, new CSA signups, and paid consulting work he never saw coming.

How? Local newsrooms are hungry for good stories. Not dark ones. Yours. The wholesome, “wait, there’s a farm here?” kind. And when one outlet picks it up, the rest follow.

In this short interview, Tanner breaks down exactly how it happened — and what he’d tell other farmers about getting (and making the most of) local press.

1. Get on camera before the press shows up

Tanner’s journey started because a YouTuber (Pete Kanaris of Green Dreams) made videos on the farm with the prior owner. Some hit 70,000+ views — and that’s what caught local newsrooms’ attention.

You don’t need a professional videographer. Start a simple YouTube channel or Instagram Reels series. Walk your rows. Talk about what you’re growing and why. Film the ugly days too.

The goal isn’t to go viral — it’s to be findable. When a reporter Googles “farm + [your town],” you want something to come up.

2. Lean into what makes your farm visually surprising

News crews couldn’t resist the contrast at Theo’s Harvest: drone shots of lush vegetable beds with a police station on one side and suburban houses on the other. That visual tension — abundance where you don’t expect it — made the story irresistible.

Find your farm’s “visual hook.” A rooftop garden downtown. A quarter-acre between strip malls. A teenager running a flower operation. Whatever makes someone say “wait, really? there?” — that’s your angle.

Write it in one sentence. That sentence is your pitch.

3. Land one story and let the domino effect do its thing

One outlet aired Tanner’s story. Within a week, another emailed. Then another. Newsrooms watch each other — once one runs your story, the rest see it as validated.

Don’t pitch ten outlets. Find the one local reporter who covers community, food, or lifestyle stories. Send a short email: who you are, what’s unique, and an invitation to visit. Attach one great photo.

Get one “yes” and the others come to you.

4. Be your authentic farmer self

Tanner was blunt: some farmers went to the field because they don’t love talking to people, and that’s fine. Whether you’re “gnarly” or “happy as hell to be on camera,” the key is honesty.

Skip the script. Walk a reporter through your farm the way you’d walk a neighbor. Talk about what you’re struggling with, what excites you, what you’re figuring out. Farms are inherently transparent — there’s almost no way for the story to be spun negatively.

That honesty is what builds trust. And trust is what turns viewers into customers.

5. Be ready to capture the demand

One of Tanner’s segments aired right before Good Morning America in his local market. He picked up about eight new CSA signups — many from people who’d never even heard of a CSA. Then came paid consulting requests, which he called “actually life-changing.”

Before press hits, make sure there’s a clear next step for new customers:

• CSA signup link — front and center
• Website listing where to buy your produce — up to date
• A “Work With Me” page if you have expertise to share

Press has a short shelf life. The window where people are searching your name is days, not weeks. Capture them while they’re warm.

The bottom line

Local press isn’t reserved for farms with marketing budgets. It starts with visibility, a story worth telling, and the willingness to be yourself on camera. One story leads to another — and the customers, members, and opportunities that follow can change the trajectory of your business.

As Tanner put it: “Take any opportunity you can.”

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