April 2024 - 31

FARMING IS A LIFESTYLE,
NOT A JOB. I CHOSE THIS
the two markets. Again, sometimes you make money,
sometimes you don't.
One of the biggest things in agriculture is
INDUSTRY ... I WAKE UP IN THE
MORNING EXCITED TO SEE WHAT
THE HARVEST BRINGS.
My personal 10-acre farm runs me about $2,000 an
acre to manage, which includes the fertilizers, sprays
and irrigation. That is the annual cost, not the initial cost
for equipment or planting. Depending on two things,
production and value, I have easily lost money or made
money year to year.
If in Ottawa County, our average is 5,500 pounds per
acre and I sell that crop for fresh market sales, I can
receive around $1 a pound. So I can bring in $5,500
per acre. This is good, considering my annual costs
are only $2,000.
But some years, my crop is not good enough to sell
as fresh and I have to sell it to processors. Then I would
only get about 25 cents per pound, which is $1,375 an
acre, and I would lose money. Every year is a mixture of
using technology to automate and help with crop
management. Like I said earlier, farmers are naturally
trying to be as efficient as possible when it comes to
their business. Most automation is in harvesting or
in packing facilities, such as automated sorters that
remove defective fruit, or automated pint and box
fillers. Labor is always expensive, so when farmers
can implement this type of equipment, they can knock
down input costs.
Farming is a lifestyle, not a job. I chose this industry.
My family didn't make me do it, I don't feel like It's a job
I hate. I wake up in the morning excited to see what the
harvest brings.
I hope I pass that on to the next generation. I'll be
honest, it's a tough sell. But we all must eat. If I don't do
it - I'm not sure who will.
Chad Reenders is the president of the Michigan
Blueberry Advisory Committee and manager for
Kamphuis Farms in Holland, Michigan. Reenders is
also a member of the 2023 class of Fruit + Vegetable
40 Under Forty winners.
FRUITGROWERSNEWS.COM | 31

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April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2024

Editor's Letter
Irrigation & Water Management: On-farm AI
Plant & Soil Health: Making the grade
Grower Profile: Carmel Valley winegrapes
IFTA Conference: Orchard insights
IFTA Conference: Tree fruit honorees
Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention: Industry professionals receive honors
Business: The surprising challenge
40 Under Forty Fresh Views: Lessons learned
Farm Market & Agritourism: Complementary markets promote local agriculture
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
April 2024 - 1
April 2024 - 2
April 2024 - 3
April 2024 - Editor's Letter
April 2024 - 5
April 2024 - Irrigation & Water Management: On-farm AI
April 2024 - 7
April 2024 - 8
April 2024 - 9
April 2024 - Plant & Soil Health: Making the grade
April 2024 - 11
April 2024 - 12
April 2024 - 13
April 2024 - Grower Profile: Carmel Valley winegrapes
April 2024 - 15
April 2024 - 16
April 2024 - 17
April 2024 - IFTA Conference: Orchard insights
April 2024 - 19
April 2024 - 20
April 2024 - 21
April 2024 - 22
April 2024 - 23
April 2024 - IFTA Conference: Tree fruit honorees
April 2024 - 25
April 2024 - Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention: Industry professionals receive honors
April 2024 - 27
April 2024 - Business: The surprising challenge
April 2024 - 29
April 2024 - 40 Under Forty Fresh Views: Lessons learned
April 2024 - 31
April 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Complementary markets promote local agriculture
April 2024 - 33
April 2024 - Classifieds
April 2024 - Advertiser Index
April 2024 - 36
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-fgn
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/fgn-vgn-40-under-40-class-of-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyers-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyers-guide
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2019
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