Customer Feature: Aaron & Tara Helmick (Anathoth Livestock)

亚伦和塔拉·赫尔米克和他们的四个孩子在西弗吉尼亚州美丽的汉斯溪谷经营着一家名为anathth livestock LLC的多元化畜牧业企业. Both Aaron and Tara have backgrounds in agriculture, though they built this enterprise from the ground up. It started as a dairy and they have since transitioned to sheep and 牛肉. 

亚伦和塔拉·赫尔米克于2009年结婚，不久之后，他们决定开一家自己的农场. They began looking at properties and through a friend who was an extension agent, found a farm in Greenville, WV for lease that fit the bill. After an 18-month process of planning, working out the lease agreement and getting the financing in order, the Helmicks were able to milk their first cow on March 13, 2010. 直到2020年1月，他们经营着以草为基础的季节性乳制品，扩大了三倍. Aaron and Tara transitioned away from the dairy for several reasons, though primarily due to labor and lifestyle. 随着规模的扩大，奶牛场越来越难以单靠他们两个人管理. 向有机乳制品的转变需要更多的时间来保存记录，并消除了他们计划的季节性. Helmicks一家的经营水平是“不可持续的努力”，他们决定将农场转变为不同的商品重点，这样他们就可以有更多的时间和不断壮大的家庭在一起. 

大约600只毛羊(有时更多)构成了Helmicks目前业务的核心, though they also have a smaller flock of wool sheep, a feeder lamb enterprise and 牛肉. 他们过渡到以羊为主的经营，主要有两个原因:生活方式和收入. 羊可以和他们以前在同一块土地上的奶制品收入竞争(更少的管理费用和更高的利润)，他们知道他们想让他们的孩子参与到农场中来，所以肉牛对他们的孩子来说有点太大和危险. 他们也没有足够的借贷能力来建立牛群来维持他们的收入水平和他们拥有的土地数量. 如今，Helmicks的肉牛业务是通过销售/购买营销来完成的. They buy what’s undervalued and try to sell what’s overvalued, and this is done in a relatively short timeframe, in order to keep overhead costs low. They also offer contract grazing 机会 for other farmers in the area. 

Aaron and Tara agree, 手了, 他们的事业最有价值的方面是他们能够和家人一起工作. They homeschool their four children, so they are actively involved with the operation, as they are able. “We wanted a business where family could be part of it, and it has proven to be a good decision for us,塔拉分享道。. 她继续说道:“体育彩票外围平台的孩子每天都和体育彩票外围平台在一起，他们从那里学到了很多东西. Plus, we get to spend quality time with them that other people have to give up.他们开玩笑说，孩子们有时很愿意去姥姥家, to get a break from the farm. “They do work hard, but they’re very capable. It’s amazing what they can do,亚伦说. 

Because they have made the commitment to work with their family, Helmicks一家非常积极地继续改善他们的农场，以确保它能养活他们的家庭. “The farm has to pay a sustainable, 以体育彩票外围平台的教育和经验水平，体育彩票外围平台的收入与非农工作相当,塔拉分享道。, “We look at our profitability annually and analyze what we could be doing, what it’s worth and we make the choice again every year, to make the farm work.” 

As far as building a legacy, the Helmicks believe the legacy is their children, not the piece of land or the business. “It’s what we are able to teach the kids and instill in them right now, while they’re here on the farm with us. 我的目标是让他们成为有生产力的公民，能够为社区做出贡献。”塔拉说道. “When they leave here, life should be easier,亚伦补充道, “If they go to work for somebody else or have a business of their own, we want them to be curious, know how to learn and know how to work.”

When the Helmicks first transitioned to sheep, there was a steep learning curve, which was a challenge that they had to overcome. 然而, Aaron and Tara have gone through some educational trainings, where they have learned to lean into the SWOT (strengths, 弱点, 机会, threats) analysis, so they try not to view hurdles as challenges, but rather 机会 for growth and improvement. “体育彩票外围平台试着改变体育彩票外围平台面对挑战的态度——体育彩票外围平台试着正视挑战，从中看到机遇. How can we solve this problem for someone else or for ourselves?亚伦说. 他接着说, “I think the biggest challenge we’ve faced in this whole journey is people, and I don’t mean labor. We’ve always been focused on our business, 但他真的不明白与人日常交往和建立牢固关系的重要性.” Aaron quoted a saying his mentor uses: “Every problem is a people problem; thereby every solution is a people solution.“因此, Helmicks一直致力于与他们接触的每个人建立牢固的工作关系, including their landlords, extension agents, 银行, service providers, livestock markets, 和更多的. 

Farming is one of the most challenging careers out there, especially for folks just getting started in the industry. As beginning farmers, 亚伦和塔拉很欣赏阿米什人的做法，他们鼓励初创企业经营者和年轻一代首先投资于能在短时间内产生现金回报的资产, 然后是使工作更有效率并在中期时间框架内产生回报的资产, 在最终购买土地之前，所有这些早期投资都是现金流. 亚伦指出，把重点放在生产和管理现金流上对他们很有帮助, rather than the agonizing over the balance sheet when they were getting started. 回顾, 亚伦和塔拉说，他们犯的错误变成了宝贵的教训，帮助他们成长，并在改进运营方面拥有更多的自主权.

Helmicks与Farm Credit的关系始于2017年的一笔房地产贷款, 他们很感激农场信贷官员帮助他们尽可能顺利地完成了从乳制品到绵羊的重大转变. 他们的信贷员在那里耐心和理解地帮助他们完成整个过程. 他们感谢农业信贷知识中心提供的教育活动和资源, 也. 

As for the future of Anathoth Livestock, 亚伦和塔拉在管理企业方面继续磨练自己的技能, while trying to put people and relationships at the top of the priority list. Their current operation has a lot of moving parts, but it is simplified 和更多的 flexible than the dairy, 这能让他们把更多的精力放在家庭生活和四个活泼的孩子身上. 然而，该业务将在未来两到三年内进入战略建设阶段. Aaron and Tara have plans to change their business model, 随着生产方面的萎缩，养殖和销售/购买营销部分的增长. 他们还计划利用他们与全国各地农业社区的农民和专业人士建立的关系，帮助其他刚刚进入这个行业的年轻农民. They are appreciative of the support they’ve received over the years, 因此，他们希望通过帮助教育其他年轻农民，分享智能增长的最佳实践和工具来扭转局面. 

This feature story was published in the June 2024 领袖杂志. Access the full magazine (digital version) 在这里.