From Overwhelmed and Sick to Calm and Profitable: One Kansas Farmer's Turnaround

Deedra Clifton of Prairie Peak Farms in central Kansas was doing what most small farmers do: waking up every morning and putting out fires. She was milking six goats, making cheese, selling raw milk, baking bread, producing goat milk soap, and trying to sell registered dairy goats — all while homeschooling three daughters and preparing them for rodeo queen pageants on weekends. She was behind on everything, constantly stressed, and had recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure and two autoimmune diseases. Her doctor wanted to put her on medication, but she wanted to try lifestyle changes first. "I just thought it was life," she says. "This is just what happens when you have three children."

The Power of One and the Problem of Too Many Irons

What finally got Deedra's attention was a podcast episode about "the power of one" — the idea that farmers should focus on getting one product profitable, sold through one channel, before expanding. She was selling multiple things in multiple ways and making money on none of them. Her prices were too low because she worried about affordability for customers. She was delivering products herself, meeting people all over, and burning time and energy.