by Earning $100k per acre farming and direct marketing organic vegetables: almost unbelievable but true and Robert Wagner of Wagner Farms is here to tell us exactly how, including:
- How he started his vegetable farm in 2020 and grew QUICKLY.
- His unique business model that enables him to serve 156 customers every week WITHOUT A FARMER’S MARKET.
- How he organizes his systems to produce almost 60,000 LBS worth of produce on a single acre.
- And MORE
Specific topics are time stamped below and for a printable cheat sheet featuring the top 10 takeaways from today’s discussion on EARNING $100K PER ACRE FARMING, click on the link above and I will email it directly to you.
ROB’S WEBSITE: theWegenerFarm.com
The Shepherdess:
Today we’re talking with Rob and his family, who are working with just 1.5 acres to produce around 60,000 pounds of food annually—and serve 156 CSA customers. We’re going to dive into how they do it.
First, the goal of the Virtual Small Farmer Meetup is to connect small farmers from across the nation—and around the world—to share skills, resources, and encouragement. If you’re here with questions, there are a ton of people ready to help.
Rob, can you tell us where you’re located?
Robert Wegener:
Sure. We’re in Fenton, Michigan.
One interesting thing about our location is that we’re on one of the only hills in the area, which creates a unique little microclimate. So even though we’re in the middle of Michigan, we’re really in Zone 6B. We can stretch the season a little more than you could just a mile in any direction from here.
The Shepherdess:
Wow, that’s neat. Alright, everyone, warm up the comments and let us know where you’re tuning in from tonight. Where in the world are you, and what are you farming? If it’s just hopes and dreams right now, go ahead and share that too—it counts!
I’m here in Northeast Texas, farming primarily Dorper sheep. Occasionally, I’ll raise a beef steer or two, and my sister runs laying hens. Rob, give us a rundown of what you’re raising on your farm.
Robert Wegener:
We’re primarily an organic vegetable farm. We got our USDA certification about three years ago.
We currently have around 270 laying hens, and by summer we’ll grow the flock to nearly 500 to supply our CSA. We also raise broilers and, for the first time this year, we’ll be doing some turkeys. And—if I learn enough from the Shepherdess—we may try our hand at sheep!
The Shepherdess:
That sounds like a solid plan. Let’s dive in.
When did you start your farm?
Robert Wegener:
We bought the farm in 2020. Our first CSA was in 2021 with 10 friends we pretty much cornered into saying yes. That first season was all about seeing if we could actually grow anything.
Now we’re five years in. Last year—year four—we had 120 shares, serving about 156 families (some folks had half shares). We also serve a few hundred families through our farmers market and our farm stand, which I jokingly call my “vegetable vending machine” at the end of our driveway.
It’s been pretty astronomical growth. This year, we’re actually dialing it back a bit—we got a little ahead of our systems last year. Now it’s time to make the farm more efficient and profitable so it’s sustainable long-term.
The Shepherdess:
So 156 CSA customers—are you looking to expand past the 1.5 acres?
Robert Wegener:
Actually, I’d like to go smaller.
If you’ve ever heard of Conor Crickmore in upstate New York—he’s farming less than an acre and making four times the revenue we are on 1.5 acres. This market gardening thing really comes down to systems, efficiency, and how intensely you can use your space.
So I don’t see us expanding our vegetable acreage. I would love more land for animals though—like I said, I’m interested in sheep—but that would mean acquiring a separate property.
The Shepherdess:
And is 1.5 acres your total land base?
Robert Wegener:
Yes, though about 10,000 square feet of that is under plastic—you can see one of our caterpillar tunnels in the background.
The Shepherdess:
Let’s talk business model. Folks are already asking: What is a CSA?
Robert Wegener:
Glad you asked—I get excited about this.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. The model came from a need to match farm revenue with farm expenses. It’s basically a subscription: customers pay at the start of the season, and that gives me the capital I need to grow the food. In return, they get fresh vegetables and eggs all season long.
But the best part is the community. Our pickup points have become places where people swap recipes, canned goods—you name it. It builds a real connection and keeps folks coming back year after year.
The Shepherdess:
That’s great. How often do customers receive their shares?
Robert Wegener:
We offer four products—two full shares (weekly), and two half shares (every other week). The half shares allow us to offer a lower-cost option while still keeping production even. Two half shares staggered across weeks look just like one full share from a production standpoint.
The Shepherdess:
You mentioned earlier that predictability is a big benefit. Why did you choose CSA over just going all-in at the farmers market?
Robert Wegener:
Predictability is key. I know at the start of the season exactly what I need to grow. I tell people it’s like writing a symphony for 50 instruments—we grow 50 kinds of vegetables. You need to know when to seed, transplant, harvest, and pack.
We grow extras for the market and the farm stand, but the CSA helps us plan. It also lets us grow things we love but couldn’t sell easily at market. We can put something unique in the box, share a recipe, and create excitement.
The Shepherdess:
It sounds like you’ve built a whole system. Did you have a background in farming before this?
Robert Wegener:
At age 12, I was driving a big old tractor—an Oliver 4-270. I worked on my uncles’ farms until I was about 17. Unfortunately, they didn’t adjust to the changing agricultural landscape. They never shifted to direct-to-consumer or higher-margin models, and those farms eventually disappeared.
At the time, being a farmer wasn’t exactly “cool.” It was what you did if you couldn’t figure out anything else. But now, after 30 years in corporate America, I want to be a farmer. I’m stepping away from a corporate career to do what I started at 12.
The Shepherdess:
That’s a powerful full-circle moment. And CSA is such a direct-to-consumer model, too. I recently interviewed Luke Groce, and he started with vegetables in a CSA like you, then added meat. The beauty was that he already had the customer base in place.
You’re also certified organic. Was that something you started with or added later?
Robert Wegener:
We certified halfway through our second year. The process isn’t easy, especially for market gardens like ours with high diversity. But it was worth it—the value of that certification in the market is significant.
Transparency is what really matters. Not everyone can tour the farm, so certification gives customers peace of mind. But yes—it’s a lot of paperwork. We have to track everything from seed to sale, even on a single head of lettuce.
Luckily, I’m decent with Excel and built tools to help us stay organized. We also use Slack with our crew—it creates a great audit trail for inspectors.
The Shepherdess:
That’s brilliant. You’re adapting business tech tools to the farm.
A question came in: Can you break down your CSA pricing? Have you had to raise prices, and can the market support that?
Robert Wegener:
We’ve raised prices every year. We also have a “founder share” with a discount for our original customers—it’s a thank-you for their loyalty.
For 2025, our full share with weekly vegetables and a dozen eggs for 18 weeks is $845. Pay by check and you get a discount (saves us credit card fees). The half share with eggs is about $430. We also offer both without eggs at a lower price.
We spent a lot on marketing last year. This year, we’re charging 16% more—but doing much less marketing. That’s the power of building a brand and tapping into growing demand for honest food.
The Shepherdess:
That’s a great segue. After those first 10 friends, how did you scale to 156 CSA members?
Robert Wegener:
Lots of social media, word of mouth, and some partnerships with local businesses. Social media has been a powerful tool.
The Shepherdess:
Someone’s asking where you got your caterpillar tunnel.
Robert Wegener:
Farmer’s Friend. Best deal going. They’ll ship you a full kit on a pallet with everything you need. If you want to save even more, buy it without hardware and source locally.
We also have two big high tunnels—120′ x 32’—with lots of automation. Those came from Nifty Hoops, a local company here in Michigan. They built the high tunnels; I built the cat tunnels.
The Shepherdess:
What do your hen runs look like?
Robert Wegener:
That’s a bit of redneck engineering! One’s built on a hay wagon with wire and rollout nesting boxes to keep the eggs clean. Another is on a roadworthy wagon—same setup. We also have one on skids built by the Amish. We move them to fresh grass as much as possible.
We use nipple waterers and 55-gallon barrel feeders with ports around the edges. We can load them up once a week and avoid daily chores.
The Shepherdess:
Ariel asks: how do you plan your plantings to match the number of customers?
Robert Wegener:
Trade secret! Just kidding.
I’ve built an Excel model over the years. Based on past data, I know yields per bed-foot. For example, I know a 100-foot bed of bok choy will yield X pounds based on prior seasons.
For season-long crops like eggplants or peppers, we plant based on experience. For potatoes? I plant as many as I can find space for. They’re not profitable in a market garden—but they’re just so cool to grow. Our customers love them.
The Shepherdess:
So they take too much space and time?
Robert Wegener:
Exactly. Potatoes occupy ground all season, while bok choy turns over in 30 days. Same space, way more yield.
The Shepherdess:
Out of curiosity, what’s your day job?
Robert Wegener:
I’m a financial services executive—with an MBA from the University of Michigan and an econ degree from a small liberal arts college. Definitely one of those “overeducated” types. But now I just want to farm.
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”
Luke 16:10
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