Hub-and-Spoke Farming Model
Current Challenges:
Many people in New England have considered raising livestock on their property or expanding existing agriculture at their current farm. However, folks entering the livestock industry are often hindered by the initial capital investment required to start.
Our Solution:
At Azuluna, we are pioneering a new farming model that relieves those challenges, empowering nascent farmers and fortifying regional food systems. We have developed a hub-and-spoke farming model that lowers the barrier of entry by providing the animals, shelter, veterinary care, fencing, and watering/feeding systems necessary to begin livestock farming.
How it Works:
Imagine a wheel. The hub is the central point of the wheel; in Azuluna’s case, our flagship hub farm in Woodstock, CT is the heart of our operations. Spokes branch off from the wheel’s hub; in this example, spoke farms that reside within 20 miles of the hub farm. Our hub farms supply resources and expertise to spoke farms, providing the materials and support necessary to ensure livestock are raised in an environment that prioritizes their welfare and the health of the land.
We guide our spoke farmers through the livestock rearing process, providing educational materials, and responding to their needs as they arise. At the end of the season, Azuluna compensates each farmer for their time and labor, purchasing the whole animal and paying competitive wages. During times of economic uncertainty and supply chain disruption, we provide supplementary income and dependable resource access to the people that humanely raise our livestock, regenerate our land, and feed our communities.
Fortified Economies:
The Azuluna hub-and-spoke farming model is an avenue for farmers to diversify their income streams and expand revenue in a financially sustainable way, requiring minimal investment of their time, subverting the traditional upfront costs, and reducing risk by providing a guaranteed market and fair wages.
Through this model, Azuluna will dramatically increase agricultural productivity, stimulating local economies by increasing regional employment and adding 120 new farm enterprises by 2024. As a result, more sustainably raised local livestock will be available on the market, raising 1,250 swine, 1,500 sheep, 50,000 meat chickens, and 625,000 eggs annually.
Our regenerative farming practices prioritize grassroots in more ways than one! Azuluna’s hub-and-spoke farming model lowers the barrier of entry for new farmers, promotes fair wages, and enhances regional economies.
