Feature Rural Entrepreneurship
in direct and indirect economic impact to Stevens County. Local restaurants, Airbnbs and shops all see an uptick, and some vendors have even gone on to open their own brickand-mortar stores after starting at the market.
But running such a large-scale event isn’ t always easy. Garza works on event planning almost every day of the year, handling applications, logistics and bookings. But all of that hard work has paid off, securing the ranch’ s financial future.
For Garza, success is more than dollar signs.“ It doesn’ t have to look like everyone else’ s homestead journey. Your path can be uniquely yours – and that’ s what makes it work, and what makes it special.”
To learn more about Moose Valley Ranch, visit the website at moosevalleyranch. com.
Black Barn Alpacas
Black Barn Alpacas began when owners Travis and Yussy El-Hibri decided to close their construction company in 2020 and return to their agricultural roots. They explored different sustainable livestock options, with alpacas quickly winning them over.
“ Once we met them in person and learned about how sustainable, kind, curious and cute they were, we instantly fell in love,” Yussy El-Hibri said.
What began as a herd of 20 alpacas in Texas has since grown into 150 animals on a thriving 50-acre farm in Maryland, supported by retail, farm events and agritourism.
From the beginning, the farm provided multiple revenue streams. Travis El-Hibri’ s retail background made the farm’ s alpaca fiber shop a natural fit, where they sell hypoallergenic, anti-microbial, thermo regulating and fully sustainable natural fiber products.
Events were later added, when a friend suggested hosting their first fall festival. After coverage on local television, Black Barn Alpacas hosted more than 20,000 people in one month. This success opened new doors, bringing thousands of visitors to the farm each year ever since.
“ That inspired us to introduce agritourism for people to meet and learn about these amazing animals we love so much,” Yussy El-Hibri said.
Today, the farm offers several seasonal events, including“ Fleece Navidad” at Christmas, Easter egg hunts, summer camps, luxury picnics, fiber workshops and wellness activities such as yoga and meditation. Their October“ Fall‘ Ag’ tivities” is the biggest draw and includes hayrides, pumpkin painting, themed games and the chance to meet the alpacas.
Tips for Rural Entrepreneurs
Pricing Tips
“ Research your competition so you can price competitively. If your product is different and warrants a higher price point, make sure you communicate the value through your marketing.” – Yussy El-Hibri
“ Charge your worth. This is especially tough for female entrepreneurs, but whatever you are offering has to be worth it for you to keep going. It’ s okay to make money off of your hard work.” – Jessica Garza
Branding & Signage
“ In order to pull everything together, there has to be threads of consistency to really nail your brand.” – Jessica Garza
“ The key to eye-catching signage is a perfect balance of bold visuals and clear messaging. High-quality images or illustrations naturally draw attention. Colors play a significant role, too – vibrant, contrasting tones stand out more.” – Yussy El-Hibri
Social Media“ Develop your voice and story and try to remain consistent throughout posting.” – Yussy El-Hibri
" Social media, at its heart, is about connection. Determine what is connecting with your ideal customer and find ways to repeatedly scale that into your content. Your customer is the hero of your social media and ensuring that every piece you create focuses on what they ' re going to get from that content is key." – Jessica Garza
“ Let’ s be real – the biggest draw for our fall offerings is the alpacas themselves,” Yussy El-Hibri laughed.
The journey to success, however, hasn’ t been without challenges, from relocating 100 animals across the country to navigating stricter Maryland agritourism regulations. But according to Yussy El-Hibri, flexibility has been key to their success.
“ My biggest advice is to pivot. Listen to the numbers and customer feedback – they will tell you exactly what direction your business should go.”
To learn more about Black Barn Alpacas, visit the website at blackbarnalpacas. com.
Photo by Black Barn Alpacas
years of selling history
Prep Your Pantry
For healthy eating, economy and just plain fun, preserving food is the way to go. Harvest your garden to can it, dehydrate it, ferment it or freeze dry it. Find what you need to stock your pantry and enjoy cooking at Lehman’ s.
Check out our new line of Lehman’ s exclusive water bath canners at LEHMANS. COM
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