An end-of-year note from Will Harris, in all caps of course...
FRIENDS & CUSTOMERS OF WHITE OAK PASTURES,
WE WILL REMEMBER 2025 AS A GREAT YEAR FOR OUR FARM.
WHILE OUR PROFITABILITY WILL NOT PRINT AT A LEVEL THAT WE CAN BRAG ON- WE WILL THANKFULLY BE ABLE TO SHOW A MODEST PROFIT FOR THIS YEAR'S WORK! [WE HAVE HAD YEARS IN WHICH TAKING RISKS AND WORKING HARD STILL RESULTED IN AN OPERATIONAL LOSS.]
WHEN I SHARE PROFIT NUMBERS WITH MY FRIENDS WHO ARE CEO'S, OR MBA'S, OR CPA'S, OR SOME OTHER LETTERS...THEY WILL UNFAILINGLY ASK - "WHY WOULD YOU PUT SO MANY DOLLARS IN ASSETS AT RISK FOR SUCH A SMALL MARGIN OF PROFIT?" I'VE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION SO MANY TIMES THAT I'VE PUT TOGETHER A RESPONSE.
I HAVE BEEN TO SCHOOL. I UNDERSTAND HOW TO CALCULATE RETURN ON ASSETS AND OTHER COMMONLY USED FINANCIAL RATIOS. BUT THOSE CALCULATIONS ARE METRICS CREATED TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF MODERN BUSINESSES. BECAUSE...THESE CALCULATIONS WERE FORMULATED TO MEASURE THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF ASSETS THAT DEPRECIATE.
WE HAVE A FEW DEPRECIATING ASSETS- BUILDINGS & EQUIPMENT PRIMARILY...BUT MOST OF OUR ASSETS ARE INVESTED IN OUR REAL ESTATE AND OUR FARM ANIMALS: THE LAND AND THE HERDS!
IF YOUR WEALTH IS IN THE LAND AND THE HERD, IT IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MINDSET AND AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CALCULATION. I AM SHOCKED BY HOW MANY EDUCATED "BUSINESSMEN" DO NOT POSESS THIS BASIC FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF THIS FORM OF WEALTH.
NOT ONLY DO THE LAND & THE HERD NOT DEPRECIATE, IF PROPERLY MANAGED, THEY ACTUALLY GROW IN VALUE EACH YEAR. AND I AIN'T TALKING ABOUT INFLATION...I MEAN THAT THEY ACTUALLY GET BETTER AND BETTER GENERATIONALLY. THEY ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE, SO THEY ARE WORTH MORE AND MORE. THE LAND GETS RICHER AND RICHER, AND THE ANIMALS GET MORE AND MORE PRODUCTIVE....THAT IS- IF YOU KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY MANAGE THEM.
SO...IF ME, AND MY FAMILY, AND MY EMPLOYEES ARE ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING EACH YEAR...AND THE FARM'S FINANCIALS SHOW EVEN A VERY MODEST PROFIT...WE WILL BE JUST FINE, BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM IS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.
IN ADDITION, HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR:
- WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST SEVERAL WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS IN BLUFFTON ATTENDED BY SOME OF THE KINDEST PEOPLE. IT BRINGS ME JOY TO SEE OUR GHOST TOWN COME TO LIFE- AND, PERSONALLY MEET THOSE SUPPORTING OUR FARM.
- MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW STARTED A FARM EDUCATION EFFORT FOR HOMESCHOOL CHILDREN CALLED BLUFFTON OUTDOOR ACADEMY. I HAVE GROWN TO REALIZE THAT TRADITIONAL SCHOOL ISN'T FOR EVERYONE, AND HAVING MY GRANDCHILDREN CLOSE DURING THE DAY IS SPECIAL. I KNOW THEY ARE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THIS FARM AND OUR TOWN BLUFFTON, WHICH WILL ONE DAY HELP THEM SHAPE IT IN A WAY THAT WILL BE BETTER THAN THEY FOUND IT.
- WE ENJOYED OUR NEW GROUND BEEF PROCESSING ROOM AND FREEZER (COMPLETED IN LATE 2024), AND CONTINUE TO RENOVATE OUR 17-YEAR-OLD, ON-FARM, USDA-INSPECTED PROCESSING PLANTS.
- WE HAVE BEGUN A MASSIVE REMODEL TO OUR ON-FARM POULTRY PLANT, WHICH WILL ALLOW US ADDITIONAL PROCESSING CAPACITY FOR OUR PASTURE-RAISED HOGS, SHEEP AND GOATS. WE WON’T HAVE THIS COMPLETED UNTIL EARLY 2026, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BETTER USE OF THAT SPACE.
- EACH YEAR, WE SEE MORE AND MORE VISITORS- WE ADDED TWO NEW LODGING HOUSES, BOTH LOCATED IN BLUFFTON. THE PIN OAK AND BUR OAK HOUSES ARE READY FOR YOU. WE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE DO AT WHITE OAK PASTURES.
- THE CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCE, THE EDUCATIONAL NON-PROFIT I FOUNDED IN 2021, WAS AWARDED A $1MILLION GRANT TO BUILD A REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE TRAINING FACILITY IN BLUFFTON. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOME MORE HANDS, HEARTS, AND MINDS TO OUR FARM TO FURTHER MOVE THE NEEDLE ON VERTICALLY-INTEGRATED FOOD HUBS.
- I WAS RECOGNIZED BY ACRES WITH THE ECO-AG ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, THE ORGANIZATION’S HIGHEST HONOR. I AM HONORED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS THIS YEAR’S RECIPIENT. WHILE I DIDN'T MAKE ANY OF THESE CHANGES ON MY FARM FOR THE CREDIT OR AWARDS, I AM ENCOURAGED THAT WHAT WE HAVE DONE ON OUR FARM IN BLUFFTON HAS WORKED, AND OTHERS RECOGNIZE THE BENEFITS.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAD AS GOOD A YEAR AS WE DID. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND WORK WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
WILL HARRIS
WHITE OAK PASTURES
BLUFFTON, GEORGIA
