---
title: What is the 'right size' for regional value chains?
description: What is the “appropriate scale” for producers and processors committed to advancing Collaborative Regional Value Chains?
image: https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hubfs/Blog-Header-Gate.png
---

[![wop-logo-black-desktop@2x](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png?width=280&name=wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png)](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com)

# What is the 'right size' for regional value chains?

Posted by [Will Harris](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/author/will-harris)   
 May 8, 2023 6:46:28 PM

**![Blog-Header-Gate](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog-Header-Gate.png?width=1200&height=600&name=Blog-Header-Gate.png)**

**What is the “appropriate scale” for producers and processors committed to advancing Collaborative Regional Value Chains?**

No facet of a producer's (or processor's) business model is more important than- "What is the appropriate scale for me?"  It is **the** life or death question. 

**Unfortunately, no decision that the producer must face has more complexity than this 7-word question.   The Valley of Death between being too small and being too big is enormous, and it is treacherous.**

It ain't comforting when a life-or-death question is horribly complex.

This is because all of the following considerations must be explored:

- Local Economy - be in the right zip code.
- Local Ecosystem - know what Nature wants done where you are farming.
- Producers Expertise - you will not be able to read enough “How-to-Farm” books.
- Available Capital - there is never enough.
- Cash Flow - it will take a lot longer than you thought.
- Administration functions - all of the painful office stuff has got to get done.

**The producer must also consider the Series of 4 Hills that must be climbed, remembering that he cannot see the next hill from the foot of the most immediate hill.**

Hill 1 -  Learn how to produce without dependence on industrial agriculture's tools of technology. (This is the fun part).

Hill 2 - Figure out how to make his production monetizable.  Consumers don't buy hogs and cows and sheep.  (They buy pork and beef and lamb).

Hill 3 - Find market access.  How to find the customer.  They are not likely to be your friends and neighbors.

Hill 4 - How to get the product to the customer.

Getting 3 out of the 4 ain't good enough.  And for God's Sake, sell directly to the consumer and not through a wholesaler!

Stay flexible.  What makes sense today is not necessarily the right thing to do next year.  If you ain't humble when you start, you will be.

- Will Harris

---

| [![social-instagram-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-instagram-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-instagram-circle-black-bordered.png) ](https://www.instagram.com/whiteoakpastures/) | [![social-facebook-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-facebook-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-facebook-circle-black-bordered.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/whiteoakpastures/) | [![social-linkedin-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-linkedin-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-linkedin-circle-black-bordered.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/whiteoakpastures) | [![social-twitter-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-twitter-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-twitter-circle-black-bordered.png)](https://twitter.com/whiteoakpasture) | [![social-youtube-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-youtube-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-youtube-circle-black-bordered.png)](https://www.youtube.com/c/whiteoakpastures) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

## → [Return to Blog Home](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog)

Keep reading about our three core values:

[Regenerative Agriculture](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/topic/regenerative-land-management) • [Animal Welfare](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/topic/animal-welfare) • [Rural Revival](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/topic/rural-community)

For cooking tips and original recipes, check out our recipe blog:

[![Grassfed & Pastured Recipes](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2583041/2f7fdfac-5e11-4f54-9187-f53c30176dd8.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2583041/2f7fdfac-5e11-4f54-9187-f53c30176dd8)

![White Oak Pastures logo](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png?width=280&name=wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png)

© 2021 White Oak Pastures