From First-Time Farmer to Turmeric Grower: Heather’s Journey with Good Agriculture

From First-Time Farmer to Turmeric Grower: Heather’s Journey with Good Agriculture How Heather Got Started Turmeric Farming Four years ago, Heather Fritz had never farmed before.   She was an architectural photographer and drone pilot when she felt led toward farming and eventually landed on growing turmeric in Reynolds, Georgia.   “I wanted to grow something medicinal and I was led to turmeric. As a cancer survivor, it felt like a good fit and I got many signs that pointed me to this crop and all the resources I would need.”   Today, Heather owns Bloodfire Orchards, a permaculture-inspired turmeric farm focused on growing medicinal crops and helping people grow their own medicine. Getting Started with Good Agriculture Heather first connected with Good Agriculture through one of our beginning farmer webinars in 2022 while she was still figuring out how to turn the idea into a business.   “There was a seven-part webinar series for beginning farmers that outlined absolutely everything that I needed to know from the beginning.”   From there, we worked with Heather on a business case to help her understand the numbers behind her farm idea, including expenses, pricing, and long-term profitability. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Good Agriculture (@good.agriculture.hq) Turning an Idea Into a Business Like many first-generation farmers, Heather was learning everything from scratch.   “I had absolutely no experience… in growing anything or even doing yard work. I have done a lot of research and thought that turmeric could be profitable since the majority is imported and quality is inconsistent at best.”   The business case helped her see what building a turmeric operation could realistically look like financially and gave her confidence moving forward.   “Numbers don’t lie and I was confirmed in my belief that I can make money at being a turmeric farmer. Too often small time farming has the reputation of being a losing battle.”   For Heather, seeing the numbers early on helped validate that this was more than just an idea. Continuing to Grow As Bloodfire Orchards continued growing, Heather eventually joined Good Agriculture’s Basics bookkeeping tier to help keep the business organized and save time.   “When we started doing that, it has been exponentially helpful, beneficial, time-saving.”   She also shared that having access to funding opportunities, networking connections, and agriculture-specific support has helped as she continues building the farm.   “This is not a hobby. This is the whole rest of my life and my God Mission.” Not Sure Where to Start? No matter the tier, farmers get a monthly profit and loss statement, cashflow statement, and balance sheet in a way that’s easy to understand. On average, farmers tell us we save them 5-10 hours a week by taking bookkeeping off their plate. And 98% stay with us because the reports help them actually see what’s working and what needs attention. Heather’s story is a reminder that many farmers are starting from scratch. Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to begin, and that’s where we come in.    Whether you’re an established farmer or just starting out, we know that bookkeeping and financial planning can be overwhelming. We’re here to help you stick to farming by helping you know where your farm stands. GET STARTED WITH US