Megan McDonald, owner of Old McDonald Had a Farm Stand, relies on her connections to local farmers as well as her ability to adapt and pivot as key ingredients to her success. Like all too many in March of 2020, Megan found herself without a job as her current role was not possible remotely, but she still had to find a way to continue to make a living and pay the bills.
It was at that time that she had the idea to utilize her connections with local farmers and her experience in preparing healthy, delicious meals to create a produce delivery service which provided families with 7-10 fresh and unique items each week. “It became the highlight of people’s week,” shares Megan, and her team quickly gained new customers which led to 400 weekly deliveries.
To accommodate the growth of her business, Megan moved into a space in New Freedom where she also now houses her family’s business of making whoopie pies. Upon the move, she quickly connected with the small business community in New Freedom through the Rail Trail Towns Business Networking Group meetings. There, she learned about the resources available to her as an entrepreneur in York County such as the Trail Towns program and the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center.
Last year, she attended the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center’s Small Business Classes 201 course: Small Business Growth & Maintenance, held at Crispus Attucks for 6 weeks. While there, she established relationships with fellow entrepreneurs and connected with organizations that also had resources for small businesses.
When asked about how the classes have supported her growth as a small business owner, Megan said “I think it’s the connections more than anything.” She supplied cookies to class participants, believing everyone is a potential customer. “I wouldn’t have those sales without meeting them,” she shares. “It’s all like a tree effect where it branches out.”
This year, Megan seeks to do some renovations to her space, host new classes and workshops in her event space and even bring some exciting (and yummy), new additions to her product offerings. If you’re interested in trying delicious whoopie pies and baked goods, as well as fresh produce from local farmers, Old McDonald Had a Farm Stand will be reopening for the season at the end of March!