10 Reasons Saskatchewan Farms Need a Website (Even If You Don’t Sell Online)

As a Saskatchewanian, I’ve got a soft spot for the local way of doing business here: Handshakes, word-of-mouth, and helping each other out when it counts. But I also want my fellow Sask folks (and especially our farms and rural businesses) to be easy to find and easy to trust online, without having to turn into some big, flashy “internet brand.” That’s why I’m such a believer in simple, brochure-style websites: they keep your business rooted in the community while making sure new customers, partners, and even future hires can actually find you when they go looking.

Let’s be real: Saskatchewan is still pretty old-school (in the best way). A lot of business happens through handshakes, coffee chats, and “my cousin knows a guy.” But even in a word-of-mouth world, people still Google first. And if your farm doesn’t show up… you’re basically invisible to anyone who doesn’t already have your number saved.

Good news: you don’t need a fancy online store. A simple brochure-style website can do a lot of heavy lifting.

Here are 10 reasons farms in Saskatchewan should have a website, even if you’re not selling a single thing online.

1) People can find you (without playing detective)

If someone hears your farm name and searches it, your website makes it easy to confirm you’re real, local, and legit—without scrolling through five-year-old posts and a blurry logo.

2) It builds trust fast

A clean website with a few photos, your story, and clear contact info instantly says: “Yes, we’re professional. Yes, we answer messages. Yes, we exist outside of seeding season.”

3) It’s your online “farm sign” that never blows over

A website is like signage on the highway, except it works in January, in minus 50, during a snowstorm, and it doesn’t need new screws.

4) You control the info (instead of Facebook controlling it)

Facebook is great… until it isn’t. A website is the one place where your hours, services, and updates don’t get buried under memes and algorithm chaos. Don't just trust Facebook to be your online presence.

5) Hiring gets way easier

Seasonal help, full-time roles, family-run expansions—whatever it is, a website lets you post:

• What you do

• Where you are

• What you’re hiring for

• How to apply

Without relying on “share this post please!”

6) It helps you look established (even if you’re small)

You can be a small operation and still look polished. A website levels the playing field, especially when you’re competing for contracts, partnerships, or new customers.

7) It answers the same questions you get all the time

You know the ones:

“Where are you located?”

“What do you grow/raise?”

“Do you offer custom work?”

“How do I get in touch?”

A website can handle that while you handle… literally everything else.

8) It makes referrals actually work

Word of mouth is powerful, but a website gives your customers and community something easy to share that doesn’t require a paragraph of directions.

9) It supports your reputation in the community

Whether it’s sustainability practices, animal care, family history, or community involvement, your website is a calm, clear place to tell your story the way you want it told.

10) It’s a simple “future-proof” move

Maybe you don’t sell online now. Totally fine. But a website keeps the door open for later - CSA signups, wholesale inquiries, farm tours, a mailing list, whatever makes sense down the road.

What a simple farm website should include

If you want the “keep it simple” version, aim for:

Home (what you do + where you are)

About (your story + a friendly photo)

Services / What We Offer (clear list)

Gallery (real photos beat stock photos every time)

Contact (form + email + phone)

Optional: Hiring page + FAQ

If you’re a Saskatchewan farm and you’ve been thinking, “We should probably have a website…”—this is your sign. (The online kind.)

If you want, I can help you put together a simple, good-looking brochure website that feels like you—no tech headache, no weird fluff, and no pressure to become an online store overnight. Reach out to me today or take a look at the website templates I offer.