Since the Quinns own a specialty flour mill in Fort Benton, they stay in close touch with the marketplace. Bob started milling his own grain 15 years ago as a way to produce more income from the farm's products. It also led them into organic practices. When some of their buyers asked for organic grain in the mid 1980s, Bob gathered information from other farmers and tried raising a few crops organically. By 1989 he had converted the whole farm to organic methods, and was certified by the Organic Crop Improvement Association.
Direct marketing has other rewards as well.
I remember the first time a woman came out and told me thank you for growing food for her family. It gave him a tremendous amount of satisfaction. Bob is passing knowledge on to Thad, renting machinery to him, and giving him a chance to build equity. Eventually Thad will be able to branch out on his own. I feel like it's a small contribution toward repopulating family farmers on the land.