Project 1: Farm Website

Brainstorming.
I'm currently working on a logo design and color palette for this website. I'm also compiling all of the information about the farm from the owners.

I decided to go with a "rust" color palette. The farm has been in the family since the 40s, so it shows tradition and age. Most things on the farm are not new. They are older and rusted and have been used a lot. This is my reasoning for going with the "rusted" colors.

Research.
An article I found from 1999 on the farm. I need to have the family read this to see if it is up to date.
Top Beef Hand Article

Here is a short article from 1965 on the history of how the beef cattle industry developed.
Development of the Beef Cattle Industry

Land use for crops is inversly proportional to cow/calf numbers.
Beef Cow Numbers, Crop Acreage, and Crop Policy

How relationships are affected/changed within a family business.
Strategic Management of the Family Business


Reflection.
After reading the articles, I became to understand more how the Smoker's farm is affected by numerous things. Working with your family members can cause a lot of drama and stress. It happens to every family business. The key is communication, which is something that I have seen with the Smokers. Another thing that affects the farm is the amount of crops grown. If farmers decide to pasture their calves, the Smokers have more of an opportunity to bring in more cattle. However, if the farmers decide to plant crops instead of pasturing, the Smokers bring in less cattle each year. I learned about about the beef cattle industry began with the 1965 article. It gives me more of an understanding of how and why it began.