Backyard to Business: How Urban and Micro-Farmers Can Benefit from FarmRaise Tracks

Across the United States, urban areas are seeing a surge in local food initiatives that reimagine what food production can look like. From rooftop gardens to vertical farming systems, a growing number of growers are transforming micro farms and backyard spaces into thriving small businesses. These operations, rooted in self-sufficiency and community, play a vital role in strengthening local food systems, promoting sustainability, and improving food security.

Yet while growing food in urban gardens or high tunnels can be rewarding, the financial side of operating a small-scale farm often presents steep learning curves. That’s where FarmRaise Tracks comes in—an intuitive, farmer-focused tool designed to help manage expenses, organize records, and prepare for funding opportunities.

Meeting the Needs of Urban Farmers

Urban farmers, whether growing microgreens in a greenhouse, maintaining raised beds in community gardens, or cultivating aquaponic lettuce indoors, face unique challenges. Their operations might be classified as a start-up, a non-profit, or a community supported agriculture (CSA program). These growers often run into tight zoning restrictions, complex regulatory requirements, and the ongoing need to maximize productivity in every square foot. In some cases, hydroponic or vertical farming systems offer year-round solutions, but they still require detailed planning and efficient financial management.

Despite these constraints, urban agriculture is flourishing in cities and even suburban neighborhoods. But like rural areas, small-scale farms in cities must still keep track of their farm business income, expenses, and compliance with local regulations. Whether it's managing compost, calculating the cost of natural resources like water, or tracking greenhouse maintenance, having a tailored financial tool can make all the difference. With FarmRaise Tracks, farmers can log transactions as they occur, categorize expenses with agriculture-specific tags, and generate reports tailored for tax filing, USDA funding applications, and business planning.

What Is FarmRaise Tracks?

FarmRaise Tracks is a financial tool created specifically for farmers. It simplifies recordkeeping for those managing full-time operations, part-time gigs, or experimental plots in hydroponic or aquaponic systems. Designed for small-scale farms of any type, it removes the friction of spreadsheets and enables farmers to track their income and expenses in real-time.

The software includes:

Mobile-friendly transaction logging
Ag-specific income and expense categories
Exportable reports for taxes, lenders, and grants
Compatibility with USDA requirements for financial documentation

Whether you're selling at farmers markets, supplying local grocery stores, or distributing through a CSA, staying financially organized is key to scaling your farm business.

From Passion Project to Viable Business

One of the biggest hurdles for small-scale growers is the transition from growing food as a hobby to managing a financially viable operation. Urban farms often start out as grassroots initiatives, fueled by passion for healthy food and sustainable practices. But once revenue enters the picture, responsibilities change.

FarmRaise Tracks helps:

Monitor profitability on a crop-by-crop basis
Adjust pricing models based on actual cost inputs (like compost, seed, or high tunnel materials)
Keep documentation in place for USDA grant applications or local partnerships
Create a business plan that reflects real-world income and expenses

Simplifying Taxes and Grant Readiness

Farmers who don’t have streamlined bookkeeping often face stress during tax season or miss out on funding opportunities due to incomplete documentation. FarmRaise Tracks ensures that financial records are always up to date and aligned with agricultural production norms.

With pre-set categories like "organic certification," "pesticides," "irrigation supplies," and "greenhouse infrastructure," Tracks helps:

Streamline Schedule F tax prep
Demonstrate eligibility for USDA programs or partnerships with local non-profits
Organize finances for zoning hearings or coop formation

This structure benefits not just urban farmers but also small businesses focused on food production and resource stewardship.

Supporting Urban Food Systems

Urban farming is about more than business. It's a response to climate change, a way to manage natural resources wisely, and a method for building resilient food systems that connect rural areas and cities. Whether it's a rooftop tomato operation or a coop raising chickens in a neighborhood backyard, these farms improve access to nutritious food while reducing transportation emissions.

Tools like FarmRaise Tracks empower farmers to do this work more sustainably by providing clear insights into:

Seasonal costs tied to the growing season
Income sources from CSA shares, farmers markets, or grocery partnerships
Capital investments in greenhouses, high tunnels, or soil health
Supply chains that include organic farming suppliers or compost services

In cities where food deserts are common, supporting these producers strengthens local markets and connects people with locally-grown, nutrient-rich foods.

Getting Started with FarmRaise Tracks

FarmRaise Tracks is designed to be easy to implement. Here’s how to begin:

Visit FarmRaise to create your account.
Start tracking expenses manually or by linking a farm bank account.
Use built-in agricultural categories to organize inputs and revenue.
Generate reports for your accountant, funder, or team.

Even if you’re new to managing farm finances, Tracks offers a path toward greater clarity, accountability, and scalability.

Building a Resilient Urban Agriculture Future

From backyard raised beds to greenhouse-equipped rooftops, today’s urban agriculture is rewriting the rules of food production. Urban and micro-farmers are reshaping food systems with creativity, purpose, and partnerships that center local farmers, food security, and resilience.

FarmRaise Tracks supports that vision by making agricultural production more accessible and transparent. Whether you're applying for a USDA grant, launching a coop, or forming a non-profit to teach youth about compost and organic farming, good recordkeeping will set your operation apart.

In a world grappling with climate change and uneven food access, urban farms offer real solutions. With tools like FarmRaise Tracks, small-scale producers can thrive, scale, and serve as catalysts for a healthier, more self-sufficient food future. The next generation of food producers is growing not just in fields, but in the heart of cities—on rooftops, balconies, and shared community gardens—proving that food systems can be just, sustainable, and rooted in every square foot of land available.

Ready to get started? Sign up for FarmRaise today and start building a better future for your farm. Use code IT3H12B at checkout for 20% off or use this link to checkout now.