Early Morning Harvest began as a hobby that has since transformed into a premier aquaponic produce farm and organic grain mill.
In 1993, Jeff Hafner and his father, Earl, began farming together. Jeff had purchased the acreage where his grandparents lived and farmed for many years prior. After farming the land for a few years, Jeff and Earl transitioned their farmland to organic in 2000.
The aquaponic greenhouse became a reality in 2010. Jeff worked to repurpose existing structures on the acreage to complete the greenhouse. Since the completion of the original greenhouse, Early Morning Harvest has expanded to grow produce in aquaponic, hydroponic, and seasonal greenhouses, as well as an outdoor garden and orchard.
Early Morning Harvest is able to set itself apart from traditional greenhouses as it has the ability to harvest produce year-round due to the heated aquaponic greenhouse. In addition, they follow organic practices and believe in raising produce without harmful chemicals or pesticides.
At Early Morning Harvest, they are able to grow a wide range of produce. Some of their offerings include asparagus, cucumbers, rhubarb, various fruits, herbs, leafy greens, and peppers.
In addition to the aquaponic greenhouse, Early Morning Harvest runs a stone mill. Purchased and built in the winter of 2011 and 2012, the stone mill provided a way for Jeffās father, Earl, to make cereal and other flour products from the organic grains grown on the farm.
As the demand for flour products produced through the stone mill grew, Jeff and Earl decided to increase their milling operations by expanding physically and obtaining additional licenses.
The milling process at Early Morning Harvest is unique as everything from the growing of the grain to the bagging of the flour occurs on-site. This vertical integration has allowed Early Morning Harvest to efficiently serve its customer base and note increasing growth in recent years. Currently, Early Morning Harvest grows and mills rye, corn, buckwheat, soft wheat, hard wheat, and oats.
Aside from produce and grains, Early Morning Harvest also offers honey and eggs. There are hundreds of bee hives located throughout Early Morning Harvestās farm that produce clover honey and buckwheat honey. More than 100 pasture-laying hens call Early Morning Harvest home. All hens are hormone- and antibiotic-free.
Outside of regular operations on the farm, Jeff and the Early Morning Harvest team find ways to give back to the community. One of these contributions includes doing pound-for-pound and dollar-for-dollar matches to the local food bank in Panora.
In December 2024, Jeff donated 1,076 bags of general purpose flour to the Food Bank of Iowa through Early Morning Harvestās Annual Family Fellowship Flour Drive. This donation directly matched the amount of flour bought by customers for the month of November.
At the farm, Jeff enjoys hosting all kinds of groups for tours. Jeff takes pride in being able to educate individuals and help them learn where their food comes from. Some of the groups he has hosted include FFA, Boy and Girl Scouts, church groups, academic groups, and more. Each month, they host more than ten groups and are always open to hosting more.
On the farm, Early Morning Harvest sells a variety of its products through its farm store. Many of their products can also be purchased online through various online stores. In addition to online sales and the farm store, Early Morning Harvest products can be found at many Hy-Vees, Fareways, and other independent stores.
When asked about his experience with the SBDC, Jeff emphasized how the North Central Iowa SBDC assisted greatly with research and business planning. Through their research, they were able to construct Jeffās thoughts and ideas into the correct formats. Also, the SBDC was helpful in finding different areas of sourcing for Early Morning Harvest.
Jeffās Advice: Gather as much information as you can, and talk to the people who are in the industry. Try it, and donāt be afraid of failure.
āEmbrace change, donāt fear it; Mother Nature survives on change and adaptingā¦but never forget and respect the old ways.ā ā Jeff Hafner
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