Pricing Guilt: Why It’s So Hard to Charge What We Need (And How to Do It Anyway)

If you’ve ever increased a price, stared at it, and thought, “Ugh… I feel bad charging that,” you’re not alone.

And it’s not because your price is wrong.

It’s because farming has a weird story attached to it that most other businesses don’t have to deal with.

A lot of people see farming as a public service

There’s this unspoken belief floating around that farmers should basically be broke and fine with it.

That we should be doing this work for the “greater good.”

That since we’re raising our own food and “living off the land”, we shouldn’t really need money.

That the peaceful, endearing life in the country should be enough. That the reward is the sunsets and the fresh air and the satisfaction of hard work.

And sure, those things are real. I love the land. I love the work.

But none of that pays the processor.

None of it pays the electric bill for the freezers.

None of it pays for fencing, feed, fuel, repairs, insurance, packaging, or payroll.

And it definitely doesn’t pay your family’s health insurance, a decent home, college savings, or the ability to take a day off without everything falling apart.

If we treat farming like a public service, the farmer becomes the thing being donated.

The shame can come from customers, but honestly, sometimes it comes from other farmers

This part is hard to talk about, but it’s real.

If you price in a way that lets you pay yourself fairly, pay your team fairly, and actually build a stable business, you can get accused of “price gouging.”

Or you get side-eyed like you’re less committed to the mission.

Like you’re doing it “wrong” because you’re not willing to scrape by.

And that’s the part that messes with your head. Because you are committed. You probably care more than most people will ever understand.

But commitment doesn’t mean you should be struggling.

Wanting to build a farm that supports your family doesn’t make you greedy. It makes you a responsible business owner.

Here’s the truth people don’t like: unsustainably low prices always cost Someone

If a farm is charging prices that don’t cover real costs and real wages, one of a few things is happening:

They have outside income propping the farm up.

They cut corners on animal welfare or land health.

They rely on free labor (unpaid interns, “helping hands,” family members burning themselves out).

They underpay employees.

Or they’re going out of business, they just don’t know it yet.

Those are the options.

There isn’t some magical category where a farm charges too little and still runs a healthy operation long-term.

So if your prices feel “high” compared to someone else’s, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re overpriced.

It often means you’re not hiding the true cost by pushing it onto someone else.

The hardest part of pricing isn’t the math, it’s the feelings Behind It

Let’s be honest, a lot of the stress isn’t about whether the numbers add up.

It’s the moment someone comments.

It’s the “must be nice” vibe.

It’s the customer who says, “Wow… that’s expensive,” like you just made the number up on the spot.

It’s the imagined conversations in your head before you raise prices:
What are they going to say? Are they going to think I’m greedy? Are they going to stop buying? Are the other farmers market vendors judging me?

Those feelings are real. They’re uncomfortable. And they pass.

That’s the key thing we forget: pricing discomfort is temporary.

You can feel it without resorting back to undercharging.

If you want a profitable farm long-term, you have to be willing to experience a little awkwardness, a little tension, a little “I hate this” energy… and still go for it.

Because the alternative is building a business where you never feel awkward, but you also never feel financially stable.

What to do when the discomfort hits

Here are a few practical ways to handle it when you’re raising prices or when someone makes a comment.

1) Name what’s happening
Instead of spiraling, call it what it is:
“I’m feeling uncomfortable because I’m afraid of judgment.”

Not:
“This price must be too high.”

Uncomfortable doesn’t mean incorrect.

2) Let the feeling be there without fixing it
Most farmers try to “fix” the feeling by changing the price, adding a discount, over-explaining, or apologizing.

Try this instead:
“I can feel terrible about this and still charge what I need.”

3) Remember who your price is for
Your price is for:
Paying yourself and your family fairly
Keeping the land and animals cared for
Paying employees a real wage
Replacing equipment before it breaks you
Staying in business long enough to matter

Your price is not for:
Avoiding someone’s momentary reaction

4) Don’t argue with someone who wants Walmart pricing
Some people will never get it. And you can’t talk them into it.

You’re not trying to convince everyone.

You’re trying to serve the people who actually value what you do.

Thoughts to practice (so pricing feels more doable)

If you want this to get easier, you need a few thoughts you can rehearse on purpose. Not fluffy ones. Real ones.

Here are options. Pick one or two that actually land for you:

• “My prices have to support the farm long term.”

• “If I can’t pay myself, this is a hobby, not a business.”

• “I’m not responsible for other people’s opinions.”

• “This price protects the animals, the land, and my family.”

• “It’s okay if this isn’t for everyone.”

• “The right customers want my family and I to be taken care of.”

• “I can handle someone not liking it.”

• “Awkward is temporary. Underpricing will cause my farm to fail.”

Write yours down. Put them where you do your pricing updates. Use them when your brain starts offering you worst-case scenarios.

The point of pricing is not to be liked

This is the shift that changes everything.

The point of pricing is to build a farm that lasts.

A farm that doesn’t rely on burnout.

A farm that can pay people fairly.

A farm that can keep improving.

A farm that can stick around long enough to actually serve your community.

If your prices don’t allow that, then the business is being held together by stress and sacrifice. And that’s not the goal.

Journal prompt

What do I believe a “good farmer” should earn?

Where did that belief come from?

And what would change in my business if I decided that profit is part of staying in the game long-term?

If you want help raising prices without spiraling, second-guessing, or talking yourself back down, this is exactly the kind of thing we work through in coaching. You don’t need a new spreadsheet. You need a stronger relationship with discomfort and a clearer plan for what your farm needs to earn.