Bootstrap Farmer Radio

Bootstrap Farmer engages in an enlightening conversation with legendary Jean-Martin Fortier @TheMarketGardeners  on various subjects concerning the state of small-scale farming as a profession. We share the belief that there's a vast potential to cater to all market sizes, and it's crucial now more than ever for those at the forefront of this sector to assert the essential role of small-scale agriculture in their local region. If you are ready to get inspired in 2024, watch, comment, and subscribe to join the conversation. For more Market Gardening content, visit: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/blogs/market-gardening

Mindful Garden's Sean Pessarra has made hundreds of thousands if not a million soil blocks over his farming career. He is also the inventor of the Mindful Gardener Soil Block Drop Seeder. In this interview, Sean discusses the how-to's, whats, and whys of Soil Blocking for seed starting. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:38 What is soil blocking 01:23 What makes up the soil mix 03:31 How to choose soil mix 07:07 Why you should limit liquid feeds 08:00 How long till the plant receive the benefits from the nutrients in the block 10:00 When to fertilize soil block 11:00 How far in advance can you make soil blocks 14:11 Adding water for soil block mix 16:15 What is the soil block 19:24 Air pruning in soil block 23:02 Advantage of early season soil blocking 27:30 Soil block dibbler sizes 28:50 Garden planning with blocks 30:45 Are soil blocks fragile 31:20 Which size soil block maker should I get 33:20 Which trays to use for soil blocks 34:10 Drop seeder 37:50 Best practices to water soil blocks 43:30 Key components to farming 47:05 Wrap up 49:00 Bloopers https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/search?type=product,page,article&q=soil%20blocks* #soilblocks #seedstarting #gardening #farming #homesteading

Join Sean Pessarra, Nick, and Karl Binger and learn how Sean, the founder of Mindful Farmer, and learn how he took his part-time beekeeping operation in Texas and transformed it into a full-time sustainable agriculture business rich in experience that has led to an amazing career serving farmers through better tools and consulting. This is part 1 of a two-part Soil Block interview.  https://mindfulfarmerarkansas.com/ @mindfulkitchenarkansas 00:00 Intro 01:40 Mindful Farmer Beginnings 07:08 Heifer International 10:00 starting Mindful Farmer  12:15 $200k on 3 acres 16:50 Sourcing to local restaurants 18:10 Organic growing in the south 20:30 Where it's grown vs. how it's grown 21:18 Regional vs. national chain stores 23:30 Wholesale vs. direct-to-consumer prices 25:50 Farmers market options 29:45 CSA model options  30:40 Defining direct vs. wholesale on the farm 32:46 Should a new farmer start with wholesale 34:07 Farmer math= $ per square foot 36:00 Boutique grocer options 37:30 What you need for winter flower growing 39:17 First to market early in the season 41:30 Making the most out of sqft 43:00 Creativity in your farm 44:00 Avoid burnout 4 5:20 Bundling your energy 46:50 Learn to say NO 51:20 Mindful Farmer's Made in the USA Tools, Drop Seeder 56:20 Broad fork tools 58:10 Making better tools 59:08 Helping home gardeners 01:00:00 Investing upfront to save later  https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/blogs/how-to-grow-seedlings/soil-blocking

Have you always wanted to start composting but didn't know where to start or what to buy? In this episode, Neil Kaufman from Dallas College will show you how to get started with zero-waste composting at home or on your market farm. Learn the basics of setting up and managing a zero-waste composting system, and see why it's an easy win for both you and the environment. Learn to keep things simple, what composting rules to break, which ones to bend, and how to scale up your compost as your garden becomes a market garden. Help divert nutrients and biodiversity from the landfill to your growing spaces with confidence and little to no upfront costs. Extra Credit Bonus learning on reusing spent microgreen media: www.bootstrapfarmer.com/blogs/microgreens/reusing-spent-microgreen-trays #composting #vermiculture #zerowaste

A re-release of our 1st interview with Kupu Place Farm's Anthony Mau. In this 2021 Interview, Anthony was beginning year 3 of production on his Honolulu, Hawaii Aquaponic farm featuring shallow water culture raft beds, microgreen production, and edible flowers. Learn about some of the history of agriculture in Hawaii and how this current farm sits on century-old taro fields. You will learn about the shipping, importing, and growing of food in Hawaii and how to work with what you have to grow what your community needs. We wanted to review this interview as we recently revisited Anthony in year 5 as he recently bought a second farm location. This time capsule video shows what a farmer in year two thinks about as the business is rapidly scaling at farmer's markets and chef sales. In the next video, you will see how they are thinking bigger, better, and consciously as they continue to scale to the islands growing food needs. Part 2 : https://youtu.be/sWtlz1yVdJI www.bootstrapfarmer.com #hawaiifarming #aquaponics #microgreens #shallowwaterculture #edibleflowers

Welcome back to Kupu Place, 2023! Bootstrap Farmer revisits Anthony Mau of Kupu Place Farms for a year 5 catch up. Since the last time, we spoke they have acquired a second location to serve the Hawaiian Islands ever growing food needs. This is an interesting look at the differences in how a farm business owner group looks at solving food security for the most remote regions after an additional two years of farm management experience. The scaling of a farm requires an evolving list of considerations that are highlighted in this video. We are proud to have been with Kupu Place as they have grown over the last five years. If you haven't seen their 1st interview from 2021 click https://youtu.be/3-6fiJLRmic to get the full back story of this aquaponic lettuce, microgreen, and edible flower farm. www.bootstrapfarmer.com #hawaiifarming #aquaponics #microgreens #shallowwaterculture #edibleflowers

Two transplants move to Texas to start new farms.  Karl Binger (Paris Natural Farm) and Bootstrap Farmer's own Karl Russell discuss moving to a new state and starting a farm from scratch. Find out how they carved out their market, moved chickens across America, and how no one ever told them about fire ants before moving into a HOT growing zone. www.bootstrapfarmer.com

Bootstrap Farmers' Farmer-in-Residence, Karl Binger, recently visited Tanzania to observe and learn about small-scale farming practices in rural parts of the country. From working the land with manual tools to sourcing seeds for crops, Karl learned about some of the challenges that these farmers face every day.   Check out our Free Resources: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/resources FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL HERE FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BootstrapFarmer/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@bootstrapfarmer  #bootstrapfarmer #podcast #sustainablegardening #foodsecurity #agriculture

Join us as we sit down with Jill Ragan of Whispering Willow Farm and learn about her journey to successful farm life. From publishing her book, "Tiny But Mighty Farm," to making the transition with her husband, Nate, to build out the market farm of their dreams. She shares advice for those looking to make similar transitions and discusses her ongoing partnership with Bootstrap Farmer. Grab a SIGNED copy of the Tiny but Mighty Farm: https://thewhisperingwillowfarm.com/products/book Shop The Whispering Willow Store: https://thewhisperingwillowfarm.com/   https://www.youtube.com/@BootstrapFarmer  ► Check out our Free Resources: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/resources FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL HERE FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BootstrapFarmer/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@bootstrapfarmer #farmlife #marketgardener #WhisperingWillowFarm #TheTinyButMightyFarm #BootstrapFarmer #growfood #encouragement

Milan Turner was just a beginner gardener, but his journey to inspire others and bring change to his South Atlanta community started with a single basil plant. Now, he's created something amazing - a demonstration garden to provide fresh food access for people living in neighboring food deserts. Learn how Milan started, went viral, and created a vision of localized change that is sure to give everyone actionable ways to make small changes where they live. Partnering with Bootstrap Farmer, we hope this inspiring story will encourage others to create positive change in their own communities. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Bootstrap Farmer calls ATL Grow 02:26 Milan's first plant 06:07 Reflecting on generational gardening roots 07:29 “I'm way too detached from my food” 07:51 1st patio garden 10:00 Gardening with the kids 11:03 Cooking with fresh herbs 14:04 Square foot gardening over planting 20:37 There is a lot to learn about gardening 21:29 The online garden community 23:17 Discovering Bootstrap Farmer Heavy Duty Trays through hardening off starts 26:00 1st backyard garden 30:21 Going Viral on Social Media 46:40 What to do with an opportunity 47:36 Atlanta: a big small town 50:20 Atlanta's food desert 52:23 How neighborhood gardens can make a difference 01:01:44 How society should view farmers 01:03:47 Changing just one neighborhood 01:06:42 The ATL Grow Demonstration Garden powered by Bootstrap Farmer #inspiringchange #Atlanta #gardening #raisedbeds #fooddesert Are you just starting your garden? Find our endless list of FREE growing resources here: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/resources

Answering your questions about heating hoop houses, supplies & why Bootstrap Farmer packages items in the quantities we do.  For more growing resources, visit: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/resources Like this podcast? Leave a review to let us know!

In this podcast, you'll learn how to get the most out of your hoop house and low tunnel. Then take a deep dive into the value of visiting other farms to learn more about what your own farm needs. We'll also look at the research and development cycle necessary for creating new products and how long it takes to move production overseas to the USA. https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/resources

In this series, Drew Demler of Big Tex Urban Farms will break down the top lessons from thousands of questions he has been asked about hydroponic farming. Big Tex Urban Farms is a demonstration greenhouse at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. Drew and his team oversee many systems of hydroponic farming including deep water culture, vine crops in dutch buckets, microgreens, NFT, aeroponic towers, grow racks: all in a greenhouse plus a container farm utilizing shallow water culture completely indoors. Each week through Big Tex Urban Farms the State Fair of Texas donates 100% of its harvested crops to local community centers, schools, churches, and food banks. In 2022 they surpassed 1,000,000 servings of hyper-local food donated to these community organizations in South Dallas.  Today's PC is the combination of the first 11 videos in the Elements of Hydroponics Series produced by Bootstrap Farmer. Videos can be watched on Bootstrap Farmer's YouTube channel Follow Drew at https://www.instagram.com/drewdemler/ https://bigtex.com/supporting-texans/big-tex-urban-farms/ www.bootstrapfarmer.com

Part 2 with The Nakid Gardeners Tory & Sidney Holland on their NRCS High Tunnel Grant. Nick discusses other examples of navigating NRCS projects around the country. For move NRCS info and downloadable paperwork to get your grant started, visit: Video Link: https://youtu.be/I0qeGTxIsUE https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/nrcs-high-tunnel-initiative

Do you want to learn about gardening and homesteading but be able to do things your own way? Do you want some solid gardening tips without feeling boxed into a mold in order to fit in? We've got the Podcast for you! We sat down with The Nakid Gardeners to talk about how they started their YouTube channel, what their priorities are for their homestead and their future, and how they chose their property. There is tons of actionable and practical advice in this video, plus tons of comedy. Get out your notebooks and get ready to laugh! The Nakid Gardeners have taken over the Bootstrap Farmer podcast studio. IG @the_nakid_gardeners https://www.youtube.com/@UCSFMfq1ktuNA_KgnOVeS7GA  https://www.youtube.com/@BootstrapFarmer ► Check out our Free Resources: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/resources FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL HERE FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BootstrapFarmer/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@bootstrapfarmer #bootstrapfarmer  @TheNakidGardeners  #homesteading #gardeninglife

Randy Cummings & Nick are on the road this week and we found some time to discuss growing in the heat of the Summer. We lean on Randy's many visits to southern farms for tips and tricks to keep plants thriving when the sun is beating everything down. Nick also hits the high points of growing a multi variety salad blend.    TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Growing in the Heat 00:41 Crop Selection in Extended Seasons 01:30 Adjusting Price when Cost Increases 02:25 Heat Tolerant Lettuce for Summer Production 02:55 Lettuce Types 04:31 Why You Should Buy Seeds by Count, Not Weight 05:26 Visiting Farms in Summer 06:55 Germinating Seeds & How Indoor Growing is Affected by Summer Temps 09:11 Preparing Starts for Transplanting 10:05 Drip Irrigation 11:18 Protecting the Root Zone 12:37 Sizing Hydroponic Equipment to Reduce Heat Buildup 13:36 Harvesting Early & Plant Spacing for Petite Cuts 14:56 Your Crops Have to Pay Rent 15:27 Salad Mixes 21:44 Wood Mulch  23:54 Calibrating Application Equipment 25:09 Layers of Protection & Micro-Climates 26:53 Air Movement 27:57 Humidity 32:41 Preparing for Yield Decline in High Summer   INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/   https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/collections/fans-ventilation-temperature-control

Amanda Vanhoozier & Nick continue their discussion on farmers markets and the farm to table movement. We take a look at the importance of authenticity, telling your own story, and staying true to your clients.    Big companies, media, and local people outside of small farming have easy access to twist how food and farming is perceived. Consumers are wise to these mistruths and are hungry for better food and transparent relationships.    #farmtotable, #farmersmarkets, #slowfood, #localfood    www.bootstrapfarmer.com  https://www.instagram.com/bishophillfarmflowers/

Farmers Markets today are ubiquitous parts of our lives. From big cities to small rural towns once a week people and interact with today's growers. But how did we get here? Join us for a front-row seat into what it was like in the early days of the Dallas Farmers Market and how it came to be what it is today. We sit with Amanda Vanhoozier, former market director for the Dallas Farmers Market, to discuss the market's many facets, including its transition from the public to the private sector. Amanda shares some of her struggles during a rocky transition, how markets today have changed drastically from the days of truck farms and family-grown produce, and how we are finding our way back. The Dallas Farmers Market is a case study of how many markets came to be and how farming has driven economies and infrastructure growth.Ever since humans moved from hunter gatherers to today farmers have been the catalyst for change. Understanding our industry's history has never been as important as right now.  Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 3:00 Dallas Farmers Market Overview 7:00 Commodity Farmers Selling at the Market 8:00 Early Traditions at the Market 10:40 Produce Houses 13:40 How Market Customers Have Changed 16:00 Produce House Waste at the Market 20:20 Earning Your Spot at the Market 23:13 Broken Window Theory in Relation to the Market 24:38 Employee vs. Producer Ran Market Booths 26:00 Day Markets vs. Night Markets 32:00 Deception at the Market 38:00 Farm to Table  INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ FOLLOW AMANDA VANHOOZIER ON SOCIAL HERE WEBSITE: https://justpickedtx.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bishophillfarmflowers/ Historical Photos Archive Credit: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ Dallas Farmers Market - Henry Forschmidt Collection 1938-1986 Produced by www.bootstrapfarmer.com #farmers #farmersmarket #dallas #dallasevents #marketgardening

Large venture backed agriculture is largely backed by experienced CEO's from outside industries who know how to run large companies. What do large companies put in place to sell for a profit? How can they spin average truths to outpace their competitors? What do different departments do within a corporation to push the ball forward? Randy Cummings discusses how larger farms go about day to day operations and market development. We cover how small farms can use these best practices to build and grow smaller decentralized food for your local market. If we are to collectively put a big dent in local food what can we learn from big Ag that can lead to tweaks in small business ownership that will make the mass market take notice? We discuss farm location relative to the market Different staff or operational staffing departments to consider like Public Relations, Compliance, Media, Merchandisers & Sales GMO misconceptions Labeling & presentation Packaging Media coverage Contingency plans & risk management Touch free and robotics in agriculture Third party testing for contaminants Reducing liability Speed Round to get to know Randy a little better www.bootstrapfarmer.com

Bootstrap Farmer's Nick Burton and Randy Cummings discuss current and rising market trends in Agriculture. They also bring insights for growers looking into diversifying their operations or branding into new markets. Are you interested in broadening your knowledge about current agricultural trends? Whether that be with edible flowers, microgreens, cultivating mushrooms, or cut flowers. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:37 Exploring Market Trends in Agriculture 3:59 Diversification and Leveraging What You are Already Doing 6:03 Setting Yourself Apart with Speciality Products 7:37 Finding a Demand for Your Products 8:08 Leveraging Your Farm for Photography 13:00 Relationship Building in Farming 14:58 Why is Flower Farming Rising in Popularity? 15:55 Utilizing all 4 Seasons as a Local Flower Farmer 20:14 Flower Production Under a High Tunnel 21:30 Demand for Succulents 22:53 Mushroom Farming 24:03 Resources for Staying Up to Date on Trends 26:59 Farm and Homestead Influencers 28:45 Non-Farming Ways to Work in Agriculture 36:29 Finding an Approach that Works for Your Farm and Market 38:55 Customizations and Expenses that Come with 44:00 Standard and Sizing 50:05 Navigating Product Challenges and Optimising Product Information 54:52 Offering Multiple Ways for Demonstrations and Learning 59:34 Meetup Collaborations for Farmers 1:00:55 Collaborations at Bootstrap Farmer www.bootstrapfarmer.com

Ever wonder what the difference is between seeds labeled “microgreens” versus your garden variety? We have answers. Randy Cummings talks all about the seed breeding process and why it is important for the success of your farm to know your supplier and to make sure they offer the resources to back up your seed investments.  Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:04 Seeking out Quality Seed Suppliers 3:07 Pinpointing Ideal Germination Temperatures 4:43 Resources and Guidance Available from Seed Companies 10:41 Seeking out Experts in Your Area and In the Field 15:14 Sustainability in Agriculture 22:13 Seed Production to Packet 27:37 Why Quality Control Matter in Seed Production 29:53 Warranties on Seed 31:50 Diversification on the Farm 35:55 Knowing Your Market When Seed Buying 40:55 What is Different about Microgreen Seeds vs. Garden Seeds? 49:22 Perspective from a Sales Rep on Microgreen Seed Sales 51:20 What it Takes to Develop a New Variety Commercially 57:53 Personal Seed Saving and Heirlooms 1:02:03 Being Proactive about Seed and Supply Orders 1:09:39 Record-Keeping and Forecasting Your Farm's Needs 1:15:07 Maximizing Your Investment and Efforts  https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ www.bootstrapfarmer.com   #bootstrapfarmer #seedstarting #supplychain #seedtopacket #seedsaving #organicfood #seedsuppliers

We are very excited to welcome industry veteran Randy Cummings to Bootstrap Farmer.  Randy served small farming the past 10 plus years from the seed supply side of the industry. His deep knowledge of farmer's needs, industry trends, and technical expertise will deepen Bootstrap Farmers roster.  This introduction explains why we are so pumped to have him aboard.    www.bootstrapfarmer.com 

A very by chance-last minute opportunity to meet up with two of our favorite people. Amanda Vanhoozier of Bishop Hill Farm Flowers and Karl Binger on a rained out day. Amanda who has been involved with farmers markets since 2002 both behind the booth and running of markets. Karl in the beginning of year 3 on his homestead turned market farm. With several hundred farm visits behind her Amanda and Karl discuss where Paris Natural Farms is in their journey.   www.bootstrapfarmer.com

Ordering trees from a wholesale nursery this season? Watch this video for tips on when to order and what to expect when your shipment comes. Bootstrap Farmer is on-site at the Bob Wells Nursery in Mineola, Texas, followed by an exclusive interview with nursery owners Ed and Rachel Donnelly, where they discuss the process and the care taken when shipping out trees for wholesale orders. Learn more about what makes this nursery unique and how they have managed to draw customers from all over, both online and at their retail location.  Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:39 Starting the Tree Nursery 5:50 Budgeting for a Nursery Business 7:35 Acquiring Bob Wells Nursery 9:03 Demonstration Gardens, Workshops, and Experiences at Bob Wells 13:30 Starting a Local Seed Exchange 14:15 Drawing Outside Customers 18:40 Competing with Big Box Stores and Loss-leader pricing 21:20 Converting from Wholesale to Retail 25:36 Workshops and Classes 30:19 Nursery Seasonal Schedule 33:43 Forecasting and planning for demand 38:22 Online ordering and shipping 45:24 Staffing and Labor Requirements 51:51 Navigating Customer Questions 57:02 Providing Retail Products  FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ FOLLOW BOB WELL'S NURSERY HERE INSTAGRAM- https://www.instagram.com/bobwellsnurserytx/ WEBSITE- https://bobwellsnursery.com/ Purchase Ticket to Upcoming Bootstrap Farmer Hoop House Workshop- https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/products/hhjune2022 #bootstrapfarmer #hightunnel #hoophouse #bobwells #treenursery #plantnursery #retailnursery #mineolatexas #easttexas #treefarm #nursery #citrustree

Green spaces are slowly disappearing in the ever-growing urban sprawl of today's world. Farmer Rishi is getting back to the roots of his property and offering agricultural immersion for his surrounding community at Sarvodaya Farms & Nursery. We tour a plant nursery in this video, unlike any you have probably seen. Explore this diverse property with us and learn how this business model provides full-time jobs and a learning environment for perennial gardening, grafting, and soil regeneration. The Sarvodaya Institute is interested in providing an enriching environment for people to visit, learn, and replicate -even if it's just on their patio with one plant. https://sarvodayainstitute.org/    INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer/ FOLLOW SARVODAYA FARMS & NURSERY INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sarvodayafarms/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/farmerrishi WEBSITE: https://sarvodayainstitute.org/pages/about-us #bootstrapfarmer #hightunnel #hoophouse #soilhealth #perennialfarm #perennialgardening #grafting #greenspace #PamonaCalifornia

Earth Grower's owner Brian Maisenbacher has dedicated his life to becoming the best farmer he possibly can be. He is mission-driven to help others have success in growing food and medicinal crops for their communities and their families.   He is passionate about finding solutions to help farmers become more regenerative and profitable. Brian has wholeheartedly spent over a decade working on farms, heritage orchards, cattle ranches, doing landscaping, and designing home gardens and farms around Arizona, California, and the Midwest.  He has also spent time working in Kenya to help build farms and provide fresh water for children's homes and churches with Love Mercy Organization. Periodically he teaches agricultural classes with Earth Citizens Organization Farm in Cottonwood Arizona.   He studied Permaculture Design at Oregon State University, Korean Natural Farming with Chris Trump, Microbial Density and Diversity Analysis with Dr. Mary Lucero, as well as Microscopy and the Soil Food Web with Dr. Elaine Ingham.    He embodies the philosophy of working with the rhythms of Nature and allowing it to be a conduit to become a better human being. He created Earth Grower LLC to help him achieve these goals in himself, and to help others become stronger, more resilient farmers.   Filmed in Venice Beach, CA with additional in field footage from Grae Biggs   Timestamps and Topics: 00:00 Earth Grower intro, Microbial soil testing, holistic management, lean practices, with ecological goals 01:10 Recent Arizona farm project 03:24 Intro to Brian's blog post: 7 Things to Consider Before Starting a Farm 05:40 Past farm experience 06:33 Orchard work 14:15 Farms are a set of complex systems working as a whole 16:03 Working and building international farms 21:58 Deep Dive: 7 Things to Consider Before Starting a Farm 22:22 1- Be clear about your goals 37:24 2- What are you good at 40:27 3 What lifestyle do you desire 42:13 Stacking functions with permaculture practices: Animals 46:00 Farming is a business 51:31 You cannot control nature 57:32 Attachment is the root of suffering 59:31 Be prepared to ask for help   Follow Brian https://www.instagram.com/earth_grower/ and check out his extensive resources at https://www.earthgrowerllc.com/

Customer Service Manager, Rikki Dionisio discusses the customer service side of Bootstrap Farmer. Rikki covers how that team covers product support, order support, and growing support. Topics include: Orders, returns, international shipping, tax exemptions, training, communication, and working with other teams like creative, special projects, wholesale, and administration. And as always- interview bloopers.

Bootstrap Farmer's Customer Service Manager, Rikki, joins us to talk about her recent trip to Dallas, where she went on several farm tours and met some of our local farmer friends. Rikki discusses how this up-close experience with growers using our products and with the manufacturers that produce them is what makes the brand so unique. Listen as she recounts some of the lessons she learned and how she tries to help other growers keep calm and reassured during the hectic growing season. 00:00 Intro 01:54 Touring the Fabrication House 03:54 Bootstrap Farmer Warehouse Tour 04:31 Dallas Trade Show 06:33 Meeting Amanda from Bishop Hill Farms 11:52 Meeting Sky Flower Farm 15:09 Dinner with Calvin our Lead Injection Moulder and Drew Demler 18:58 Visiting Profound Microfarms 22:42 Visiting Urban Dirt Company 24:58 Helping Growers Navigate Challenges 26:51 Visiting Double 07 Farmers 29:24 Visiting Paris Coffee Shop with Automated Grow Rack 30:15 Warehouse Walk-through 38:27 Karl's Farm and Beta Testing 45:00 Final Thoughts

While filming factory tours the Bootstrap Farmer Creative Team sat down with Tracy Lutz, who is working on a year long filming project, on what happens in the creative dept.  This unplanned quorum tackles topics like: Social media tips, recognizing B-reel in the field, making content for different personality types, working with shot lists, scheduling a year of content, recycling content, reposting shared content, making videos, pronouncing grow bags, planning media, building your personal stock footage bank, and a real world example of trying to end an interview. 

USA Manufacturing has been at the forefront of Bootstrap Farmer's goals over the past few years with new products added all of the time. Join Bootstrap Farmer's Creative Director Katie Russo, Tracy Lutz our farmer in residence, and Cal our lead injection moulder for a discussion about what it takes to produce our trays in the United States, why it matters, and what more is to come. We hope you will join us. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:00 Factory Tour Overview 2:00 Plastic Characteristics and Food Safety & UV Stabilization 3:55 Process of Bulk Resin to Finished Product 4:53 Injection Moulding Process 6:39 Limiting Waste During Manufacturing 9:24 Tracy Relates Farm Sustainability Practices and Manufacturing Practices 11:47 What can we do to limit plastic waste? 13:18 Bootstrap Farmer and the Manufacturing Learning Curve 15:23 Impact of USA Manufacturing on Quality and Transparency 18:13 Creating Community with Products 19:48 Bring Manufacturing Back to the United States and Job Creation 20:35 Overview of Latest BSF USA Made Products 24:17 Future Innovations in Manufacturing Shop our USA Manufactured Air Prune Trays https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/collections/plug-trays/products/airprune-tray-72cell Shop our USA Manufactured 6 Cell Plug Trays https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/collections/plug-trays/products/seed-trays-inserts-6-cell

Pipe Klee announces the opening of the Urban Dirt Co Design Studio in Sherman, Texas. We examine the opportunities in serving the garden needs of homeowners private schools, and chefs while connecting the dots of gardening misconceptions. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 00:50 Why opening a design center as an extension of Urban Dirt Co 03:23 Homeowner gardens and the disconnect to market gardening for a living 07:02 Microgreens, market gardens, culinary gardens: delivery needs density 08:43 Real Estate & urban expansion speculation 10:57 Property investments need to generate income 12:55 Design center class room 16:56 The scale of home gardens 22:42 Buying pro products for home gardeners 24:51 Purchasing property 28:71 How to get people behind your ideas and earn support 34:42 Experiencing different gardens and budgets 40:34 The experience to say NO to shiny objects and false opportunities 41:32 Private school garden opportunities 42:14 Soft opening beta tests 43:37 Implementing hospitality into agritourism www.bootstrapfarmer.com www.instagram.com/urbandirtco  

Join us as we explore this service-driven business with Piper of Urban Dirt Co. Previously a guest on our Podcast, Piper returns to give updates to her chef's garden service in year 6. Chef gardens help expose guests to the benefits of seasonal vegetables while giving access to farm-fresh ingredients for culinary talents right on site. Learn more about this business and what it took to build it. Time Stamps: 00:00 Intro 04:16 Urban Dirt Co. Chef's Gardens 08:33 G.A.S. Gardening As a Service 10:58 Edible Landscape Seasons 18:12 Bar and cocktail programs 20:45 Chefs as clients 23:48 Seed starting and new farm 25:06 Edible Landscape Crops 28:00 Seed room, test garden, & hoop house 29:33 Gardens in public spaces 30:46 Irrigation 37:49 Small business skill sets 44:38 When to hire 1st employee 47:08 Learning to delegate INSTAGRAM https://instagram.com/urbandirtco?utm_medium=copy_link #farming #farmplan #farmmarketing #seedstarting #bootstrapfarmer #designstudio #nursery #chefsgarden #ediblelandscape #gardening #culinarygarden #irrigation

Jill Ragan of Whispering Willow Farm interviews Calvin (Bootstrap Farmer's Injection Moulding Partner) on the manufacturing process of her limited edition pots.  They discuss the step by step moulding process, USA manufacturing, supply chain, and waste reduction in the moulding process.  Instagram @whisperingwillowfrm

If you have ever dreamed of starting a flower farm, you need to watch this video! Meet Shannon from Sky Field Farm who turned her hobby of flower gardening into a profitable cut flower farm business. Learn how she gained her floral skills and learned from experimenting along the way. In this video, we will cover cut flower profitability, mistakes to avoid, and an overview of what it takes to start a cut flower farm. TimeStamps: 0:00 Intro 4:00 Making a Profit with Cut Flowers 5:15 Cut Flowers for Weddings 7:10 Managing Customer Expectations with Local Flower Availability V. Imported Flowers 9:20 Large Floral Installations 11:55 Sourcing Sustainable Floral Containers & Vases 13:18 Selling Bouquets at Farmer's Markets 16:30 Building a Bouquet 101 (Filler, Fluff, Focal) 19:00 Flower Farm Packaging, Branding, Marketing 20:00 Teaching Flower Workshops 24:00 North Texas Gardening Resource Guide and Curriculum 29:00 Considerations for Planning a Flower Garden Space 31:00 2022 Workshop Schedule 34:00 Planning Tips for Seed Starting in Texas Sky Field Farm Instagram - @skyeflowerfield Website- https://www.skyeflowerfield.com/

Part 4. Karl Binger of @parisnaturalfarms/ discuses refining systems of his market farm homestead for income opportunities.  Time Stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:39 Refining systems, leveling up, increasing crop yields 05:09 Measuring crop value 07:39 Heirloom variety woes  09:17 Hybrid seeds are not GMO 10:25 Picking your startup battles 10:41 Mass market appeal 12:34 How to beta test a new offering 13:45 Learning from other farms 16:47 First restaurant sales 20:50 Fully operational farm & full time farming 25:32 Experienced based farm income   www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer www.instagram.com/parisnaturalfarms/

Part 3. Karl Binger of @parisnaturalfarms/ discuses year two & three of his market farm homestead.  Time Stamps: 00:23 Year 1, 2, & 3 infrastructure budgets 04:25 Deciding how big to expand structures and hoop houses 09:59 Becoming the Bootstrap Farmer Test Farm and Gothic thoughts 12:59 Next goal: grow 100% under cover 14:36 Day in day out working in a hoop house thoughts 18:59 Adjusting to rural life and tuning into nature 22:25 Improving farm task workflows over time 24:38 Exodus from tech, medical & finance to agriculture  25:57 Open house and agritourism    Bootstrap Farmer Gothic Hoop House: https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/products/gothic-all-metal-greenhouse-kit?_pos=1&_sid=0a66d1c33&_ss=r&variant=41045159674014  INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmerKarl's Paris Natural Farms INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/parisnaturalfarms/  

Part 2. Karl Binger of @parisnaturalfarms/ discuses year two of his market farm homestead.  Topics include: Developing four season clients Cold wet springs Standard farm practices vs. in field engineering Irrigation Time management and setting boundaries Raising a family on a new farm A walkthrough of a week on and off the farm Farmers market set up Farmers market events Paris, Texas Hatch Green Chile Fest Promoting the farmers market Year two confidence www.bootstrapfarmer.com

  Bootstrap Farmer Podcast is back for 2022!   Karl Binger and his family's homestead near Paris, Texas is in its  third year of production. In this episode we discuss a wide range of topics including: budget, infrastructure, land clearing, used hoop house hindsights, propagation, hoop house worries, microgreens, poultry eggs, and first farmers market.   YouTube Video Supplement https://youtu.be/4re-vR5JIYo Follow Karl https://www.instagram.com/parisnaturalfarms/ https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/

Interested in NRCS grants?  Nick and Julian from Bootstrap Farmer take us through the specifications and requirements for NRCS funding. Interested in learning more?  Video https://youtu.be/ddKHyIuOnYs Full Guide NRCS

Do you live in a windy or snow prone area? There are extra supports and bracing available for hoop house builds. Julian and Nick from Bootstrap Farmer take us through the options and explain in detail how they work together to make a more rigid structure. Watch this video to learn more about how to add extra support to your hoop house. ************************************ Full Guide and How-To to Set Up a Hoop house or Greenhouse

Protect your plants from harsh rays and help deliver more usable light with a shade cloth.  We discuss the different percentages of fabric growers use and give us tips on how to install it. Are you curious about whether to use white or black shade cloth? Bootstrap Farmer has you covered.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlJ0sz6FJJE Timestamps: 00:12 Shade Cloth Percentages 01:22 Black V. White Shade Cloth Fabrics 02:06 Installing Shade Cloth 03:44 Shade Cloth Technology 05:17 Shade Cloth vs. Sun Shade 06:54 Creating Microclimates for Speciality Crops FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL HERE

Trying to decide whether a double-layer film is something you need for your hoop house? Nick and Julian discuss the benefits of double-layer systems and explain the most efficient way to install them. Video https://youtu.be/vDN3jMLUDu8 Timestamps: 00:20 Considerations with Inflation Fans 01:44 Low v. High Volume Fans 05:02 Mistakes to Avoid with Inflation Kits 07:46 Where to Install Double Layer of Plastic 08:42 Benefits of Double Layers of Plastic 09:55 Do You Even Need a Second Layer? www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits

Don't install a hand crank on your hoop house UNTIL you hear these tips! Julian and Nick from Bootstrap Farmer explain the simple mechanism behind the useful hand cranks used for greenhouse roll up sides. Bootstrap Farmer introduces their new very own hand crank system and Julian shows us how to correctly use them! Watch this video to learn more about hand cranks and how they are often misused. Timestamps:  00:20 Components of the Hand Crank 01:45 How to Use Hand Cranks 02:30 Common Questions about Hand Cranks https://youtu.be/nTlHXEvmU9k https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits

Bootstrap Farmer's Tech Line specialist, Julian Sandoval explains the most common questions we receive on roll up side hand crank operation. 1- Rolling the hand crank to the inside of the hoop house to prevent catching water in the roll up side. 2- How to begin the roll up process at ground level. 3- How the gearbox works with the guide rod. https://youtu.be/WXH6FGnWlDU https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits

Learn more about how to install greenhouse film and how to AVOID common mistakes. Nick and Julian discuss methods they have seen used to attach film to hoop houses and give tips on how to make the task easier. https://youtu.be/qxApDmKXYyo Timestamps: 00:10 What to Consider Before Installing Greenhouse Plastic 01:46 Unfolding and Laying out the Plastic 05:06 Recruiting Help for the Install 05:42 Tools for the Job 08:31 Installing Greenhouse Plastic 11:00 Tightening the Plastic 14:00 Endwall and Door Plastic https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits

Join Bootstrap Farmer for a discussion about greenhouse film and why it is so important to get the RIGHT one. Want to protect your plants from the elements? Learn about how UV protection in greenhouse films work and the Best way to install it. Video https://youtu.be/H3A63Qlb5Gw Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:16 Greenhouse Plastic V. Big Box Store Plastic 02:38 Using Lock Channel to Attach Plastic 03:14 Greenhouse Film Installation Tips 07:05 Speciality Greenhouse Films 08:28 Availability and Lead Times

Want to know why insect netting is so VITAL for a hoop house? Bootstrap Farmer's Nick and Julian talk about the latest insect netting technology and why the big box store netting might not cut it. Learn more about the uses of insect netting and when to use it. Timestamps: 00:10 Intro to Insect Netting 02:40 Agricultural Insect Netting V. Big Box Store Brands 03:38 Benefits of Insect Netting https://youtu.be/V8VKpNeF7BA www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits

Watch this video BEFORE you design your end walls and doors! Join Bootstrap Farmer for a conversation about end wall designs and considerations you should have when designing your doors. Avoid making this construction project harder than it needs to be. Nick and Julian from Bootstrap Farmer guide you through the process and offer suggestions that will help you AVOID common mistakes. Timestamps: 00:07 Intro to End Walls 02:57 Designing Doors 07:27 Pre-Fabricated Door Kits 09:30 Endwall Construction Mistakes to Avoid Video examples: https://youtu.be/jnh7W5bJxY8 www.bootstrapfarmer.com

Join Bootstrap Farmer for a comprehensive look at the methods used in the industry. Learn why Nick and Julian prefer lock channel and spring wire to attach plastic and coverings. Timestamps: 00:17 What is Lock Channel? 01:41 Benefits of Spring Wire and Lock Channel 02:53 Installing Lock Channel 04:33 Board and Bat V. Lock Channel 05:33 Removing Plastic from the Lock Channel 06:51 Bootstrap Farmer's Lock Channel Redesign https://youtu.be/9-QMQOScB9s https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits

Want to know why bracing is so necessary for a hoop house? We discuss just how the hip and brace boards contribute to the strength and durability of your hoop house. Learn about installation and troubleshooting hip and baseboards for a greenhouse. Watch this video to learn more about hoop house construction and side bracing at https://youtu.be/Ll9F50ENPcg Timestamps: 00:06 Hip and Base Boards 03:23 Functions of Hip and Baseboards 05:14 Installation Tips 07:22 Clamps 08:13 Splices https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/greenhouse-kits  

Bootstrap Farmer explores how hoop houses are constructed and how the hoop structures are connected to become reliable, stable structures. Want to learn more about purlins and cross connectors? Learn how they can make a huge difference in the strength of the overall structure. See great examples of how this structure works and why purlins bring it all together at: https://youtu.be/EFdEPvhoePY Timestamps: 00:16 Cross Connectors 01:00 Ridge Pole Installation 04:36 Purlin Kits 05:19 Snow Load Considerations and Maintenance https://www.instagram.com/bootstrapfarmer https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/pages/nrcs-high-tunnel-initiative