Growing Farms Podcast

In this reflective solo episode, I take a walk through the spring woods with my dog, Zip, and share thoughts on content creation, social media algorithms, and connecting with a small but meaningful audience. It's an unfiltered moment to talk about farming, marketing, and why I create videos with specific people—like farmer Sydney—in mind. Whether you're a livestock farmer, a fellow content creator, or just need a break from the noise, join me for a slow walk, a few rants, and a reminder to enjoy the birdsong.

In this practical episode, I share a game-changing approach to farm marketing that follows the natural rhythm of your operation. Learn how to use your grazing chart as more than just a livestock management tool—transform it into your marketing roadmap. I'll walk you through identifying key production moments throughout your season and creating targeted content to maximize sales when products are available. Whether you're selling pastured poultry, grass-fed beef, or seasonal vegetables, this system helps you stop the feast-or-famine marketing cycle that leaves farmers scrambling. Discover how to build anticipation before harvest, maintain customer engagement during production, and convert interest into sales at exactly the right moment.

You have the power to attract your ideal farm customers - isn't that liberating?  When you consistently create content around your farm, you're building more than awareness - you're crafting a recognizable personality. If you regularly share your passion for raising chickens, you'll naturally become known as the chicken expert in your community. The key is showing up consistently. Success starts with understanding your customers' needs. Put yourself in their shoes - they want delicious, ethically-raised chicken, and you have the solution. Focus your content on addressing that one perfect customer you want to reach. Make an authentic connection with them. If that specific person watches your video, that single view represents true success. The more you embrace the farming lifestyle, the more naturally you'll share those magical moments - like watching your animals peacefully grazing as time seems to stand still. The people who appreciate these moments are your people. They'll value what you offer. By sharing farming's authentic beauty, you'll attract customers who ensure your farm remains both beautiful and sustainable.

Mental health is one of those tricky subjects to talk about because it is so different for everyone. After spending over 15 years working in agriculture, I have found that as much or more than any group, farmers should be doing more to address their mental health. Because I find mental health topics so tricky to talk about in any one piece of content, I have made it my life's work to do what I can to make the conversation approachable, and to support groups/organizations/businesses that can help me scale my efforts.  In 2011 I rode my bicycle across the money raising awareness and money for Farm Aid's crisis hotline. https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/online-request-for-assistance-form/ I started and ran my own farm for over a decade. So I know how hard it can be. Now I work for a company that has donated over $150 million dollars to mental health research. If any of my content helps at least one person to open up and have a conversation about their needs and get support, I will consider myself successful.  Take care of yourselves, and if you can, someone else too. Cheers!

From backyard chickens to profitable pastured poultry: Join us as Joe shares his journey scaling a thriving broiler chicken operation. Discover the financial realities of farming at scale, innovative wholesale strategies, and how his Michigan farm evolved from just 3 chicks to a multi-state pastured poultry enterprise generating sustainable income while maintaining regenerative practices. https://www.joesfarm.us/ https://apppa.org/ https://farmmarketingsolutions.com/growingfarmspodcast/  

Are you a small farm making $100k to $1M in gross annual revenue? How are you reaching your customers? What are you business goals? Customer retention? New customer acquisition? Increasing average order value? Selling a specialty product? Marketing is about knowing your numbers, having goals, and running tests to meet those goals while reducing risk. It's the scientific method but with fun videos and relationship building mixed in. To help us refine our process and become better farm marketers we are joined by Bryan Butler of SmarTech https://smartech.company/ . SmarTech is a technology company that helps businesses improve how they operate and grow. Founded by Bryan Butler, who has over 18 years of digital marketing experience, SmarTech specializes in online advertising, customer engagement, and selling products online.

In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast we are going to discuss the state of Email in 2025. To answer a question from my friend Sidney, we're going to discuss why email is still relevant, what types of customers you are targeting, and what are some tactics for sending email marketing. We cover a lot of ground in this episode. If you have questions find this video on YouTube and leave them in the comments so that I can sort the conversations by topic. That way we all learn and grow together.

We kick this season of podcasts off with a discussion about context and demographics and their role in farm business and marketing.

I share my thoughts on creating farm marketing content in 2025. It is easier than ever to start, and the good news is that you don't have to worry about going viral. This audio is from a video I shot for YouTube. The crunching noise is me walking my dog through the woods.

In this Episode of the Growing Farms Podcast I bring in a couple of my friends from around the country to give their perspective on what life is like on their farms in the first quarter of the year.  We all manage mixed livestock farms, with a diversity of sales avenues for our products. Personally I gain a lot from having these types of conversations with my friends and peers, and I hope you do too. There's something to be said about stepping off your farm for a minute, talking with like-minded people, and remembering that even though all of our farms are individual, we're all in this together.

It's the year 2050. My grown daughter looks me in the eye and asks what I did to help make the world a better place. What do I tell her? Belief:  What do you believe in? When you woke up this morning, you got up with at least one core belief - something in your mind that defines how you see the world. Such core beliefs are unshakable, unmovable, and dictate what actions you take on a day-to-day basis. Commitment: How committed to that belief are you? When you head for the door, you are going to act out your day based on your belief. That action represents your commitment. Everyone's level of commitment will be different, based on the resources they have available. Resources - time, money, energy, experience, land base, manpower, etc. - are different for each of us. Everyone will have advantages to draw on, and disadvantages to face. But we all have at least some resources to commit, which allow us to put our beliefs into action.

In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast we will discuss all of the decision-making that goes into raising pigs in 2022. There are a lot of things to think about, and a lot of variables outside of your control. where are you going to process? what breed should you raise? how do you manage them? are they profitable for your farm business? We are joined by Grazing Specialist and all-around nice guy Troy Bishopp -The GrassWhisperer - to add FOUR DECADES of farming experience to the podcast.

In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast we discuss: why email is still foundational to your marketing how to get your first 100 subscribers what to write in your emails how to grow your list over time Whether you are just starting a farm or you are looking to grow your business, this episode is packed with simple actionable advice to help you along your journey.

In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast I give you some perspective on what my farm brewery business looks and functions like. We are all on different paths, and I share these monthly updates to give more depth behind the farming and business advice that I share on other episodes.  

Many of us know how to use Instagram, but do we know why we use it? What are you accomplishing, and is it worth your time? In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast, host John Suscovich discusses Instagram best practices, his strategy on Instagram, and he shares several accounts worth following if you're in the pastured poultry space.

Today on the podcast I am joined by my friend Dave Shields of Pastured Life Farm in North Central Florida. Dave and his wife Ginger have been raising animals on pasture and direct marketing them to customers for years. It just so happens the farming and sales model they set up is perfectly suited to serving their community in a time of need.  On today’s farm podcast Dave shares how they got started, why they set up their farm the way they did, and how they have been able to provide healthy food to people while adhering to safety guidelines.

John: Hey there friends and fellow farmers. Welcome to another episode of The Growing Farms podcast. I am your host, John Suscovich, and today's episode is going to be an "Ask APPPA" show, the American Pasture and Poultry Producers Association.   At one of the annual APPPA conferences I brought my camera, I brought my microphone, I brought my friend Mike, and we recorded interviews with about two dozen people.  I asked those two dozen people the same four questions. And the wonderful thing about this community is that our heart, the core mission of what we're trying to do, is build healthy soil and we do that by raising animals on pasture.    Now we are all there for the same reason, to learn and grow together, we are all bringing our own level of commitment, our own piece to the puzzle to those annual conferences and that is great.    Today's episode is going to be with Ginger Shields of Pastured Life Farm located in North Central Florida and the first question that I asked Ginger was:    “What is one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you were starting out? Your advice for the new guy.”   Ginger: My name is Ginger Shields, and I am from Pastured Life Farm located in North Central Florida.    I wish that I knew - when we began farming -- That it was okay to say no, that it was okay to say "We don't need to produce chickens year round".    We didn't need to have beef available 100% of the time. We didn't need to have pork available 100% of the time. It wasn't a sustainable model for a small farm to have everything for everyone all the time. We carried a tremendous amount of burden. Like "We have to produce more, we have to produce more", so we don't have to tell people no and we scaled up faster than what we were ready for.    So I really wish that I had known or could go back to my former self and say "It’s okay. You can tell people no. You can explain why we have seasons, why nature has seasons and why we replicate that in our farm model".   John: I really love that piece of advice. Something that I have heralded here on Farm Marketing Solutions is the desire, the need, the strategy of pushing consistency in your market. Having chicken available all the time so that when people want chickens you're the go-to person to provide it for them. I thought that was a core fundamental thing to have as part of your farm strategy. You know, especially if you want to get into wholesale accounts.   What Ginger highlighted here is that building the model around not only what the customer wants but what you want to do as a farmer is really important for the long-term viability and sustainability of you and your farm. If you're consistent with what you offer, when you offer it, and your messaging is clear, consistent, and concise it will be easy for people to do business with you. That is just a fantastic piece of advice.    If you don't like farming, you are not going to stick with it and that's hard. You know? It's like... why stick with something that you don't like to do? Which brings me into my next question. I asked Ginger:    What is the most enjoyable part about being a farmer.   Ginger: For us, for my husband and I - I am speaking for both of us - I believe that the most enjoyable aspect of farming is that we get to work with people that we like. We get to work with our family, we get to work with our kids, and we get to be together.    I am not sending my husband off for his 9-5 job, packing his lunch and he's coming home miserable after spending an hour and a half in traffic, and we're not apart for sixteen hours a day. We're working together. We both want to work on our farm, better our farm, and work with our kids and teach them the values and the morals and things that they can't learn anywhere else but on our farm.    John: That was a great answer, Ginger. I really appreciate the feedback; and for me, that also -- You know, I'm just going to say "ditto".    The fact is that I’m usually working pretty long hours. But I’m always close by so if my family needs me or wants to come find me they know where I am. I get to work with friends, business partners who are my friends, and I love the staff here at the farm or the brewery -- We just have the most amazing people and that makes the day to day very enjoyable.    At times it is a grind. Not every day is a holiday, but the fact that I am a member of APPPA and I have all of those people to turn to, I have a wonderful business here in Western Connecticut; and that  my family is around all the time, I can structure my schedule around people instead of work...    It's a lot of work hours but I can structure my schedule to be around for dinners, to be around for school send-offs... If there is something that needs to get done in the family, my family always comes first; and the fact that I get to work and live around all these amazing people is why I did this in the first place.   Being self-sufficient is kind of a farce. You know? Being out in isolation by yourself is depressing and very difficult because you're not going to be able to do everything by yourself. So to surround yourself with wonderful people - I have that community, I have that connection, and I have that strength.    For when I am feeling weak, there is someone there to help prop me up, and when someone else in my community is not feeling 100% I am there to prop them up. There’s been a really good balance through the years. So for me, that has been valuable as well and I appreciate Ginger - your response to that question.    Now my next question - because this is Farm Marketing Solutions and that's what the channel and the podcast is all about - I wanted to know, Ginger:    What is one of your greatest marketing/farm marketing successes and how did you get there, and then what is one of your biggest struggles - and then what do you do about that?    Ginger: For our farm our biggest marketing success has been the ability to put ourselves out there. To become comfortable and confident in what we're doing; thanks to organizations like the American Pasture and Poultry Producers Association we have become confident in our practices, confident that we're bettering our environment, we're bettering the soil, and that the chicken that we're producing is far superior to anything that's available in the grocery stores.   Having those tools in our pocket to be able to approach customers, approach people at meetings like at Weston A. Price Chapter meetings, or at a CrossFit gym where we might pop in during a session and talk about our product. We find strength in having those tools, education, and information available for us to share. Also, confidence in our product that we didn't have when we were first starting out.  Our biggest marketing struggle has been definitely making the time. Marketing - it's another job! You're a farmer, you're a family, you're a mom, you're a dad... but you're also a marketer and a salesman. You have to make yourself make the time to market your farm. You have to schedule that time into your already busy, crazy life. That's our biggest marketing struggle and our biggest marketing failure. It's our area that we plan to improve on the most for the next few years; is to just work on our marketing.    Our markets are changing. Our customers are changing. Our demographics are changing. We have people much younger than us that are having food awakenings - we need to be able to reach them and it's a challenge to keep up with it.   John: Now that is a great response because a lot of people get into farming because they're introverted. Being out in the field by yourself, you spend a lot of time alone. A lot of farmers like to grow, fix, nurture, animal husbandry or however you verbalize or verb that, but not all of us are outgoing.    It's amazing that you might hear me say that I -- I have recorded 650 or pushing 700 videos now, and I still get uncomfortable when someone else is just watching me record. I am comfortably down here in my basement, talking to a camera alone with my dog asleep on the floor. That is where my comfort zone is, and it has been a journey for me to be comfortable enough to walk into a room and be like "Hey everybody, how are you doing? My name is John Suscovich".    That is something that I have worked on over time and being comfortable putting yourself out there, sharing that information... You are passionate about agriculture. Otherwise you are not -- Why are you listening to this podcast or watching this video on YouTube? Because you want to do this. There is a reason why you are committed.    You're following Farm Marketing Solutions because you're starting to make a business out of farming or you are looking at a lifestyle change. There is something in you that motivates you. It drives you to get back to the land, to live a healthier lifestyle, to produce food that is nutritious and supports your community, and that is amazing.    That passion, that heart, that fire that you feel right here... share that with people! Don't be afraid. And with me, you know... there's a lot of fish in the sea. I give farm tours every weekend. Sometimes my jokes land and sometimes they don't. I have learned to read a room and see how that conversation is going.    Putting yourself out there... you do it and you're going to fail sometimes. Then you're going to do it, and you're going to succeed sometimes. You're going to be like "That farmer's market rocked!" or "That conversation that I had with that person really went well!" and when it goes well or if it goes poorly, learn from those circumstances. If it went really well, why did it go well? Because you connected around a certain topic or idea. Is that something that you can reach other people with? If it didn't go well, was it because you misstepped or misspoke or maybe it wasn't the right person?    Think about sales as dating. You're not going to date everybody. Not everybody is going to be a perfect match. You're going to have good customers and you're going to have bad customers. You're going to have easy customers and you're going to have hard customers. You shouldn't spend all your time trying to convert people. You should serve the people who want what you already have to offer. It's a little bit easier to sell that way. And you're going to find those people by sharing your passion, sharing your ideals, sharing your story, sharing your name on your website. Please.    It becomes easier over time, but I'll tell you - it can be a struggle. So just have the confidence in yourself to put your heart out there. Get hurt a little bit. Come back from it. Chickens are going to die. Cows are going to die. Crops are going to go bad. Sales are going to be lost. But also... Chickens are going to grow. Cows are going to grow. The grass is going to grow. The sun always shines at some point and it does get a little easier with time.    Now, because I recorded these at an APPPA conference - The American Pasture and Poultry Producers Association, APPPA.org, I wanted to know:    What are the benefits of joining APPPA? What are the benefits of going to the conference? What do people get out of being a part of this organization?    For me, I am a paying member. I have an annual subscription that I renew. I get the newsletters. I am part of the forum. It's amazing! I just learn so much all the time -- And for when I can't answer other peoples' questions, I post questions on the forum and get answers back from people all over the country. It's really amazing.    So I asked Ginger: What is the best part about being an APPPA member and what is the best part about being at the conference?   Ginger: The biggest benefit to being an APPPA member is access. You have instant - almost - access to professionals producing twice as much, three times as much, or maybe even a hundred times as many chickens as you are.  They have been doing it longer, they have experienced the same failures that you have and if you can learn from another farmer's failures and prevent that failure yourself it's going to be so much easier for you in the long run if you can learn from another person's failure.    I can't remember who said this quote:    Anyone can learn from another person's success, but a truly intelligent person can learn from other's peoples' failures.    We all have a sharp learning curve as farmers and so if we are able to maybe lessen that curve, maybe lessen the blow a little bit, and maybe prevent some of those catastrophic things that naturally happen as farmers because we don't control the weather, we don't control the environment, and we don't control so many factors.   Who would choose a job where you have so little control over anything? It's like, "Why did I go into this job where there's a hundred outside variables that I have zero control over and still expect to have a good outcome?" What a terrible idea! But we all do it, right?    And that's where the APPPA conference becomes an invaluable tool; you get to see these farmers that you've been interacting with, maybe on the list serve or via email, and you get to be in the same room together. You get to commiserate a little bit together.    You get to shake each other's hands, understand each other's struggles, and nowhere else can you get a bunch of pastured poultry producers who are already kind of out here on the fringe in the same room and just be together - and that's really cool.   Nobody needs to have someone - another person - on the pulpit, selling you something, telling you what you should or shouldn't do. We need to be together. We're better together.    John: Ginger, that's a good plug, and I will add that Ginger is on the board of APPPA and has been a big inspiration for me. She is kind, caring, and tough as nails. She is everything you would want in one person, and just a great representation of what I feel the future of agriculture is.    She has been doing it for a while with her husband Dave and all of her children. She is now a good friend of mine. We text back and forth; and just the fact that she put herself out there and recorded the video for me - this was really great - and I want to thank you Ginger and Dave.  Dave's interview will be coming up in the future.   If you want to learn more about APPPA and how to become a member, you can go to APPPA.org.    I have over 100 episodes in the archives. You can find those on Google Podcasts, on iTunes, on Stitcher and on Spotify and probably a bunch of smaller stuff. If you can't find it on your platform, write in and we will submit the feed to that so that you can get it as well.   This is a new type of podcast that I am doing. I am going to publish these APPPA interviews as well as some farm updates through the year, now that I have this medium back again. I have fixed all the technical problems which feels really good.    Feel free to leave me an honest review on any of those pod-catching platforms. It helps the podcast get discovered.    Thanks for taking the time to listen and/or watch, because we're releasing this in both video and audio format on YouTube and all of the pod catching things. And until next time, I will see you on the field. 

It can feel like the to do list gets longer before it gets shorter, that at times the world is out to get you, or things aren’t going your way. It is ok to want to quit, but what defines us as people is how we react to being in these situations. Work toward a better life, hang in there, and tomorrow will be brighter.

Think of the reason you do what you do. Whether you are farming or thinking about starting a farm, why are you doing this? The key to keeping a business going, and creating a lasting lifestyle is to find what drives you, and let it keep driving you forward. I would love to publish the podcast episode or YouTube video where I have the magic bullet to making farms financially viable and “successful” but I do not think a magic bullet exists. It takes a stupid amount of hard work and determination. When the going gets tough you are going to have to define and hang onto your single motivating purpose. Your kids, the earth, millions of dollars, fame, posterity, free beer, whatever… Find it, take a picture, keep it in your wallet, and look at it every day. I am personally driven by a desire to provide for my family, combat climate change, be a part of an amazing farm brewery, support a community of honest hard-working people, and maintain my friendships with amazing people like Troy. Do I always succeed at all of that? Oh goodness no, I’m human. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep trying to be the best me I can be for all of those people. Find what motivates you and hang onto it. You’re going to need it. Owning and operating a farm or homestead is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your limited time on this earth, make the most of every day and remember why you toil.

Who are “they” exactly? They told us it can’t be done. They told us you cannot make money farming. They told us you can’t raise sheep without a heavy parasite load. They said you can’t have 0% mortality in the brooder. They said that you have to farm this way or that. I’m not saying that educated people are nonsense. That would be a gross misinterpretation of my point. What I am saying, is that there is an inherent flaw in the human to human interpretation of the scientific method in that variables are often isolated and taken out of context. Sure you can get more grass by adding nitrogen, but is that what you farm needs? And are there other ways to add nitrogen into your soil without paying a chemical company? Today Troy and I discuss what makes an expert. They’re not always right, and they’re not always wrong. They are merely presenting facts based on their research that you as the professional farmer have to take and adapt to your goals, your farm, and your systems. It all goes back to continually asking the question, “why?”

There is a lot to farming that will keep you awake at night. Is the brooder closed, are all the birds in, are the predators out, is the greenhouse warm enough, did you remember to check this or that? Then there’s all the life stuff that keeps you up at night. On today’s episode of the Growing Farms Podcast Troy and I cover three areas of concern that are universal to most people.

With all that advice and information floating around how do you tell what is good and what is not? With a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips, what’s the best advice? That is what Troy and I tried to capture with today’s farm podcast episode. The best piece of advice we have ever gotten.

The most common question we get here at Farm Marketing Solutions is “how do I start a farm?”. That question comes from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. Seriously, we’re data nerds and our analytics say we get visitors from over 97 different countries. Because there are 7 billion people in the world inevitably all of our stories and circumstances are going to be different. That is one of the inherent difficulties in agriculture. There is a lot of good information out there on “how to grow stuff” but the real art of farming and being a farmer is adapting that growing information to your specific situation.

Working to find a balance that works for you between farm life, home life, and your personal life is the ultimate goal of sustainability. You want to be a member of your community, a member of your family, and at the same time take some time for yourself. In this episode Troy & John discuss their efforts at a balanced sustainable life.

It is a pleasure to bring back the Growing Farms Podcast with my good friend and mentor Troy Bishopp. In today’s episode we tackle the topic of getting into agriculture as a hobby or profession. What draws people back to the land? Once they are there what keeps them working when things get difficult?

It’s a cliche as this point that “farming is hard”. Yeah, we know. Anyone that has tried to work the land knows full well how ruthless Mother Nature can be and how unforgiving the farm can seem at times. What gives me hope for the future is that the current generation of farmers getting into agriculture are bringing with them tools of all kinds. Drones, software, new planting innovations, and the knowledge sharing tool that is the internet. We now have the opportunity to farm in ways that have never been done before.

2017 Farm Plan - Camps Road Farm With each new farm season there are adaptations based on what you have learned from previous years as well as adapting to what your goals are for the coming year. We are making some big changes on our farm this year and I am really happy to be able to share them with you through the Growing Farms Podcast. I am using the Farm Marketing Solutions website to take notes this year. I am organizing my thoughts, my research, my production numbers into the Resources section of the website. On the resources page you will find more information on: My farm set-up (complete with map) Broiler chickens Egg layers Pigs Orchard/Fruit ...and in the works are sections on: My equipment Marketing Strategies Writing a farm business plan Whatever you ask me about in the form below Have a question that you can't seem to find an answer for? On the main resources page you'll find a simple form to submit your question to me and I'll create a piece of content around it. You should drive the direction of this website as much as I do, after all, I'm sharing this stuff for you. Growing Farms Podcast "Plan" Going Forward The podcast is back for a while by popular demand. Having taken some time off from podcasting to publish not one, but two books, I'm coming back with simple, straight-forward, and honest podcasts about my farm journey. In a more rapid succession than my usual pace I'll have episodes on the operations listed above. We're going to cover what I'm doing on all areas of the farm so that you have a good idea of where I am at and what I have learned to date. After we're caught up Kate and I are going to do updates throughout the season so you get a taste of farm life, share in our successes and failures, and continue to grow the community. Final Notes It's good to be back. I had a blast recording with Kate for this episode. It's a busy and kind of stressful time on farm right now but at the same time it is really exciting! Thanks for supporting FMS through the years. If you're new here, welcome!  Let's all work to grow personally, professionally, and as a community. Thanks for stopping in and until next time I will see you out in the field. Cheers, John

Chicken Tractor Plans APPPA - American Pastured Poultry Producers Association Feed Testing Pasture Fencing I Use Support the Show on Patreon

This farm podcast episode updates you on my: Pastured Poultry Pastured Pigs Apple Orchard Hop Yard Book release!!!

Raising pigs has to be one of the most fun things that I do on farm. I truly enjoy almost every part of it. I mean, don't get me wrong, they could smell a little better every once in a while but who can turn their noses up at their floppy ears, curly tails, and curiously happy demeanor? I get my pigs for the season in less than a week. I'm raising 20 pigs this year for various different markets. It's a step up for me. A far cry from big production, but big enough to feed some serious people. I plan to market and sell through: Whole and Half Hog Pig Roast Retail at Famers' Market and Farm Store Restaurants for Beer and Spirits Dinners Resources from this farm podcast: Ethan Book the Beginning Farmer The Beginning Farmer on YouTube Farm Quote of the episode: "Never wrestle with a pig. You'll both get dirty but the pig will love it..." — Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1  

No matter what you've done before you got into farming, it applies. It all applies!!! Granted some of us are going to get into farming full time and run our own farms and others are going to be happy with a backyard garden. The important thing here is that we're all willing to get our hands dirty. I take a small amount of pride in that I've worked hard over the years to make my life interesting. It sounds a little egotistical perhaps, but I'm alright with that, because it's been fun. In past years I've biked across the country, worked with Howard Stern, put on plays, worked as a food photographer, web designer and programmer, and so many other odd things. Through it all I have finally learned one important lesson. That lesson: enjoy the process! Nothing is going to go according to plan and it is certainly not going to happen as quickly as you want it to. And that's OK. If you learn to love the day to day tomorrow will eventually come. Find something you love to do, pursue it, and enjoy "getting there". That was a major hurdle for me to overcome. I still get stressed. I still get down sometimes. But the majority of my time is spent appreciating what I have and wondering how I can make it even better. If I work to make it better, it usually happens, and guess what? It's even better!!! It all sounds so silly to put into words, and a few years I might have even made fun of the guy I've become. But on the other side of my freak out, I feel good, and I'm ready to get my season really moving.

I have been in love with the idea of more farms appearing in urban settings. That is how we bring food to the masses and help wrangle that ugly beast called food security. Clever uses of otherwise untapped resources. On today's farm podcast episode we visit one of those urban farms to see how it all fits together. Items covered or mentioned on today's farm podcast: Double N Urban Farm Double N on Facebook Farm Marketing Solutions on YouTube Permaculture Voices Conference Farm Quote of the episode: "Don't worry. If plan A fails there are 25 more letters in the alphabet." - Anonymous — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

Farm Marketing Solutions on YouTube Ask Voices with Diego Footer and Me, John Suscovich Camps Road Farm Kent Falls Brewing Company Neversink Spirits

I'm a day older than I was yesterday, but today I got to use a whole new number. I've made it to 31 and I'm pretty happy about it. In this podcast episode I talk about what my plans are for the farm this year and why they are that way. Then I go over what's happening on Farm Marketing Solutions and content for the year and I ask you for help. Ya see, I cannot do this without you. Talking into the abyss of the internet means nothing if there is no one to listen and interact. That's where you come in. I share some of my thoughts for how I think the podcast should go this year but I would much rather do something that you guys and gals are going to want to hear rather than just guessing and hoping to get it right. That's where the comments section of this post comes into play. Get on there and let me know what you think I should be doing this year for Farm Marketing Solutions. I'm trying to keep it simple so that I can do a little more than I've done in the past, but I don't want it to lose any value to you.  

There was a problem that I now had a farm stand, I did a lot of work to make my farm beautiful and accessible, but no one was showing up. How do you get people on your farm without breaking your marketing budget? The answer: Farm Crawl A farm crawl is a one day event where multiple farms in the same area open their doors, hold tours, and cross-market each other to the benefit of all. Customers travel from farm to farm to see what the farms have to offer, get tours, meet the farmers where they work, and become more connected to their food. My farm is off a back road that’s off a back road. There is no such thing as incidental traffic from someone just driving by. I needed to think of something that would draw people to let them know that I was back here. As usual when looking for inspiration I looked to the other farmers that I know. Ethan Book of Crooked Gap Farm has a great podcast where he talks about his farming journey. Some one those episodes mentioned a farm crawl and BOOM, inspired. I borrowed the concept from listening to the Beginning Farmer Show with Ethan to start my own farm crawl. In this episode Ethan and I discuss my new farm crawl, his established farm crawl, and how both of them came to be. In this farm podcast you will learn: How setting up systems will make your life better How to look for efficiencies on your farm How to start your own Farm Crawl My “first world problems” with getting a new computer Interview with Ethan Book of Crooked Gap Farm Ethan Book grew up on a quaint little street in Cedar Falls, Iowa playing with toy tractors on his bedroom floor and pretending to farm with his John Deere pedal tractor in the driveway. Weekends were often spent on his dad’s farm or the farms of his uncles and extended family. As Ethan grew up his dreams of being a farmer faded a little bit, but never truly went away. Ethan has pursued that dream of becoming a farmer and has done a great job of documenting his journey through his blog and podcast over at The Beginning Farmer. I am honored to call him a friend. Though we have never met in person I feel like I know so much about him through the stories he shares on his podcast, through his writing, and in conversations I have had with him “off air”.     Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Iowa Farm Crawl Western Connecticut Farm Crawl Crooked Gap Farm The Beginning Farmer Camps Road Farm Take aways: How are you going to get people onto your farm? What is one area on your farm that is in desparate need of increased efficiency?   Farmer quote of the episode: “Computers are like Old testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.” – Joseph Campbell “Never trust a computer that you can’t throw out a window.”- Steve Wozniak — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

I know we have all learned a lot this year. There have been good times, there have been bad times, and everything in between. This farm podcast episode focuses on five lessons learned by one of the Farm Finance Challenge participants Jonathan Woodford of Sugarwood Acres. Better record keeping is the key to success. Things don’t always go according to plan. It’s important to take time to help others. Do what it takes to get the job done. A farm is a wonderful place to raise a family. What is my name? Jonathan Woodford What is the name of my farm? SugarWood Acres A brief description of my farm: 160 acre certified organic farm on which we produce hay, maple syrup, small amount of grain and corn. We raise couple beef and pork for meat. Where is my farm located? 388 North Third St. West Farmington Ohio, 44491 What are my main operations? In 2013, we ran a 700 bucket operation, increased to 1200 buckets for 2014. 2014 we sold small square bales, mostly for horse feed. We also did some large round bales, which sold for a beef operation. We bought two angus heifers to start a breeding stock. We have raised a couple feeder cows in our front yard for a few years prior. This year we started with three feeder pigs. For 2015, we are looking into expanding into bees, more feeder pigs, two dozen chickens and half dozen turkeys. How big is my farm? We have about hundred acres of fields and forty acres of woods. My wife and I both work at the local school. I farm to provide my family with food that we know where it comes from and how it was raised. I enjoy farming and try to make a little extra money while doing it. How would I want people to contact me? SugarWood Acres on Facebook @SugarWoodAcres on Twitter Why am I participating in the Farm Finance Challenge? I started keeping track of hours spent collecting sap for the past two years. I try to start keeping track of tractor time but failed to do a good job at it. I have wanted to get a better idea of how much time we spend doing things and if we are making our time back in our sales. What is one thing you are struggling with on your farm? This year will be the first time doing farm taxes. I have no clue what to expect. I have a hard time pricing my products for sale. What do you hope to get out of the Challenge by the end? At the end of this challenge, I hope to have a better understanding of where I spend my time. I also will have a better idea of how much time and money it will cost me to run the farm.   Take aways: How will better records effect your decision making? How do you create those positive habits that will propel your farm forward?   Farm quote of the episode: “Decisions are the hardest things to make. Especially when it is a choice between where you should be and where you want to be.” – Anonymous — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

I am super pleased to bring Curtis Stone back on the show for another episode to talk all about managing the farm, employees, and growing more farmers for the future. We cover the nitty-gritty of harvesting information on farm and what to do with that information once you have it. Managing employees can be one of the most emotional and difficult things you can do farming. Forget crop losses, acts of God, and poor markets, other humans have the potential to drive you insane like nothing else. I am finding however that there is a way to mitigate and even eliminate that stress. Data. Data is the key to most things. Knowing where you’ve been, where you are at, and where you are going using cold hard data to drive your decision making. Alright, so I have fun writing “cold hard data” because I’m sure I saw it in a movie once. I’m not a cold hard person. Far from it. I mean, have you seen my daughter Mabel? She turns me to mush every time I think of her. The problem I run into as a manager is that at times I need to be cold and hard and without concrete facts that can be very difficult to do. However you do it, and for whatever reason, tracking things on your farm is critical to growing your business. I get asked all the time, “John, I want to start farming, where do I begin?” Begin by tracking your personal finances, budgeting for yourself, using a calendar to keep organized, and if you do all that go out and try to grow some stuff. In this farm podcast you will learn: Spreadsheets don’t have to be scary Curtis’s three most used spreadsheets on farm It’s good to dork out about data management Using data to: discovery market trends sort out best practices maintain a financial picture of your farm   Interview with Curtis Stone of Green City Acres Before starting his urban farm in the fall of 2009, Curtis had absolutely no previous experience in farming or even gardening. Up until 2008, he had been living in Montreal, trying to make a go at being a working musician. It was many years ago, when he heard the old cliche, “if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”. That was a turning point for him in that he knew that it was important for us to be active participants in our society, rather than just being by-standers. But it wasn’t until Curtis discovered Permaculture, while searching around on the internet for sustainable building methods, that it opened up a pandora’s box of information and inspiration for him. From there, he knew that he wanted to live in a way that was life affirming, not destructive. He left Montreal in March of 2008 to return to his home town of Kelowna, BC, to try and pursue this kind of life style. It was a bike tour down the west coast from Kelowna to San Diego in fall 2008 where he visited off-grid homesteads, eco villages, and urban farms, that inspired him to try to make a difference through his own actions. Upon returning from the trip totally inspired and ready to do something involved in sustainable ag, but not exactly sure what yet, a friend of his directed him towards SPIN farming. The stars must have aligned at that movement because once Curtis discovered that there was a way to farm that required very little investment, no need to own land or heavy machinery, he was confident that he could do it. He spent the rest of the fall and winter of 2009 studying SPIN farming and various other gardening and farming books, and then decided to go for it. With a little bit of money saved from a 6 month season of tree-planting, he had everything he needed to start a farm. After completing a successful and profitable first season in 2010, Curtis is a case study example that the methods taught in the SPIN farming models, are simple and easily transferable to anyone, including those who have no experience. Through the off-season, Curtis works as public speaker on food related issues, and is a consultant for multiple community food projects throughout Kelowna. In September 2010 he was awarded ‘gardener of the year’ from the city of Kelowna’s Communities in Bloom.   Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: GFP081: On The Shoulders of Giants The Urban Farmer Series on Permaculture Voices Green City Acres Creen City Acres on Facebook Profitable Urban Farming Course The Urban Farmer Book Take aways: Can you think of at least one stressor in your life that could have been solved by having better information? Ever want to strangle an employee? Think about it. Was it actually your fault as a manager or theirs as a worker?   Farm quote of the episode: “Efficiency is intelligent laziness.” – David Dunham — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

What separates professionals from amateurs is experience. There’s no getting around experience. You can read all the books, watch all the videos, take all the classes, but until you try and do whatever it is you’re trying to do it’s all just theory. What I cannot help be be fixated on these days is tracking that experience, documenting it, so it is easier to learn from past experiences and work toward my holistic goals on farm. “Standing on the shoulders of giants” means that you are picking up where someone else left off. Learning from their experiences and building your own. We live in an age where information is processed and passed along at lightning speed, why not take advantage of it and start to share some of your own? There are two sets of “giants” in your life. The first are the farmers that came before you who have written books, made the videos, set the stage, and carved the path that we’re following now. Those include the people who are discussing what they are doing in real time much the way I am doing with Farm Marketing Solutions. The second giant is YOU! You have the opportunity every day to gain experience and build on what you have already done. You don’t need to share your experiences with anyone else. Not everyone is comfortable with airing their dirty laundry for everyone to see. But internally, within your farm, you can take pictures, take notes, create records, and detail your actions so that at any time you can go back and see exactly how and why you did something. You make the best decisions you can at the time based on the tools (which includes knowledge) you have at the time. Looking back and thinking “man I wished I had done that” is pointless. Instead look back and say, “man, I did that and it didn’t work out. Why? What can I do to improve?” Figure out how to improve, and then go do it! Take action! No more theory! Get out there and gain more experience and embrace failure as openly as you do success. Thomas Edison is quoted as saying, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” In this farm podcast you will learn: the story of a guy who keeps trying $75k on 1/3 of an acre farming the benefits of being specialized the necessity of being agile how being organized can save time, money, and headaches DATA, F-ING DATA it’s ok to make mistakes   Interview with Curtis Stone of Green City Acres Before starting his urban farm in the fall of 2009, Curtis had absolutely no previous experience in farming or even gardening. Up until 2008, he had been living in Montreal, trying to make a go at being a working musician. It was many years ago, when he heard the old cliche, “if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”. That was a turning point for him in that he knew that it was important for us to be active participants in our society, rather than just being by-standers. But it wasn’t until Curtis discovered Permaculture, while searching around on the internet for sustainable building methods, that it opened up a pandora’s box of information and inspiration for him. From there, he knew that he wanted to live in a way that was life affirming, not destructive. He left Montreal in March of 2008 to return to his home town of Kelowna, BC, to try and pursue this kind of life style. It was a bike tour down the west coast from Kelowna to San Diego in fall 2008 where he visited off-grid homesteads, eco villages, and urban farms, that inspired him to try to make a difference through his own actions. Upon returning from the trip totally inspired and ready to do something involved in sustainable ag, but not exactly sure what yet, a friend of his directed him towards SPIN farming. The stars must have aligned at that movement because once Curtis discovered that there was a way to farm that required very little investment, no need to own land or heavy machinery, he was confident that he could do it. He spent the rest of the fall and winter of 2009 studying SPIN farming and various other gardening and farming books, and then decided to go for it. With a little bit of money saved from a 6 month season of tree-planting, he had everything he needed to start a farm. After completing a successful and profitable first season in 2010, Curtis is a case study example that the methods taught in the SPIN farming models, are simple and easily transferable to anyone, including those who have no experience. Through the off-season, Curtis works as public speaker on food related issues, and is a consultant for multiple community food projects throughout Kelowna. In September 2010 he was awarded ‘gardener of the year’ from the city of Kelowna’s Communities in Bloom.   Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: The Urban Farmer Series on Permaculture Voices Green City Acres Creen City Acres on Facebook Profitable Urban Farming Course SPIN Farming FFC003: Talking Nonsense The Urban Farmer Book   Take aways: What are you doing to document and learn from your mistakes? Are you making time on farm for record keeping? Is it enough time?   Farm quote of the episode: “To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” – Leonard Bernstein — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

Hello everyone! The podcast was on hiatus as we deal with the technical issues of a 3 year old website and podcast. Technologies change and I was unable to farm and keep on top of the changing times. But that’s OK! Because the Growing Farms Podcast is back. Back with the every other week schedule. Scott has a new day-job which is monopolizing his time so Farm Fantasy Camp is on hiatus until further notice. In today’s show I go over what I’ve been up to on farm and with Farm Marketing Solutions as well. Items Mentioned in Today’s Farm Podcast Camps Road Farm Permaculture Voices Podcast Farm Fantasy Camp Episode 4: Lightbulbs   Take aways: If you had to pare-down to the minimum you needed to do to get by, what would that look like? Is there anything you can take a break from in order to come back fresher? — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook, or leave a 5 star rating iniTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

Topics covered in this farm podcast: John & Scott do not like Skype Windows 10 might reinvent how we look at garbage John’s going on vacation, Scott too has gone on vacation Is there valor in working long hours? Hours Tracker App on iPhone for logging work hours Accepting that things will not be perfect How many things would fix themselves if I did not touch them? John uses an iPhone 6+ to shoot, edit, and upload videos Lower polish and increased iteration Adjusting what you grow to suit your needs and the needs of your market John goes camping in Canada Why take time off in the summer? Things are going to go wrong, and that is OK! John speaks nonsense… Mabel is the 4th generation going to this camp ground in the Suscovich family Sugar Island of the American Canoe Association Does camping losing its’ novelty when you live on a farm? Scott loves to take trees out of the ground, very exciting. Flame weeders are not sophisticated Work-life blend vs. work-life balance Finding work that you love makes everything easier (surprise) Four lightbulb theory: family, friends, work, health Getting to the core of why John & Scott work together John strokes his ego and thinks he’s super-human How easy is it to “check out” and quiet the chatter in your brain? The E-Myth Revisited Diego and Curtis on The Urban Farmer: Systems John recaps the Farm Crawl, it was a success

Topics covered in this farm podcast include: Mistakes made when starting a hop yard What hops are How hops are grown How many plants can you fit per acre for production Sometimes there’s just no choice but to spray Insight into the Craft Beer Industry’s effect on hop production Where do you find good farming information Interview with Geoff Keating of The Hop Yard Geoff has spent the majority of his life as a Maine resident, leaving only to earn his bachelor in Communication and study the principles of marketing at colleges and universities in Vermont, New Hampshire and London England. He returned to Maine in his 20’s to co-found Level8 Design Studio, a design and development studio focused on innovative web solutions. Beyond internet technologies, Geoff’s passion and curiosity has led him into the world of craft beer. Captured by the allure of beers intangible flavors, and retained by the continuous exploration of craft beers industry pioneers, Geoff has embedded himself into this exciting field. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: The Hop Yard The Hop Yard on Facebook Farm Quote of the Episode: “The basic thing is that I want to do the best work possible, and I can only do that if I’m relaxed and have a lot of energy. And that can only come from taking time off.” – Jason Scott Lee   Take aways: How can you help spread useful information for other farmers? What mistakes have you learned from that you wish you knew when you were starting out?   — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating iniTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

Scott’s microphone is marginally improved, though slightly robotic John’s feelin’ good post-meltdown and the farm’s running smoothly Bears! A bear on the farm There are B.S. artists out there. Dr. Oz is one. The Food Babe is another The Food Babe makes some pretty outrageous claims John gets questions about “chicken hormones” at the market Among other things, worrying about food trends (e.g. uh oh, eggs are bad for you again) encouraged John to pay closer attention to food John read a book about how information spreads on the internet, Trust Me I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday Generating ad revenue from content tends to dilute credibility A portion of the internet runs on “Google University” John started Food Cyclist Farm as a result of reading about how approachable and profitable farming can be We think Joel Salatin is great… … but his is one of the books that paint a rosy picture of farming Poultry farming was tough, but it resulted in an opportunity to manage Camps Road Farm The “farming is easy” content seems to mostly homesteading-skewed Young people getting into farming use the blog posts and books as a means to convince them it’s easily achievable Call to action: share your story. Share your insights with the farming community YouTube has become the great source for how-to; a major change from 10 years ago Hacking/remix culture has been a great way to iteratively improve methods over time

Have you considered diversifying with a commercial kitchen? Diversifying your farms’ offerings is always a good idea. Many of the guests who have been on this podcast have talked about it, and it is a large part of my business model. Have you considered diversifying with a commercial kitchen? On today’s episode Laura McKinney of Riverbank Farm talks about how her kitchen got started. She also talks about life on farm, how she got started in AG, and where she sees it all going. In this farm podcast you will learn: triumphs and failures from an experienced farmer pros and cons of starting a commercial kitchen on farm good advice for farm apprentices great advice for dealing with farm apprentices perspective on why we toil Riverbank Farm Since colonial times, the farm has passed through the hands of four different families who raised crops and milked cows. Currently, Riverbank Farm grows a diversity of certified organic vegetables, cut flowers and hay. Nourished by the fertile bottomland soil of the Shepaug River, the farm uses no herbicides, synthetic fertilizers or synthetic pesticides. Laura & David, Farm Owners David Blyn founded Riverbank Farm twenty years ago and was joined by his wife, Laura, in 1996. David originally moved to the farm in 1989 in hopes of running a carpentry business. Although, the barn and house were in poor condition, David was drawn to the landscape and river bordering the farm and decided to call it home. As David began to work on the barn, he also decided to grow a half acre of vegetables. The half acre increased each year until David began farming full time in 1991. He continued to farm on his own, jumping from tractor to tractor as he managed his small, diversified operation with old cultivating equipment and an array of farm machinery. In the summer of 1996, while delivering produce during a full moon in Long Island, David met Laura. She had come east for the summer after finishing sustainable agriculture studies in Santa Cruz, CA. Laura knew she wanted to farm, but never anticipated being on the east coast. Their love for farming and each other blossomed into a bountiful farm. Through hail storms, deer damage, late work nights, frosts, unpredictable weather patterns, and bug and weed outbreaks, they have learned to build a resilient farming operation and truly enjoy the harvest. They now have three children, Lily(8) and Alice(5) and Stella (2) who add love and laughter to each farm day. David and Laura believe that once you eat vegetables from the farm, the farm becomes part of you. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Riverbank Farm GFP072: Proper Farm Planning Makes All The Difference UC Santa Cruz Apprenticeship Program   Take aways: How can you add value to your unsold harvest? Do you have an “apprentice guide” that you have new workers sign? Could save you a lot of headaches.   Farm quote of the episode: “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” – Masanobu Fukuoka — Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating iniTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

Scott traveled to Iceland and Denmark John tailoring FMS to different situations than New England farming John disliking possessions/responsibilities as it relates to travel Scott taking stock of possessions while moving, realizing there’s very little Micromanagement and preventive measures to extend the life of possessions Having “your name on something” resulting in high standards Soylent follow-up: John had Soylent, Scott might not rebuy, case closed John’s getting a root canal, Scott hadn’t been to a dentist in a long while, Dr. Oppenheimer Mini excavators versus regular ones Dr. Oppenheimer wants some chickens We’re not yet very good at segues John’s still post-meltdown Recycling doesn’t matter? Sustainable farming doesn’t matter? Chipotle is great. Scott even had it three meals in a row

What we are about at Permaculture Voices.. How can you change the world if you can’t make a living in the process? It’s too common for people within the permaculture and sustainability movement to do work that they care about, but scrape by financially. And the reality of that is, at the end of the day that type of lifestyle isn’t sustainable – the values are there, but the economics are not. Can you make a living from a career that aligns with your values? We believe you can. Our mission at PV is to help people who embrace permaculture’s ethics to make a profitable and comfortable living doing work that aligns with who they are and what they stand for. This means doing work that is financially profitable, and looking beyond the numbers to make sure that the work is environmentally, social, and emotionally profitable.  Think of it as whole systems business.  Without looking after each of these components the whole thing falls apart. And we believe that when more people start doing that type of work, then we change the world. We are at a point in time where there is a lot wrong out there. And we can either complain about it and accept it and live with it, or we can step out of our comfort zone and change it. Permaculture Voices is a catalyst for that change. Many times that change comes in the form of business. Whether we work for someone else or for ourselves we spend a huge part of our lives doing work. Does that work matter? Does the world care about your work? And more importantly do you care about your work? On the flipside, are you doing work that matters to you, but is it financially sustainable? Not just now, but into the future. Will the work that you love support the life that you want to live? These are important questions to ask, and difficult questions to answer. We are here to help you with that process. We want to see you align your work with your values and grow your business, revenue and impact so your life both purposeful and sustainable. It’s totally possible. Stick around for a while and you will hear the real stories of people out there doing it. Cheers, Diego Founder & Head Story Teller  Right-click here to download the MP3 In This Farm Podcast You Will Learn Ideas evolve, keep them in check "Behind the Scenes" of Permaculture Voices "You are not going to achieve great things flying close to the middle."- Diego Footer Resources Mentioned in This Farm Podcast Permaculture Voices Book: Anti-Cancer, A New Way of Life Paul Wheaton -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

The Growing Farms Podcast was started to share my journey into agriculture. Like most journeys this one has been made more enjoyable by sharing it with others. One of the people I share my agriculture experiences with is my good friend and business partner Scott. In this every other week podcast series we talk about the kind of things that come up when one friend lives in the City and the other in the Country. Scott works in advertising in New York City and I manage a 52 acre farm in Connecticut. The dichotomy of our lifestyles is married with our shared values for a better world. This is an experiment for us without a clear ending. We are counting on you, the listening audience, to provide feedback, share your stories, and if nothing else enjoy being a fly on the wall for a conversation between two good friends who are trying to make sense of what it all means.

Losing your sh** is not an easy thing to talk about. No one is really proud of not being able to keep it together under pressure, yet as small business owners it is something we all go through. While I do not feel comfortable being this open and vulnerable (yeah, even me) I think that it is an important topic to merit a few episodes about the different elements of why burnout happens. I am bringing on some guests to discuss the topic and we’ll keep it light. There is a community that has formed around Farm Marketing Solutions of honest hard-working people. You are literally and figuratively out in the weeds just as I am, and you know what it is like to be in my shoes. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast episode you will learn: Contributing factors to burnout What to do if you feel yourself in the "tornado of negativity" How deep the politics can go at a farmers' market How Humble Hill Farm has developed over 15 years Interview with Courtney Sullivan of Humble Hill Farm Humble Hill Farm is a family-run farm in New York’s beautiful Finger Lakes region, close to Ithaca. For almost 15 years we’ve been growing flavorful food which is totally free from pesticide residues. We passionately practice sustainable agriculture by relying only on natural methods to increase our soil fertility and never use chemical fertilizers. We offer affordable accommodations in the hills of Spencer, just 18 miles south of Ithaca, NY. In less than 30 min you can trade the constant construction, traffic and heat of the city for a peaceful stay in the country. Humble Hill Lodge is one of the Ithaca area’s longest running culinary agri-tourism destinations. Fuel up with our delicious breakfasts made from farm fresh foods. If you have special dietary needs or preferences please let us know in advance so we can meet your needs with excellence. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Humble Hill Farm Humble Hill Farms' Farm Finance Hub Farm Finance Challenge Farm Marketing Solutions on Patreon That's right, you have the opportunity to support and sponsor the podcast. Patreon is like a recurring KickStarter where you donate $1-3 per episode that I publish. That way it is a little easier for me to keep generating content which makes everyone happy. How do you do it? Visit the FMS Patreon Page Create an account Choose to donate either $1 or $3 per episode Walk through the rest of the set-up (it's easy) Wait for me to publish new episodes By supporting me on a per-episode basis it encourages me to create more of the shows you have come to enjoy. By having flexible support options (like putting a monthly cap on your donations) it keeps me from abusing our relationship. That, and you can quit any time. Scott and I plan on maxing out at a once a week podcast to ensure we keep the quality up and to make sure we do not detract from the farm. That's 4 episodes a month tops. You support will: Pay my hosting fees Help me repair my equipment Help me purchase new equipment to produce better content Compensate me (and Scott) for the many hours we commit to serving you Help to keep the content free for those who need it but cannot afford it (farming is a tough gig) Take Aways: What repetitive stress injuries, physical or mental, can you avoid with a slight shift in your work or mindset? When is the last time you took time for yourself? Farm quote of the episode: You can do anything as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus, and the support." - Sabrina Bryan -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Past Episodes Support the Show by Giving $1

This was a tough podcast episode for me to publish. I have been dealing with burn out lately and that has lead to depression. I am definitely not the only person to have run a small business and have experienced this. There are high highs and low lows when it comes to small business management and farming is perhaps worse than most. I wanted to share this story, as vunerable as it makes me feel because: This is the stuff you will not find in any text books I’m not the only one going through this right now If you get into agriculture there is a very good chance you will go through this You have my support Right-click here to download the MP3 Please Do Not Worry Yes, I have felt lower than I ever have in my life. And no, it's not over yet. I am actively working on changing my mindset and getting myself emotionally back on track. I have already instituted changes that have had a positive effect on my well being. The day this publishes is a day off for me. Something that I really haven't let myself have this year. I am sleeping in, the farm is covered, and I am going to take it easy. As low as I felt it never reached complete rock bottom. I am coming back up for air a little quicker than I imagined. I am definitely able to put on a happy face when I need to and part of the vulnerability I feel is the people close to me finding out. But trust me, I'm going to be fine. I just need a readjustment of my goals, my perspective, and my work load. This All Ends Positively Most people would not have known about this if I had not said anything. I am only sharing because I have fully embraced transparency with Farm Marketing Solutions. This is my case study of my journey through agriculture. It would not be complete without the lows as well as the highs. The beautiful part of all of this is that I have an amazing support system. Thanks especially to Kate. The next podcast episode will be back on track and all positive, I can already feel it. Scott and I have some great stuff in store for the coming months and we are planning to implement them in a way that does not add to my work load. In fact, the new stuff we're going to roll out actually decreases my workload if you'll believe that. Both on farm and on Farm Marketing Solutions I am regrouping, getting focused, and spending time working on me. Quote of the episode: "Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become." - Jim Rohn -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

Is social media all it's cracked up to be? It is still working for some and yet, not for others. I speak with one farmer in this podcast episode who is gaining some attention through his efforts in Social Media. I have found that in particular I have been unhappy with Facebook as a platform. You have to pay to get people to like your page, then, if you have a post that is popular or you want people to see you have to pay to reach all of your "fans". These are people who have liked you page and would like to see your update show up on their home page. In the end I'm calling shenanigans on the lot of it. Yes, it is still useful, but I have a feeling that we're in for a big shit in how people are using the internet. For me, that shift is going back to a time before Social Media. I am narrowing my scope and my efforts this year not to try and capture everyone on every platform, but to deliver a lot of value on the platforms that I remain active on. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: My opinion on the current state of Social Media What hashtags are How to find them How to use them to get discovered What Instagram take-overs are and how they are good for all involved The benefits a smartphone can bring to the farm Interview with Colby Layton of Sandia Pastured Meats Howdy! I am Colby.  On the 14th of May, I took over as the full time Farm Manager and the President of the business. It was outside of the middle of nowhere on a warm day in the midst of the watermelon ripening season  when I was born to a cotton farming family.  Later we then moved to the city where I attended high school learning that people talk back to the teachers and other enlightening aspects of the city.  Before senior year, I enlisted as a medic in the Army and attended basic training with the medic training occurring between high school and college.  Coming from the farm and being in the military influenced my collegiate school choice.  From Texas A&M I gathered a baccalaureate degree in Animal Science, an Army commission in the Medical Services Corps branch, and a wife whom you will meet below. After Texas A&M, Kelly and I moved to the employ of Sandia Agricultural Enterprises, Inc.  SAEI was a dairy milking purebred Jersey cattle.  This land and family was a part of the former "World's Largest Jersey Dairy, the Knolle farms.  From this chapter in our lives, we determined that we would need to have a career change in order for us to obtain our own piece of the pastoral lifestyle.   In order to achieve this lifestyle, I earned my doctorate in microbiology from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.  With this new piece of paper in hand, our first child, as well as a tour in Iraq during OIF I & II, we moved to New Mexico where I performed research in biodefense areas.  This research moved us to a position in Kansas City, MO. During our first moths in KC, we searched a 60 mile radius from downtown for a large tract of land.  Our criteria included a small home, outbuildings, fencing, and a nearby country church.  We also talked with the extension agencies in both Missouri and Kansas.  From these talks and the information provided we concluded that our dream of a commodity-cattle-ranch was not feasible for us with having only limited capital.  We then reduced our land size requirements and found the place we now reside, our home. While settling into our home, we began to learn more about nontraditional, non-commodity ways of agriculture which were not included in our formal nor in our experiential education.  We are now practicing beyond organic, natural animal stewardship to directly bring you the nutritious products you deserve. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Sandia Pastured Meats Sandia Pastured Meats FFC Hub Page Video Resource: How to link your Instagram Account to Facebook If This Than That Farm Finance Challenge Podcast Archives Take Aways: What ways are you approaching farm marketing this season? What do you think of Social Media and has it had an impact on your farm? Farm Quote of the Episode: "There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." - Nelson Mandela -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

Imagine that you built a business that relied on someone else doing their job well in order to properly satisfy and impress your customers. Sounds like a lot of small businesses right? Now imagine that you lost that important connection and you are suddenly up a creek without a paddle. There are people in this world more brave than I am who are willing to take a seriously leap of faith and take control of the critical step in their business. One of those people is my guest on the show today. She saw that her business relied too heavily on outside resources, and not only that, she was paying a lot of money to those sources as well. She took matters into her own hands when she decided to start her own on farm slaughterhouse or abattoir. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: To "go big or go home" What it means to "go big" What vertical integration can do for your farm What happens when you keep hearing "yes" Interview with Kate Stillman of Stillman's At The Turkey Farm Kate quite literally grew up in the business of farming- helping on her parents veggie and her grandparents dairy farms- she learned early to embrace her farming roots and hone her skills as an entrepreneur, caretaker, manager, vet, sales person -even undertaker- she has managed to leave no stone unturned. Kate attended the University of Massachusetts, today she farms her two properties with her sons Trace and Jaide. (They have a little ways to go before they approach helpful!). Kate has successfully brought Stillman’s at the Turkey Farm to Stillman Quality Meats- developing am extensive CSA network, and creating a vibrant farmers market system. -- Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Stillman's at the Turkey Farm Stillman's on Facebook Camps Road Farm Farm Marketing Solutions on YouTube Take aways: What is one thing you currently out-source that is crucial for your business? Would it make sense to take that task over yourself? If you took no this new project, what would it mean for your farm? -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscribe to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes