Podcasts about bootstrap farmer

This week we hear from Graham Christensen about the wide range of regenerative practices he's using on his family's farm in Nebraska. Graham and host April Parms Jones discuss the importance of ecological farming practices for profitability as well as sustainability, the legacy of family farming, and the methods he is implementing on his family's 800-acre farm that was founded in 1867. He shares insights on keeping farms in the family, the challenges faced by farmers today, and the work being done through Regenerate Nebraska to build community connections and advocate for sustainable food systems. They also touch on the importance of global collaboration in regenerative agriculture, emphasizing the need for farmers to connect directly with consumers. They explore the role of solar energy in enhancing food security and the significance of organizations like the Nebraska Farmers Union in empowering farmers, as well as Graham's businesses GC Resolve and GC ReVolt. GC Resolve was founded in 2015 and is a consulting and communications company focused on environmental and equity issues. Key issues for GC Resolve include regenerative agriculture, agriculture competition and concentration, agricultural market development, rural socio-economic trends and pressures, agricultural workforce inequality, intergenerational land transition, biologicals vs biotech, water and air quality, and living soil. GC ReVOLT is a solar and alternative energy development company designed to both educate the public about alternative energy and develop renewable energy projects in and around Nebraska. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @grahamchristensen11 Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Discover innovative packaging solutions at A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for customizable and eco-friendly packaging across various industries, including floral, produce, and specialty packaging. Explore stylish and eco-friendly Kraft Paper Sleeves and sheets at shop.a-roo.com today and enjoy an exclusive 15% discount with code "GFM15" for Growing For Market listeners. When it comes to quality and innovation, A-ROO Company is the name you can trust. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.com Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial 

Jacqueline Jackson, owner of Mattie's Garden, shares her journey from a successful banking career to establishing an urban farm in Birmingham, Alabama. She and host Katie Kulla discuss how Jacqueline started thinking about growing food instead of banking, and the careful planning that led to her leaving her job and starting her own farm. They also talk about the sustainable growing practices she uses, what a food desert is and how local farming can help reduce food insecurity.They also discuss the joys and challenges of urban farming, the importance of community engagement, and Jacqueline's approach to selecting crops based on market needs. The conversation highlights the evolution of her farming operation, soil and growing conditions in Alabama, and the lessons learned from her grandmother about food accessibility and generosity. Mattie's Garden is named after Jacqueline's grandmother, who had plenty of strategies for resilience to pass on after growing up as one of eleven children during the great depression. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @mattiesgarden Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Discover innovative packaging solutions at A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for customizable and eco-friendly packaging across various industries, including floral, produce, and specialty packaging. Explore stylish and eco-friendly Kraft Paper Sleeves and sheets at shop.a-roo.com today and enjoy an exclusive 15% discount with code "GFM15" for Growing For Market listeners. When it comes to quality and innovation, A-ROO Company is the name you can trust. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.comSubscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

How farmers can integrate solar panels with growing crops, so they can effectively harvest the sun in two different ways, is the subject of this week's podcast with Elise Couillard and host April Parms Jones. They explore the benefits of solar for farmers, including financial savings, sustainability, and the ability to create microclimates that may improve the growth of certain crops. Elise shares her journey into the solar industry, the importance of tailoring solar solutions to individual needs, and the economic advantages of solar energy. The discussion also highlights the significance of community support and collaboration in adopting solar technology, as well as the integration of minimalistic living with solar energy.Elise is a consultant focusing on renewable energy, agrivoltaics and sustainability and the treasurer and a board member of the Couillard Solar Foundation. She uses her degree in behavioral ecology and past experiences in environmental science to inform her work advising conservation organizations about how to incorporate solar energy and energy efficiency into their operations. Elise advises clients on planning, designing, financing, and monitoring solar projects, especially nonprofit projects. Elise holds a Masters in Biology and a PhotoVoltaic (PV) Associate Certificate from NABCEP. In addition to her consulting work, Elise takes on grant writing services and has won, oftentimes as part of a team, over $800,000 in grants for clients. Elise lives in a tiny house and is an advocate for minimalistic and sustainable living. Connect With Guest:Website: https://couillardsolarfoundation.orgInstagram: @couillardsolar Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.Since 1972 Ohio Earth Food has been the go-to source for soil testing, consulting as well as the highest performing and most cost effective granular and liquid fertilizers, seed starting soils, foliar sprays and disease and insect controls. All approved for use on organic farms. Start seeds in The Seed Catapult soil with mycorrhizae and put Re-vita Pro fertilizer in the soil before you plant. Learn more at ohioearthfood.com.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.comSubscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

How does one go from Shakespearian acting to starting a company making regeneratively-grown heirloom-grain pancake mixes? Well, it involves an appearance on Shark Tank, eating pancakes five times a week for years, the pandemic, and so much more than we have room for here. Listen to this episode for some great ideas on how to build a local foods brand, why they use popped popcorn for their pancake mixes and how they gauge customer demand in order to get their products into new stores, in this interview with host April Parms Jones.Connect With Guest:Website: https://longtablepancakes.comInstagram: @longtablepancakes Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Since 1972 Ohio Earth Food has been the go-to source for soil testing, consulting as well as the highest performing and most cost effective granular and liquid fertilizers, seed starting soils, foliar sprays and disease and insect controls. All approved for use on organic farms. Start seeds in The Seed Catapult soil with mycorrhizae and put Re-vita Pro fertilizer in the soil before you plant. Learn more at ohioearthfood.com. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.comSubscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Jim Crawford founded New Morning Farm in Pennsylvania in 1976, starting and selling at multiple markets in Washington, D.C. He and his wife Moie are now semi-retired, having run the farm until they transitioned it to new ownership in 2019. They also founded the Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative that helped growers in rural Pennsylvania aggregate produce to reach the Washington, D.C. wholesale market. This interview by host Katie Kulla is packed with useful information from one of the first wave of certified organic farmers, including starting farmers markets, tips for farm profitability, founding a cooperative, getting apprentices to stick around for multiple years, selling produce from other growers, and how to transition when it's time for someone else to run the farm. Connect With Guest:Website: https://www.newmorningfarm.netInstagram: @newmorningfarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Since 1972 Ohio Earth Food has been the go-to source for soil testing, consulting as well as the highest performing and most cost effective granular and liquid fertilizers, seed starting soils, foliar sprays and disease and insect controls. All approved for use on organic farms. Start seeds in The Seed Catapult soil with mycorrhizae and put Re-vita Pro fertilizer in the soil before you plant. Learn more at ohioearthfood.com. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.comSubscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Romondo Woods of the Urban Youth Agriculture Farm in Detroit, Michigan, tells us about how he is producing food for the city, while at the same time giving children hands-on experiences at the farm. Romondo started the farm a decade ago and has been scaling up ever since in order to make it a growing source of produce for the city. In addition to letting kids know where their food comes from, they are helping make Detroit a leading example of how cities can implement natural farming practices that make the city a healthier place for people to live.Romondo was interviewed by host April Parms Jones while he was attending the 2024 Slow Food Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy, where he was serving as a delegate for Slow Food USA. Romondo recently got certified as a produce safety teacher so he can help train other farmers in how to keep their produce safe through postharvest handling as they expand their farms. Lots of ideas and inspiration in this podcast for both how to run the educational as well as the food production aspects of a farm! Connect With Guest:Website: https://uyadetroit.comInstagram: @u.y.a.detroitPodcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.comSubscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

In this conversation, host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice speaks with Matt Dell, co-owner of Treadlight Farm, about their journey into organic flower farming, the transition from retail to wholesale, and the unique challenges and strategies involved in scaling their business. Treadlight Farm focuses on uncommon flower varieties, and Matt discusses how they built relationships with wholesalers, and the techniques they use to manage production effectively. This covers quite a transition since Treadlight Farm started with hand tools and a small greenhouse, and they now manage about 20 acres with a number of greenhouses.Matt talks about how being certified organic affects their production, the importance of sustainable practices, and the role of native plants in horticulture. He explains the mechanics of organic certification, and shares practical tips for small and mid-sized farmers and, as he puts it, making a name for themselves by “growing weird stuff that you can't find anywhere else.” The discussion highlights the environmental impact of flower farming and the potential for a shift towards organic ornamental plants. Connect With Guest:Website: https://www.treadlight-farm.comInstagram: @treadlightfarm Link to free article about starting lisianthus from seed, by host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice, that was mentioned in the episodehttps://growingformarket.com/articles/planning-and-starting-lisianthus-from-seed Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.com If you're an experienced vegetable farmer, don't miss out on the 2025 Organic Vegetable Production Conference! In its 9th year, this conference fills that "expert-level" niche you're looking for. With online sessions on January 23rd and 24th for only $75 and in-person sessions on January 31 and February 1, in Madison, Wisconsin, you can plug in no matter where you are. Register today at bit.ly/ovpc-2025Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Corinna Bench learned digital marketing by doing the marketing for her family's farm, Shared Legacy Farms. They grow certified organic vegetables for a 400-member CSA in Ohio, and Corinna offers classes and coaching for farm marketing through MyDigitalFarmer. Whether your goal is to get more people to your market stand or sell out your CSA by the New Year, don't underestimate the importance of marketing to grow your business! In this interview, we talk about what she has learned from running her own farm's marketing campaigns.Corinna tells us how to identify products ripe for a promotion, plan around important dates, set revenue goals, and create marketing peaks to maximize sales. The discussion also covers nurturing customer relationships through engaging content and using lead magnets to attract and retain customers. Since this is the first episode of the new year, Corinna tells us how to plan out a promotion calendar for the whole year. Corinna offers marketing classes and coaching at mydigitalfarmer.com. Connect With Guest:Website: https://mydigitalfarmer.comInstagram: @mydigitalfarmer Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.com. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Since 1972 Ohio Earth Food has been the go-to source for soil testing, consulting as well as the highest performing and most cost effective granular and liquid fertilizers, seed starting soils, foliar sprays and disease and insect controls. All approved for use on organic farms. Start seeds in The Seed Catapult soil with mycorrhizae and put Re-vita Pro fertilizer in the soil before you plant. Learn more at ohioearthfood.com. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. If you're an experienced vegetable farmer, don't miss out on the 2025 Organic Vegetable Production Conference! In its 9th year, this conference fills that "expert-level" niche you're looking for. With online sessions on January 23rd and 24th for only $75 and in-person sessions on January 31 and February 1, in Madison, Wisconsin, you can plug in no matter where you are. Register today at bit.ly/ovpc-2025. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Rogue Farm Corps grew out of the age-old network of farmer-led apprenticeships, to help make the apprenticeship system compliant with modern labor laws and fulfil its educational component, while continuing to give people real-world farming experience on the way to starting their own farms. In the process they've added many opportunities in addition to traditional apprenticeships, forming a robust training program to the benefit of beginners and current farmers alike.Geoffrey Van and Kait Crowley tell us about Rogue Farm Corps on this week's pod, a non-profit that trains and equips the next generation of farmers and ranchers in Oregon. RFC's Farmer Training Program seeks to train an inclusive and diverse next generation of farmers through on-farm training and mentorship; classes, farm tours, and discussions; networking in the agricultural community; and connecting with other beginning farmers. RFC's Future Farms Program addresses systemic barriers to accessing land, capital, and other resources by providing the education and networking for farmland leasing and transfer; farm business technical assistance; and resources and assistance on collaborative models of farming.Both Geoffrey and Kait have many years of involvement in farming. Before becoming current RFC's Farmer Training Program Manager Kait completed an advanced apprenticeship with Rogue Farm Corps in 2018. Kait also co-founded PK Pastures, a certified organic and Animal-Welfare-Approved pastured livestock operation. Geoffrey was born and raised in Hong Kong. After school, he began working on farms in New Mexico and Oregon. In 2017, Geoffrey and four friends started Spoon Full Farm in Thorp, Washington, where they primarily raised livestock, grew vegetables, and made value-added products. In late 2020, Geoffrey began working at Rogue Farm Corps where he is Director of the Future Farms Program.Connect With Guest:Website: www.roguefarmcorps.orgInstagram: @roguefarmcorps Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Since 1972 Ohio Earth Food has been the go-to source for soil testing, consulting as well as the highest performing and most cost effective granular and liquid fertilizers, seed starting soils, foliar sprays and disease and insect controls. All approved for use on organic farms. Start seeds in The Seed Catapult soil with mycorrhizae and put Re-vita Pro fertilizer in the soil before you plant. Learn more at ohioearthfood.com.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. If you're an experienced vegetable farmer, don't miss out on the 2025 Organic Vegetable Production Conference! In its 9th year, this conference fills that "expert-level" niche you're looking for. With online sessions on January 23rd and 24th for only $75 and in-person sessions on January 31 and February 1, in Madison, Wisconsin, you can plug in no matter where you are. Register today at bit.ly/ovpc-2025Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Pete Russell used his experience in the food industry to design Ooooby, a sales platform for farmers to sell directly to the public. Their goal is to put local, ecologically sound growers back at the heart of the food system. Ooooby integrates all the apps one would use to build an online farm store into their software to simplify the process for farmers and offer a seamless experience for the customer.The platform has been available in Australia, New Zealand and the UK and is now becoming available in North America. One of the ways they keep the platform true to its values is by steward ownership- where the people who work for the company and the users all have buy-in. Learn how it works in this week's podcast interview! Connect With Guest:Website: www.ooooby.comInstagram: @oooobyhq Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there's only one that's cooperatively owned by farmers. That's GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. From start-up market farms to complex and scaled-up CSAs, GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, and you're eligible to join the co-op and become a member-owner after your first sale. Visit grownby.com to get started.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

In this interview Leah Penniman tells us why and how she started Soul Fire Farm, along with what she would do differently for those starting out or starting over. She discusses her most recent book, Black Earth Wisdom, and the recent adaptation of her first book, Farming While Black, into a documentary movie of the same title. She discusses how, in 1910, about 14% of farms in the United States were Black-owned, compared with about 2% today, and how her books are an effort to help Black farmers reconnect with their agricultural heritage and reclaim it from racism, discrimination and dispossession.In the conversation with host April Parms Jones, they explore land access, soil health, seed keeping, and the cultural connections to farming, emphasizing the importance of community and resilience in the face of challenges. Leah's insights provide an understanding of the historical and spiritual ties that Black communities have with the land, and the ongoing efforts to reclaim and nurture these connections through sustainable practices. Connect With Guest:Website: www.soulfirefarm.orgInstagram: @leahpenniman@soulfirefarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there's only one that's cooperatively owned by farmers. That's GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. From start-up market farms to complex and scaled-up CSAs, GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, and you're eligible to join the co-op and become a member-owner after your first sale. Visit grownby.com to get started. Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag, and check our 2025 seed starter pre-sale for the best prices of the season at tilthsoil.com/gfm. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.  Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Despite growing up farming, Jenny Marks didn't think she could make a living at it. So she worked in agriculture supporting other farmers, where she learned more about the business of farming; that led her to start her own Trademarks Flower Farm in New York State. Now, in addition to her own farm, she teaches the business of flower farming to other growers with her business Trademark Farmer. She's doing a free masterclass the first week of January, for more info go to her website trademarkfarmer.com.In this interview with host and fellow flower farmer Rebecca Kutzer-Rice, Jenny discusses the importance of focusing on a few key crops, and the strategies she employs to maximize efficiency and profitability. Jenny also delves into the structure of her flower CSA, the significance of partnerships with local businesses, and her approach to dahlia tuber sales. Jenny also goes into the business aspects of flower farming, including budgeting and marketing strategies, while offering advice on how to succeed in the industry. Connect With Guest:Website: https://www.trademarksflowers.comInstagram: @trademarkfarmerFree article mentioned in interview: Managing gray mold in cut flowers Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there's only one that's cooperatively owned by farmers. That's GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. From start-up market farms to complex and scaled-up CSAs, GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, and you're eligible to join the co-op and become a member-owner after your first sale. Visit grownby.com to get started. Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag, and check our 2025 seed starter pre-sale for the best prices of the season at tilthsoil.com/gfm. PanAmerican Seed brings to market novel, high-quality vegetables for the fresh market grower and hobby farmer. This year, to help make choices for vegetable programs easier, we've grouped our assortment into four categories where these edible favorites perform their best. Look for our easy-to-identify symbols in our latest brochure! Visit panamseed.com/vegetables to learn more and find a seed supplier today. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Maud Powell, former co-owner of Wolf Gulch Farm in Oregon, shares her farming journey and the impact of climate change on her land. After experiencing drought and a devastating heat dome, Maud and her husband realized they had to leave their farm and find a new property with more water, despite having made decades of investment in the farm. In response, Maud started the Oregon State University Extension Ag Climate Grief and Support Initiative to help farmers cope with the emotional toll of climate change.The initiative offers workshops and resources to address climate grief and stress. Maud emphasizes the importance of community support and resilience in the face of climate challenges. The project aims to create a supportive community for farmers and provide resources to address climate grief. Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there's only one that's cooperatively owned by farmers. That's GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. From start-up market farms to complex and scaled-up CSAs, GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, and you're eligible to join the co-op and become a member-owner after your first sale. Visit grownby.com to get started. Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag, and check our 2025 seed starter pre-sale for the best prices of the season at tilthsoil.com/gfm. PanAmerican Seed brings to market novel, high-quality vegetables for the fresh market grower and hobby farmer. This year, to help make choices for vegetable programs easier, we've grouped our assortment into four categories where these edible favorites perform their best. Look for our easy-to-identify symbols in our latest brochure! Visit panamseed.com/vegetables to learn more and find a seed supplier today. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

This week, we speak with Benjamin Fahrer, a permaculture designer and farmer, who combines ecological principles with innovative rooftop farm designs across cities in California. Benjamin shares how his background in building and permaculture design shaped his vision for creating resilient food systems. We explore the importance of soil health, biodiversity, and regenerative practices in addressing both climate and social challenges. Benjamin highlights the value of fresh, nutrient-dense produce and the potential of urban agriculture to reconnect communities with truly healthy food. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to the podcast, download our episodes, and rate them! Your support means the world to us. Thank you! Timestamps [03:00] Importance of design in farming. [04:30] Benjamin's farming and building roots. [07:04] Discovering permaculture design. [10:09] Lessons from pioneers like Bob Cannard. [12:46] Wendell Berry on perfection and humility. [20:39] Urban farming challenges and opportunities. [25:08] Esalen Institute: blending farming and spirituality. [39:33] Food freshness and nutrient density. [50:28] Key steps for regenerative ag: Reckoning, restoration, resilience. [55:08] Tillage and soil health: timing matters. [1:03:36] Farms as ‘refugia' in climate change. [1:09:18] Insights from rooftop farming projects. [1:26:05] Designing for diversity and nature's role. [1:31:04] Soil microbiome and farming practices [1:50:01] Rapid fire Q&A [1:50:26] The Tao Of Leadership by John Heider & Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Sponsors Tessier https://info.serres-guytessier.com/en/tessier-mgi10 Use promocode MGI10 for 10% off and free shipping on your first purchase for the Eastern North American regions (Ontario, the Maritimes, and the states of Vermont, Maine, New York, and New Hampshire).  Bootstrap Farmer https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/?utm_source=mg-jm&utm_medium=podcast  New Society Publishing Use code market25 for 25% off all books https://newsociety.com/?utm_source=The%20Market%20Gardener%20Podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Sponsorship  Heirloom www.heirloom.ag   Limited time offer of 20% off yearly subscription and use promocode PODCAST to get an extra month of free trial. https://heirloom.ag/?utm_source=ijm&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=season2 Market Gardener Institute https://themarketgardener.com/courses/the-market-gardener-masterclass/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=masterclass#waitinglistMC  Links/Resources Market Gardener Institute:  https://themarketgardener.com/  Masterclass:  https://themarketgardener.com/courses/the-market-gardener-masterclass/  Newsletter:  https://themarketgardener.com/newsletter Blog:  https://themarketgardener.com/blog  Books: https://themarketgardener.com/books Growers & Co: https://growers.co/ Heirloom: https://heirloom.ag/ The Old Mill: https://www.espaceoldmill.com/en/ Follow Us Website: http://themarketgardener.com  Facebook: http://facebook.com/marketgardenerinstitute  Instagram: http://instagram.com/themarketgardeners  Guest Social Media Links Benjamin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminfahrer  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmtheroof Websites:  https://www.topleaffarms.com/  https://www.deepmedicinecircle.org/  https://regenorganic.org/  JM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanmartinfortier Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmartinfortier 

If you store vegetables for any length of time, you're going to want to hear this interview with Sam Knapp of Offbeet Farm. Sam has practiced “storage farming” for years, growing during the summer for off-season sales from stored crops deep into the winter. In this interview, he tells us about how he figured out his own best practices along the way, as there was little available information on modern veg storage techniques that would keep produce in top shape over an extended period of time.The product of all this learning is Sam's brand-new book, Beyond the Root Cellar. It covers every aspect of storage farming, from which crops to grow for storage, to how to grow and harvest them, to what kind of a structure to build for long-term storage and the conditions that will keep vegetables fresh for as long as possible. We cover a lot of it in this interview, though for all the details, you can order Beyond the Root Cellar, which is now shipping from Growing for Market; magazine subscribers always get 20% off all books, including Beyond the Root Cellar. Connect With Guest:Sam's book Beyond the Root Cellar: https://growingformarket.com/store/products/264Website: https://offbeetalaska.comInstagram: @offbeetalaska Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there's only one that's cooperatively owned by farmers. That's GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. From start-up market farms to complex and scaled-up CSAs, GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, and you're eligible to join the co-op and become a member-owner after your first sale. Visit grownby.com to get started. Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag, and check our 2025 seed starter pre-sale for the best prices of the season at tilthsoil.com/gfm. PanAmerican Seed brings to market novel, high-quality vegetables for the fresh market grower and hobby farmer. This year, to help make choices for vegetable programs easier, we've grouped our assortment into four categories where these edible favorites perform their best. Look for our easy-to-identify symbols in our latest brochure! Visit panamseed.com/vegetables to learn more and find a seed supplier today. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.

Dan Brisebois has over 20 years of market farming and seed growing experience as a founding member of Tourne-Sol Cooperative farm in Quebec, Canada. In this interview and discussion of his new book, The Seed Farmer, we hear how his interest in seed growing goes all the way back to the beginning of his farming career. Now, he can tell us from experience what it's like to grow many seed crops, since roughly half of the farm income derives from seed sales, with the other half coming from a 500-member CSA.This interview and Dan's book cover the practicalities of how to grow a seed crop, whether for your own use or for sale. Topics covered include choosing a crop, pollination, isolation distances, inbreeders vs outcrossers, harvest and processing for good germination, storage and more! This interview gives an overview of the differences between growing for a crop of fresh vegetables vs. for seed. For the nitty-gritty details, order The Seed Farmer, which is now shipping from Growing for Market; magazine subscribers always get 20% off all books, including The Seed Farmer. Dan is also the author of the book Crop Planning for Vegetable Growers and founder of the Farmer Spreadsheet Academy that offers courses in farm planning, including a seed farmer mentorship. Connect With Guest: Dan's book The Seed Farmer: https://growingformarket.com/store/products/262Website: https://www.fermetournesol.qc.ca/enFarmer spreadsheet academy: http://spreadsheet.farm/bcpInstagram: @danbrisebois.farmInstagram: @fermetournesol Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there's only one that's cooperatively owned by farmers. That's GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. From start-up market farms to complex and scaled-up CSAs, GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, and you're eligible to join the co-op and become a member-owner after your first sale. Visit grownby.com to get started. Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag, and check our 2025 seed starter pre-sale for the best prices of the season at tilthsoil.com/gfm. PanAmerican Seed brings to market novel, high-quality vegetables for the fresh market grower and hobby farmer. This year, to help make choices for vegetable programs easier, we've grouped our assortment into four categories where these edible favorites perform their best. Look for our easy-to-identify symbols in our latest brochure! Visit panamseed.com/vegetables to learn more and find a seed supplier today. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

You may know Lindsey Lusher Shute from co-founding the National Young Farmers Coalition, but what we talk about on the pod this week is her work with GrownBy: the only cooperatively farmer-owned farm marketplace app. During her decade as the Executive Director of the NYFC, one of the needs that was identified was a flexible way for farmers to sell a wide variety of products online. That need is what led to her founding the Farm Generations Cooperative that runs GrownBy.Now, over 900 farms use GrownBy to sell vegetables, flowers, goat petting sessions (listen to the interview!) and more, straight to the public. Very competitive selling fees are made even more attractive by the fact that as soon as farmers make a sale through the platform, they are invited to join the Farm Generations Cooperative, and potentially get some of their fees back as a coop co-owner. You can also run a CSA through GrownBy; for all the details, listen to this week's Growing for Market Podcast! Connect With Guest:Website: https://grownby.appInstagram: @grownbyapp Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Tilth Soil makes living soils for organic growers. The base for all our mixes is NOP-compliant compost, made from the 4,000 tons of food scraps we divert from landfills each year. And the results speak for themselves. Get excellent germination, strong transplants, and help us turn these resources back into food. Try a free bag, and check our 2025 seed starter pre-sale for the best prices of the season at tilthsoil.com/gfm. PanAmerican Seed brings to market novel, high-quality vegetables for the fresh market grower and hobby farmer. This year, to help make choices for vegetable programs easier, we've grouped our assortment into four categories where these edible favorites perform their best. Look for our easy-to-identify symbols in our latest brochure! Visit panamseed.com/vegetables to learn more and find a seed supplier today. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Tilth Soil was born out of a desire to keep some of the millions of pounds of food waste that is discarded every year out of landfills, with their mission to “feed people, not landfills.” Hear about how their sister company, Rust Belt Riders, started out hauling food waste in bicycle trailers, and has subsequently scaled up to trucks in order to handle just some of the scraps generated in Cleveland, Ohio- in 2023 they composted over 10 million pounds and that's not even all the food waste generated by Cleveland!Tilth Soil/Rust Belt Riders encourages and provides resources for others who want to divert food scraps from the waste streams of their own communities. So, whether you have interest in starting a similar business in your own community, or want to start collecting food scraps for your farm, listen to this interview to hear about what it's like to build a business sourcing food waste for composting. Or, if you're interested in the finished product, Tilth Soil offers a wide range of compost and soil blends for farmers and gardeners.   Connect With Guest:Website: tilthsoil.comInstagram: @tilth.soil Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: PanAmerican Seed brings to market novel, high-quality vegetables for the fresh market grower and hobby farmer. This year, to help make choices for vegetable programs easier, we've grouped our assortment into four categories where these edible favorites perform their best. Look for our easy-to-identify symbols in our latest brochure! Visit panamseed.com/vegetables to learn more and find a seed supplier today.BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Driftless Seed Company is part of an encouraging trend we are seeing with regional seed companies producing seed in and with adaptations to their specific region. On this week's podcast, we have Cody Egan and Dylan Bruce of Driftless Seed Company, telling host April Parms Jones how they went from farming and working for a seed company to founding one. Dylan had to leave part way through the interview due to technical difficulties, so we get the rest of the story from Cody.Driftless Seed Company focuses on providing regional, open-pollinated seeds to farmers and gardeners in the Midwest. The company works closely with growers to understand their preferences and what grows well for them, and they offer different models for growers to earn income from seed production, including a commission-based model. They emphasize the importance of joy and inspiration in farming and seed work, and supporting local seed economies and building relationships with growers and communities. Connect With Guest:Website: driftlessseeds.comInstagram: @driftlessseeds Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Farming and parenting can each be demanding jobs by all by themselves, so it can be a real challenge to do both at the same time! Katie Kulla talked to over 25 farmers about their experiences and how they strike a balance between the two, and it's all in her new book, Farm Raised Kids: Parenting Strategies for Balancing Family Life with Running a Small Farm or Homestead! The book will be available at the end of October, and you can pre-order it from Growing for Market Magazine's online store now (subscribers always get 20% off all books). Katie shares her own experience as a farmer and parent, as well as insights from interviews with a diverse range of farm families. The book covers topics such as involving children in seasonal traditions, bringing kids into farm work, ensuring their safety on the farm, the challenges and joys of raising children on a farm, managing the needs of older children, and making educational choices. Katie and host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice discuss the importance of prioritizing family time, finding a balance between work and parenting, and the unique experiences and opportunities that come with farming, as well as the benefits of having children on the farm. Growing for Market podcast listeners will recognize Katie as one of the hosts of this podcast, and magazine readers will recognize her as a long-time contributor to the magazine. Here's a link to an article Katie wrote for the magazine on the topic, “Strategies for balancing parenting and farm work.”  Photo © Shawn Linehan. Used with permission from Storey Publishing.  Connect With Guest:Buy the book- GFM subscribers get 20% off: Farm-Raised Kids: Parenting Strategies for Balancing Family Life with Running a Small Farm or HomesteadWebsite: katiekulla.comInstagram: @katiekulla Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Discover innovative packaging solutions at A-ROO Company, your one-stop destination for customizable and eco-friendly packaging, including floral, produce, and specialty packaging. Explore stylish and eco-friendly Kraft Paper Sleeves and sheets at shop.a-roo.com today and enjoy an exclusive 10% discount with code "GFM10" for Growing for Market Podcast listeners. Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

We're so excited to be welcoming Rebecca Kutzer-Rice to the podcast team as one of our co-hosts, we wanted to make sure and record an episode to properly introduce everyone to her! Growing for Market Magazine readers will recognize Rebecca from her articles in the mag, including many about flower growing written from her experience running Moonshot Farm, a specialty cut flower farm in East Windsor, NJ. She grows flowers year-round including in a geothermal greenhouse, for retail markets in and around NYC.She has also written about topics as varied as cybersecurity, tillage vs. no-till, farm profitability and more. Her article from the magazine, “Eleven things we did to make our farm profitable (finally)” is linked below. Podcast listeners will remember her from episode 50 where she talked about quitting her job to grow flowers full-time, which is also linked below. In this interview, she and host Katie Kulla discuss her farm's markets, how other growers can find grants like the ones that have helped Rebecca grow her farm, how they are making use of the H-2A guestworker program to meet farm labor needs, and more! Connect With Guest:Website: www.moonshotfarm.comInstagram: @moonshot_farmRebecca's previous GFM pod appearance:Quitting your job to grow flowers 52 weeks of the yearOne of Rebecca's articles from Growing for Market Magazine:Eleven things we did to make our farm profitable (finally) Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

On this week's podcast we talk with with Addie Candib, who oversees American Farmland Trust's programs and policy advocacy in the Pacific Northwest. You might be familiar with American Farmland Trust from their “No Farms No Food” message that shows up on bumper stickers throughout rural America. But their work is much bigger than just that campaign, as we will learn from Addie.In addition to their other projects, American Farmland Trust has protected in perpetuity over 6.8 million acres of farmland and ranchland using agricultural conservation easements. Addie explains how conservation easements work and ways farmers can preserve their own farmland or gain access to preserved land. Along the way we cover topics such as diverse as intergenerational land transfer, policy advocacy, and the challenges farmers face today, including climate change and the emotional toll it takes, emphasizing the importance of community, resilience, and addressing the social and emotional aspects of farming in the face of climate change. Connect With Guest:Website: https://farmland.orgInstagram: @americanfarmlandtrust Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

On this week's podcast we talk with Rowan Steele, farmer, farm advocate, and Manager of the Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program for the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District. Headwaters Farm is located just east of Portland, Oregon. As manager, Rowan supports experienced, conservation-forward farmers get their farm businesses off the ground. On this podcast we've interviewed several farmers who got their start via incubator farms, so we're excited to hear more about how this concept works from someone who helps manage such a program.The Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program provides affordable land, infrastructure, and equipment, as well as training and technical assistance to beginning farmers. The goal is to address common barriers, such as access to capital, farm knowledge, networks and markets. The Headwaters Farm is a 60-acre site with irrigated crop land and shared facilities. The conversation covers the five-year program structure, the importance of financial viability, the criteria for selecting program participants, the transition process after graduation, the challenges farmers face today and more. Connect With Guest:Website: https://emswcd.org/farm-incubator/headwaters-farm/Instagram: @emswcd Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

On this week's podcast, we talk with Bazile Panek about what farmers can learn from Indigenous knowledge in agriculture. Panek, CEO of Good Sky Guidance, shares his work on Indigenous knowledge, cultural revitalization, and environmental initiatives. He discusses the importance of conserving wild rice and the threats it faces, adapting to changing weather patterns and the use of controlled burns in ecosystem management.Good Sky Guidance is a consulting firm specializing in the use of Indigenous Knowledges in environmental initiatives and advising institutions on respectful tribal community engagement. Bazile highlights the need for relationship building and explores Indigenous foodways and the benefits of local, sustainable agriculture, and suggests leveraging Indigenous authors and scholars.His roots come from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe where he was born and raised. Bazile primarily serves as an Indigenous Consultant for the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP). In his role with ITEP, he is co-facilitating the creation of the Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report, Volume 2. Bazile also works as the Fire-Plan Research Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin- Platteville for a National Science Foundation-funded project that combines various ways of knowing to help heal fire dependent lands and cultures in the Great Lakes region. Bazile's guiding philosophy in life is to honor his ancestors by becoming an honorable ancestor for future generations.  Connect With Guest:Email: bazile@goodskyguidance.comWebsite: goodskyguidance.comInstagram: @goodskyguidance Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

In case you're wondering — this sounds cool, but why are we talking about falconry on a farming podcast? That's part of what we're going to talk about today, but the short answer is that one of the services Alina and other modern falconers offers is agricultural abatement — that is, using falcons and raptors to protect crops from bird damage. This is something that Oregon's wine industry is beginning to embrace but there are potential applications for many crops. We're going to talk about that and more today.Alina is an Oregon Master Class Falconer and has been flying falconry abatement for 8 years. Her 501(c)(3) PERCH provides public education using raptors to teach about their unique ecology and physiology as well as to financial and logistic support for wildlife rehabilitators. Birds of prey are one of the best ways to guard against birds that can wipe some crops out in a very short amount of time. This interview is a fascinating combination of ecology and psychology, since it's important to understand both the pest birds and which birds of prey can be most effective against them.Connect With Guest:Website: https://skyguardianfalconry.com/Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.

Good marketing makes your web presence stand out so customers can find you. Nina Galle, co-author of Ready Farmer One, The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, and head of marketing at Local Line, discusses how to optimize your farm's online sales and marketing so you can reach a wider customer base and increase sales. Galle shares how online sales can also help boost in-person sales at farmers markets, CSAs and food hubs. She discusses the importance of offers and incentives to attract and retain customers, the role of visual assets in building brand trust, the back-end processes of order management and fulfillment, storytelling and creating a memorable brand, and strategies for social media engagement. Whether you are setting up an online store for the first time or have been taking online sales for years, if you're selling farm products online, this conversation can help you grow your online presence along with your farm. Connect With Guest:Email: info@localline.caWebsite: https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0Read her book: https://readyfarmerone.comInstagram: @locallineinc Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Nina Planck tells us about doing farmers markets as a kid growing up on Wheatland Vegetable Farms in Northern Virginia in the 70s and 80s, and how that experience led to her starting a series of farmers markets in London, England. We talk about how growers can optimize their own farmers markets, emphasizing the need for them to expand their offerings beyond fruits and vegetables to include meat, dairy, seafood, wine, and anything else produced locally.We also talk about how ideas and recipes from some of Nina's books, including The Farmer's Market Cookbook and The Real Food Cookbook, can help market shoppers who are not used to cooking with whole foods break out of the routine of using processed foods. Zooming out, we discuss the impact of agricultural subsidies on the food system, and talk about how to re-make the industrial food chain with local foods values. Connect With Guest:Website: www.LFM.org.ukWebsite: www.NinaPlanck.comInstagram: @NinaPlanckX: https://x.com/ninaplanck Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

There are a lot of regulations that cover farm products, and running afoul of them can be costly or even put you out of business. Alexia Kulwiec, Executive Director of the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) is on the podcast this week to talk about how her organization protects the rights of farmers to sell directly to the public. This is especially important since, with a patchwork of state and federal regulations, sometimes the wrong regulations have been applied to farmers, or been applied improperly.The FTCLDF is helping farmers proactively, by working to influence state and local policy to ease the regulatory burden placed on farmers, and they also help farmers who are facing inspection and other regulatory issues. In this interview with host April Parms Jones, hear what the legal issues are that farmers have been facing, how FTCLDF is helping, and why this can help decentralize of our food system. Connect With Guest:Website: https://www.farmtoconsumer.orgInstagram: @farmtoconsumer Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter.Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Jeff Poppen, longtime farmer and owner of Long Hungry Creek Farm in Tennessee, discusses his farming journey and the principles of biodynamic farming which led to his new book, Barefoot Biodynamics. Jeff shares his approach to farming, including the use of compost, cover crops, and crop rotations. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the specific needs of the soil and the benefits of incorporating diverse elements into the farm. He shares how he got started in farming and the transition to organic and biodynamic methods.Jeff emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the accumulated wisdom of farming and studying pre-chemical farming practices. He also talks about the unique aspects of his farm, including the diverse landscape and the role of animals in maintaining fertility. Jeff explains the climate in Tennessee and how he manages without irrigation. He delves into the philosophy of biodynamics and Rudolf Steiner's teachings, highlighting the importance of observation, consciousness, and the connection between humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Throughout the conversation, Jeff's down-to-earth and accessible style shines through. Connect With Guest:Website: https://barefootfarmer.comInstagram: @barefootfarmerFacebook: Barefoot FarmerJeff's Book: https://chelseagreen.biz/product/barefoot-biodynamics/ Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha, get rid of diseases for good and get the most out of your tunnels. Sleep better, knowing that they'll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. For tips and tricks on how to simplify your farm activities, check out their free ebooks at orisha.io/tools and sign up to Orisha's newsletter at orisha.io/newsletter. Discover innovative packaging solutions at A-ROO Company, your one-stop destination for customizable and eco-friendly packaging, including floral, produce, and specialty packaging. Enjoy an exclusive 10% discount with code "GFM10" for Growing for Market Podcast listeners at shop.a-roo.com. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

On this week's podcast we hear from Virginia Herrera about what it's like to own the farm she worked on for so many years. After working on Spring Hill Farm in Oregon for 20 years, Virginia got the opportunity to buy the farm when the owner retired, and she christened the operation Eloisa Organic Farm, named after her mother.Virginia shares her farming journey- she grew up farming in Oaxaca, Mexico, and started working at Spring Hill Organic Farm in Oregon when she moved to the United States. When the owner of Spring Hill retired, he offered Virginia and her husband the opportunity to rent the land and equipment, and Eloisa Organic Farm was born. They grow a wide range of certified organic vegetable crops and sell through their CSA, farmers markets, and wholesale relationships, and talk about some of the growing strategies that make their produce exceptional.Virginia discusses the surprises and difficulties of being a farm owner and the changes she has made to the farm. She emphasizes the importance of following the laws and regulations of starting a business and saving money to overcome the challenges of obtaining bank loans. She shares their marketing strategies including participating in farmers markets, expanding the CSA program, and differentiating themselves through branding and product variety. Virginia discusses the need for more flexible loans for farmers and the limitations faced by those without social security numbers. She also emphasizes the importance of valuing the work of farmers and appreciating the labor behind the produce. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @eloisaorganicfarmEmail: eloisaorganicfarm@gmail.comPodcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.  Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Virtual assistants have been around for a while in fields like business and marketing, but until recently there hasn't been a VA built specifically for farmers. Farmhand changed that, with a combination of automations and a team of humans streamlining operations and doing many of the things a back-office staff would do for farmers.We were curious how farmers were using Farmhand, so we invited back Ari Memar, founder and CEO of Farmhand, along with Carolyn Givens of Something Good Organics and Melanie Cunningham of Shakefork Community Farm, to hear how they are using Farmhand on their farms. Carolyn and Melanie tell us how Farmhand has made an impact, from CSA management to customer communications, web design, help with newsletters and more. In addition to getting more done with less of the farmer's time, Carolyn and Melanie tell us how ultimately Farmhand helps them build stronger customer relationships so they have more time to focus on growing exceptional produce.Melanie Cunningham runs Shakefork Community Farm in Humboldt County, California. Carolyn Givens runs Something Good Organics in Santa Barbara County, California. Ari Memar is the founder and CEO of Farmhand; for more on Ari and Farmhand, listen to the Growing for Market Podcast episode #74 “Building a virtual assistant for market farms with Ari Memar of Farmhand.” Connect With Guests:Email: hello@gofarmhand.comWebsite: https://www.farmhand.partners/gfmInstagram: @gofarmhand@somethinggoodorganics@shakeforkcommunityfarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Farmhand is the only ready-to-ride assistant made by and for farmers.Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take one of our many time-saving tasks for a test drive to see firsthand how Farmhand can help you earn more, and work less at farmhand.partners/gfm. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Talk about leveraging constraints, Michael Bell runs Dallas Half Acre Farm without running water or electricity, with a full-time job, on about half an acre. On this week's podcast, we talk about how he makes it all work. We discuss why almost all his crops are grown under cover, and how he makes that work with the intense summer heat in Texas. We also talk about why he harvests and delivers produce almost every day of the week, and how that works with his job as a teacher.We also discuss some of the difficulties of farming in a neighborhood where the authorities don't always understand agriculture, and how Michael has worked with local officials to keep growing. His modified CSA is a great model for those looking to get a lot out of a small space or start farming in an urban/suburban area. Michael is also a big advocate for urban farming- hear his advice for aspiring urban farmers, and how he helps them get started. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @dallashalfacrefarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:  Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

In this episode, we dive into Piedmont Microgreens recent expansion into a 1900 square foot facility including lessons learned in the process, tips and recommendations for farming going through an expansion and the role automation plays in Garrett Corwins farm.Garrett shares his insights on construction, budgeting, business growth, and real estate. We also cover financial planning, automation benefits, GAP certification, farm management software, and automation tools including the new Bootstrap Farmer tray cleaner. Checkout Piedmont Microgreens at https://www.piedmontmicrogreens.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/piedmontmicrogreens/ Checkout Microgreens Manager at https://microgreenmanager.com/ FREE RESOURCES: Microgreens Mastery Growing Guide https://www.microgreensconsulting.com Starting A Microgreens Business Easily From Home Jonah.freedomfarmers.com Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@microgreensconsulting/ https://www.instagram.com/microgreensconsulting/

Dried flower arrangements are one of the best ways of ensuring a year-round supply of domestically-grown blooms, as gaps in the harvest season can be filled in with dried flowers. Hannah Muller just published Designing with Dried Flowers, a gorgeous and practical book written from her experience as farmer/florist on Full Belly Farm, one of the nation's largest certified organic flower farms, among other crops. An additional benefit of using dried blooms is that flowers that don't make the cut for fresh use can often be used for dried flower arrangements and wreaths. Hannah shares her personal journey of growing up on the farm and finding her way back to it as an adult. She discusses the role of dried flowers in extending the farm's season, provides tips for getting started with drying flowers, including experimenting with flowers already grown and growing specific varieties for drying. She shares tips on crops, growing and harvesting flowers for drying, setting up a drying room, dealing with pests, arranging and more! Subscribers get 20% off this book and all books at growingformarket.com. Connect With Guest:Read her book, Designing with Dried Flowers- subscribers get 20% off at growingformarket.comWebsite: https://fullbellyfarm.comInstagram: @farmerhands@Full_Belly_Farm@wreathroom Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Learn what consumers find the most compelling reason to join a CSA, what a CSA guest token is, and how changing weather is making farming more difficult for Megan Larmer and Nicole Scott at the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming. Megan and Nicole are both part of the large team of people supporting the work of Glynwood, a food and farming non-profit located on a 225-acre farm in New York's Hudson Valley. They have a wide range of programs fulfilling their missions of training farmers and supporting future farmers, providing local food for every table, educating stakeholders to advance regional food, and building producer coalitions. And they do all this work with a guiding value of equity and inclusion. Megan Larmer is the Senior Director of Programs for Glynwood. She leads projects that convene food and farming professionals to execute training, collective efforts, and creative projects that further the development of a regional food system in the Hudson Valley. Primary amongst these are Glynwood's Cider Project, the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition, and the Food Sovereignty Fund. Nicole Scott first joined Glynwood in 2017 as a Livestock Apprentice, then returned in 2019 as the Assistant Livestock Manager and is now the Director of Livestock Operations and Farm Outreach. She is responsible for all aspects of Glynwood's diversified, certified Animal Welfare Approved livestock operation. In this role she manages herd health and nutritional management of all stock, as well as teaching apprentices how to manage five different species in a pasture-based system.  Connect With Guest:Email: info@glynwood.orgEmail: @glynwood.orgWebsite: www.glynwood.org Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Pick-your-own is an underused marketing channel for local vegetable and flower farms, one that could be transformative if PYO were implemented on anywhere near the scale of farmers markets or CSAs. Megan Neubauer of Pure Land Farm in McKinney, Texas is here to tell us how, after struggling with farmers markets, she made PYO more profitable and efficient for her farm. She used these experiences to write the book, Pick-Your-Own Farming: Free Yourself from Farmers Markets and Join the Agritourism Revolution. Learn how to deal with “customer blight,” why she charges admission, how they choose good PYO crops, and what veg and flower crops those are. It all adds up to making double or triple what they made at farmers markets in just eight weeks of PYO (though of course it takes more than eight weeks of farm work to make that happen).Megan didn't start her career in farming — she has a BS in Biology from Boston University and worked for several years in biotech and scientific research. But in 2012, Megan and her father started their farm together using regenerative growing methods on three acres of thornless blackberries and two acres of diversified fruits and vegetables, exclusively marketing their products using agritourism. They offer their local customers a uniquely diverse pick-your-own or u-pick experience, which you can hear about on this week's Growing for Market Podcast. Connect With Guest:Read her book: Pick-Your-Own Farming: Free Yourself from Farmers Markets and Join the Agritourism RevolutionEmail: megan@purelandorganic.comWebsite: www.purelandorganic.comFacebook: @purelandfarmInstagram: @purelandfarmTikTok: @purelandfarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Bruno Maciel is the third generation managing his family's flower farm, Florista Lina Farm in Barcelos, Portugal. We hear how his experience working in the flower industry around Europe has guided the changes he is making to the farm, including adding greenhouse production, doing more winter production, dropping unprofitable crops and focusing on quality over quantity. Farmers in North America can learn a lot from Bruno and his data-driven approach to flower farming, and will probably recognize more similarities than differences between flower growing on the west side of the Atlantic and the east.Bruno also explains how he has used biofumigation with mustards to control soilborne diseases that had been devastating in the past. This method has the advantage not only of controlling diseases without chemicals, but also feeds the soil with organic matter as the mustards are mowed and tilled into the soil to release the biofumigants. For all the details, you can read the article Bruno wrote for the May Growing for Market Magazine, Improving soil quality and treating root pathogens with biofumigation here.Connect With Guest:Instagram: @floristalinafarmFacebook: @Florista-LinaRead the article Bruno wrote for the May Growing for Market Magazine, Improving soil quality and treating root pathogens with biofumigation here. Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial 

Catt Fields White is the founder and CEO of Farmers Market Pros, the director of San Diego Markets, and the founder of the Little Italy Mercato in 2008 as a source of fresh food for her neighborhood in San Diego, California. In this interview, we draw on her years of experience helping growers figure out if farmers markets are the right outlet for their farms and then setting them up for success at markets. We discuss the challenges she faced in founding the Little Italy Mercato, how it has become San Diego County's largest weekly year-round market, and how that experience led to the founding of Farmers Market Pros.This interview has a lot of practical ideas for success at farmers markets, and some to avoid, including why racing to the bottom on price isn't a good idea. We discuss the four Ps of market success (product, packaging, people and professionalism). We also talk about how much to specialize, how much to diversify, and much more from Catt's years of experience running farmers markets and helping farmers succeed at them. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @farmersmarketprosFacebook: Farmers Market ProsWebsite: farmersmarketpros.comEmail: connect@farmersmarketpros.com Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

The good news is that local farms are reaching more customers than ever through their websites, email, text messaging, search engine optimization and more. The rub is that most small farmers already wear so many hats, it's unlikely they're making the most of all those platforms for finding and communicating with customers. That's why founder and CEO Ari Memar created Farmhand- so their team can handle the digital side of the business, and you can stay outstanding in your field.With his background in tech, Ari knew the potential these new technologies could have to elevate local farms and how to maximize it. But from his hobby farm in California and seeing the farms around him, it was clear most market farms were not getting the most out of these new technologies. Which is why Ari created Farmhand- to take care of the digital side of the business for farmers. Hear how Farmhand can streamline operations for farmers with website design, SEO, email newsletters, text messaging, CSA management, communications with wholesalers, and more in this week's interview with host April Parms Jones. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @gofarmhandWebsite: gofarmhand.comEmail: hello@gofarmhand.com Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:Ball Seed and Ball ColorLink are your complete source for quality cut-flower seeds, plugs, liners, and bulbs. We work closely with the world's top breeders to bring you a wide selection of all the best genetics in the top-selling classes. Connect with Ball Seed today at ballseed.com/cutflowers or call 800-879-BALL.Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

It's a new host special episode! We're so excited to be welcoming April Parms Jones to the podcast as one of our co-hosts, we wanted to make sure and record an episode to properly introduce everyone to April. She has a wide range of agricultural experiences and interests that inform her perspective as an interviewer. In addition to founding a farmers market, April has contributed to publications including Growing for Market, Mother Earth News, The Natural Farmer, Grit and more. Based in Akron, Ohio, April grows a variety of crops, is a member of the Ohio Farmers Union, and was a delegate for Ohio at the National Farmers Union Convention. In this interview she shares her passion for and activity in the movements for seed sovereignty and creating a more just food system. Much of her work focuses on the intersectionality of food, culture, and sense of place. There's so much more than we have space for here, you'll just have to listen to get to know your new podcast host! Ball Seed and Ball ColorLink are your complete source for quality cut-flower seeds, plugs, liners, and bulbs. We work closely with the world's top breeders to bring you a wide selection of all the best genetics in the top-selling classes. Connect with Ball Seed today at ballseed.com/cutflowers or call 800-879-BALL. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. BCS @bcs_america has select tractors and attachments on sale now through the end of the year. Visit bcsamerica.com to find sale pricing and your nearest dealer. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at site.localline.ca/claim-your-offer-growing-for-market Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @pinehurstfarmersmarketSubscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

Alex Ball started his farm when he was 14, so he's had a lot of opportunities to refine the model over the years! He shares how and why he has moved the farm many times, and how he landed on the flexible CSA model he's now using. This model allows for flexibility for the farmer by sourcing some of the produce from other growers. Plus, the credit-based system allows a wider group of people to participate, who might not otherwise be able to commit to a full box of food every week.We also talk about what last mile logistics is, and how Alex has used it to make CSA drop off efficient for him with out-of-home delivery, and efficient for the customer as well by finding dropoff sites in high-traffic locations. He tells us how he has made extensive use of plugins in a Wordpress website to get a customized CSA interface that lets his customers choose exactly what they want from week to week. Alex is also one of the hosts of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast, and we talk about how he found his voice as a podcaster interviewing fellow farmers.  Connect with Alex:Website: https://www.oldcityacres.comInstagram: @oldcityacresPodcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support!Ball Seed and Ball ColorLink are your complete source for quality cut-flower seeds, plugs, liners, and bulbs. We work closely with the world's top breeders to bring you a wide selection of all the best genetics in the top-selling classes. Connect with Ball Seed today at ballseed.com/cutflowers or call 800-879-BALL.BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. BCS @bcs_america has select tractors and attachments on sale now through the end of the year. Visit bcsamerica.com to find sale pricing and your nearest dealer.Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at site.localline.ca/claim-your-offer-growing-for-marketBootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Cole Jones tells us how he went from selling potatoes from local farmers out of his car for chefs to founding Local Line, which now helps thousands of farmers sell food and flowers online. Though Local Line was founded in 2015 as a matchmaking service connecting local farms with chefs, we discuss how the COVID-19 Pandemic accelerated their business overnight as farmers tried to cope with disrupted markets. Cole tells us how most of the farmers who went online during the pandemic have maintained their online storefronts post-pandemic, because selling online has opened up so many more opportunities for local farmers. We discuss how one of the highest-profile opportunities for local farmers to sell to a large chain exists with Chipotle, who uses Local Line to buy from farmers close to their restaurants. Whether you're already selling online or thinking about it, this interview is a must-listen for local growers to understand the full range of opportunities for selling to other businesses and directly to consumer. As it has grown, Local Line has developed a wide range of services that are customizable to an individual farm's needs, including online sales, marketing, and multiple price lists to serve customers from individuals who want local delivery, to grocery stores and restaurants.Connect With Guest:Email: info@localline.caWebsite: www.localline.caInstagram: @locallineincFacebook: Local Line Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Ball Seed and Ball ColorLink are your complete source for quality cut-flower seeds, plugs, liners, and bulbs. We work closely with the world's top breeders to bring you a wide selection of all the best genetics in the top-selling classes. Connect with Ball Seed today at ballseed.com/cutflowers or call 800-879-BALL. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Jaymie Michelle Thurler tells us how she went from a dairy farming background to start Rutabaga Ranch, a certified organic bio-diverse market garden in Brinston, Ontario. At Rutabaga Ranch, they have a farmstand, sell at two farmers markets, have a CSA and sell to local restaurants. Jaymie conveys a lot of farm wisdom with humor, including advice on how to find a farm, how to stay married, and how some peculiar local ag laws led to them starting their on-farm store in a silo, which ended up being much more successful than they ever imagined. Hear how Jaymie started the farm after burning out on her first career, which involved the huge task of rehabbing a very old house and removing 17 chest freezers from the property! She talks about what they learned from big box stores that has helped make their farm store a success. An important part of their focus as a farm is on spring season extension, since they heat their farm exclusively with waste wood from Jaymie's husband's arborist business. As Jaymie says, “We love great grub and having a great time growing it!” Connect With Guest: Website: https://rutabaga-ranch.com/Instagram: The Rutabaga RanchFacebook: Rutabaga Ranch Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Ball Seed and Ball ColorLink are your complete source for quality cut-flower seeds, plugs, liners, and bulbs. We work closely with the world's top breeders to bring you a wide selection of all the best genetics in the top-selling classes. Connect with Ball Seed today at ballseed.com/cutflowers or call 800-879-BALL. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, lighting, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

We cover a lot of ground in this interview, including how Sarah and Tom decided to leave their careers to start a flower farm, how Grateful Gardeners is the only cut flower farm we know of to be incorporating aquaponics, and what the heck aquaponics even is. We talk about the ups and downs of raising money from investors to help establish a farm- and how this is routine in Silicon Valley but in farming, not so much. We discuss how outside investment could accelerate the development of local farms; however one of the barriers to attracting investors to farming is that the returns are not typically as high as from the tech sector. So investors have to have a desire to help advance regenerative farming in addition to the capital to get investment to work in farming. We also talk about how the Grateful Gardeners' business and markets have changed as their farm has grown, and their work to incorporate aquaponics into the farm. Aquaponics is a soilless growing system, where the fertility is provided by fish living in tanks connected to the water for the plants. Instead of adding fertilizer, the fish provide the fertility through their natural biological processes moderated by bacteria that naturally occur in the environment, though there is an art and a science to managing the system. Hear all about it on this week's pod! Connect With Guest: Website: www.gratefulgardeners.cowww.floraponics.coInstagram: @grateful_gardenersFacebook: Grateful Gardeners Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Ball Seed and Ball ColorLink are your complete source for quality cut-flower seeds, plugs, liners, and bulbs. Ball works closely with the world's top breeders to bring you a wide selection of all the best genetics in the top-selling classes. Connect with Ball Seed today at ballseed.com/cutflowers or call 800-879-BALL. BCS America BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

This week we hear from Joshua Hughes, who is the Fresh Moves Logistics Coordinator for the Fresh Moves Mobile Market, one of the many programs of the non-profit Urban Growers Collective in Chicago. Host Katie Kulla talks with Joshua about the UGC and their work in general, but more specifically about how the organization is working to “close the food access gap.” Expanding access to food is something we've talked about before on this podcast and it's something that motivates many farmers and organizations to think outside the box when it comes to marketing and distributing produce — UGC and the Fresh Moves Mobile Market represent some truly innovative thinking on the part of many people committed to evolving food systems. As the manager of UGC's Fresh Moves Mobile Market, Joshua works to further assist the development of food security in Chicago as a continued action in social justice. Joshua has worked in food access with UGC since late 2019 through the height of the pandemic and emergency food distribution. He has helped lead the Fresh Moves Mobile Market to create new sustainable systems to better serve Chicago's South and West Side communities. Connect With Guest:Website: https://www.urbangrowerscollective.org Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com 

Growers have long used deposits from ancient seas as a source of micronutrients- and over 50 years ago, Dr. Maynard Murray started researching the use of minerals- naturally dried and derived from mineral-rich seawater- as a source of micronutrients. Today on the podcast we talk with Chief Mineral Officer Michael Sileck about how Sea-90 Ocean Minerals continues the work of Dr. Murray today, through their naturally-dried, unprocessed and unrefined soil amendments. We talk about how the benefits of sea minerals were discovered and established, where SEA-90 is made in the original location in the Sea of Cortez identified by Dr. Murray, and how the natural drying process preserves the natural minerals and trace elements that can help feed soil bacteria, enzymes, and fungi, and ultimately your plants. Find out why SEA-90 is combined with organic humate, what micronutrients it provides, how to apply it and more! Here's a link to a GFM article about how fungi can help improve micronutrient availability-Understanding the basic ecology of mycorrhizal fungi to benefit your farmhttps://growingformarket.com/articles/20190729_1 Connect With Guest:Email:hello@sea-90.comWebsites:https://www.bajagoldsaltco.comhttps://www.sea-90.comInstagram:@sea90@bajagoldsaltco Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM  Johnny's Selected Seeds - Johnny's Selected Seeds has provided superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Consider us your trusted growing partner when you need proven varieties you can count on and detailed guidance from seeding to harvest. Turning to Johnny's means you can plant high-quality, trial-proven varieties with confidence, knowing that our expert staff is ready to help with first-hand knowledge—because we've grown them ourselves. We're here to help you grow good food. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Neptune's Harvest is a family company that makes organic fertilizers from the by-products of the fishing industry, in Gloucester, MA. Products from the cold, mineral rich, North Atlantic Ocean contain all the nutrients to make your soil and plants healthy. Available in retail and bulk sizes at neptunesharvest.com. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

REKO rings gained popularity during the pandemic as a way to keep selling direct to the public when markets were shut down. One of the obstacles to more widespread adoption of the REKO system- reliance on closed Facebook groups to communicate with customers- has been eliminated by Tyler Taggart and REKO Hub. They have developed software to facilitate REKO rings without using Facebook, plus the software is free for producers to use. Instead of charging producers, a small fee is charged to customers when they place an order through REKO Hub. In case you aren't already familiar with REKO rings, REKO took the farmers market model and moved the advertising and ordering to a closed Facebook group. Rings correspond to producers in a given geographic area, so during the pandemic, growers from a farmers market that was shut down might have started their own REKO ring to duplicate the farmers market, but in a prepaid format. Buyers perused grower offers and placed orders through the Facebook group, the transactions took place online, and the group of producers in any given REKO ring show up at a predetermined place and time to deliver the pre-ordered goods (think of it like a pre-order farmers market). For more on the REKO model, click here to read the article from Growing for Market Magazine about REKO rings. And to hear more about how REKO Hub has taken much of the friction out of the REKO model for producers and customers, listen to our interview with Tyler Taggart! We talk about how the model is paid for by customer fees, how making a product posting is as simple as making a social media post, and how REKO Hub can help customers find local food and flower growers. Here's a link to the GFM article about REKO rings mentioned in the podcast-Reko Ring: A new way to pre-sell onlinehttps://growingformarket.com/articles/reko-ring-new-way-presell-online Connect With Guest:Email: tylert@thefoodapp.orgWebsite: www.RekoHub.comwww.RekoNow.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/TylerTaggart1Text: 801.404.4307 Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Johnny's Selected Seeds - Johnny's Selected Seeds has provided superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Consider us your trusted growing partner when you need proven varieties you can count on and detailed guidance from seeding to harvest. Turning to Johnny's means you can plant high-quality, trial-proven varieties with confidence, knowing that our expert staff is ready to help with first-hand knowledge—because we've grown them ourselves. We're here to help you grow good food. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Neptune's Harvest is a family company that makes organic fertilizers from the by-products of the fishing industry, in Gloucester, MA. Products from the cold, mineral rich, North Atlantic Ocean contain all the nutrients to make your soil and plants healthy. Available in retail and bulk sizes at neptunesharvest.com. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com.Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

This week we talk with Hannah Rose Weber and Nate Lada, two of the owners at Green Things Farm Collective in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Green Things is a majority women-owned farm business that has evolved out of several businesses. Nate and his wife Jill first started Green Things farm in 2011 at a local farm incubator program. Then they purchased 64 acres where the farm is now settled. In 2020, Green Things joined with Ann Arbor Seed Company and the Land Loom to expand production, share management of running a diverse farm business and develop a model of sustainable, cooperative, and responsible farming. They offer seasonal vegetables and flowers to their local markets through various channels as well as beef. Hannah takes the lead on market, sales and personnel development. Nate leads vegetable production, infrastructure and production systems innovation. They are joined by a crew of dedicated farmers, including Jill Lada and Michelle Brosius who are also co-owners. Often on this podcast, we like to discuss people's personal farming journeys as much as the business side of the discussion, but in this case, it feels like the Green Things Farm Collective almost has a soul and spirit of its own that far transcends what the individual owners and farmers bring to it. So, we get the chance to hear more about the farm itself, how it has evolved, how the people involved are working to meet their goals of sustainability and more! Connect With Guest:Facebook: Green Things Farm CollectiveWebsite: www.greenthingsfarm.comInstagram: @greenthingsfarmcollective Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Johnny's Selected Seeds - Johnny's Selected Seeds has provided superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Consider us your trusted growing partner when you need proven varieties you can count on and detailed guidance from seeding to harvest. Turning to Johnny's means you can plant high-quality, trial-proven varieties with confidence, knowing that our expert staff is ready to help with first-hand knowledge—because we've grown them ourselves. We're here to help you grow good food. Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM A-Roo - Discover innovative packaging solutions at A-ROO Company, your one-stop destination for customizable and eco-friendly packaging across various industries, including floral, produce, and specialty packaging. Explore stylish and eco-friendly Kraft Paper Sleeves and sheets at shop.a-roo.com today and enjoy an exclusive 10% discount with code "GFM10" for Growing For Market Podcast listeners. When it comes to quality and innovation, A-ROO Company is the name you can trust. Neptune's Harvest is a family company that makes organic fertilizers from the by-products of the fishing industry, in Gloucester, MASS. Products from cold, mineral rich, North Atlantic Ocean, contain all the nutrients to make your soil and plants healthy. Available in retail and bulk sizes. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

We step back and look at the big picture in this wide-ranging conversation with Jean-Martin Fortier, talking about the systemic barriers to local food and farmers and strategies to overcome them. We also talk about Jean-Martin's many projects, including the recently-released Heirloom farm planning software, and his forthcoming podcast. We also catch up on his other projects, including the Old Mill farm-to-table restaurant in Quebec, which was named one of the top ten new restaurants in Canada, the Market Gardener Masterclass, Growers and Co. tool and clothing company, and how he works with a team to keep all those plates spinning! Connect With Guest: Websites: https://themarketgardener.com/https://growers.co/https://heirloom.ag/https://www.espaceoldmill.com/en/ Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Johnny's Selected Seeds - Johnny's Selected Seeds has provided superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Consider us your trusted growing partner when you need proven varieties you can count on and detailed guidance from seeding to harvest. Turning to Johnny's means you can plant high-quality, trial-proven varieties with confidence, knowing that our expert staff is ready to help with first-hand knowledge—because we've grown them ourselves. We're here to help you grow good food. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 BCS America BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Neptune's Harvest is a family company that makes organic fertilizers from the by-products of the fishing industry, in Gloucester, MA. Products from the cold, mineral rich, North Atlantic Ocean contain all the nutrients to make your soil and plants healthy. Available in retail and bulk sizes at neptunesharvest.com. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com 

On this week's pod we talk with Brian Campbell and Crystine Goldberg. They own Uprising Seeds, the Certified Organic, farm-based seed business in Bellingham, WA. Brian and Crystine started as fresh market growers in 2004, growing specialty produce for local restaurants, food coops, and farmers markets. During that time they also started one of the country's first food-stamp based CSA programs.  Brian and Crystine launched Uprising Seeds in 2007 as a small threefold catalog of primarily farm-grown seeds and eventually transitioned entirely to seeds as their market crop by 2011. Now in their 17th year, they maintain and sell a catalog of over 450 varieties of organic vegetable, flower, and herb seeds, growing on about 5 leased acres of cultivated space and working with a network of about a dozen additional seed growers around the Pacific Northwest. Uprising Seeds' catalog highlights the capacity of varieties with cultural and culinary significance to create community around food and farming, and their seed work is very much rooted in social justice. Photo by Shawn Linehan Connect With Guest: Website: uprisingorganics.com Want to give seed saving a try? Here's a link to a GFM article, Wet seed processing and savinghttps://growingformarket.com/articles/wet-seed-processing-and-saving Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: BCS America BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Neptune's Harvest is a family company that makes organic fertilizers from the by-products of the fishing industry, in Gloucester, MASS. Products from cold, mineral rich, North Atlantic Ocean, contain all the nutrients to make your soil and plants healthy. Available in retail and bulk sizes. Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Johnny's Selected Seeds - Johnny's Selected Seeds has provided superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Consider us your trusted growing partner when you need proven varieties you can count on and detailed guidance from seeding to harvest. Turning to Johnny's means you can plant high-quality, trial-proven varieties with confidence, knowing that our expert staff is ready to help with first-hand knowledge—because we've grown them ourselves. We're here to help you grow good food. Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Give Growing for Market Magazine a try with a FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com