Podcasts about farm marketing solutions

Something is changing on YouTube, and it could be a huge opertunity for your Homestead! Youtube is making major changes that favor small creators, creating an unprecedented opportunity for homesteaders to build successful channels. In this episode, we follow the inspiring journey of Crystal and Reeve, who transformed their Alaska homestead into a thriving business by combining YouTube content with goat milk soap sales, enabling Crystal to leave her nursing career behind. Discover the simple three-step process that helped homesteaders earn $60,000-$100,000 from their farms, and learn from Farm Marketing Solutions' John Suscovich about turning expertise into digital products. Whether you're just starting out or already have a homestead, this episode reveals practical strategies to start making money today through YouTube, product sales, and consulting - without expensive equipment or previous experience. Plus, get insider tips on common mistakes to avoid and how to take advantage of YouTube's algorithm changes before this unique opportunity window closes. Starting or Growing a Youtube Channel? FREE COACHING....JOIN MY EMAIL LIST Need Some Help? Let's Work Together! Book a Consulting Call CLICK HERE to Book a Consulting Session with me! BECOME A HOMESTEADY PIONEER Checkout Chrystal and Reeve at  @FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska  John Suscovich at  @farmmarketing ​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a break from scary corona virus news, and join us for an uplifting and inspiring live show today! DIGITAL TIP JAR FOR THE BAND - https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8nyiVu8cH2 NEW SHIRT - https://www.parsons-designs.com/homesteady Jonathan from Fairfield County Hydroponics will join us to talk Microgreens.  https://www.fairfieldcountyhydroponics.com/ Dave from Northeast Edible is going to talk about perennials and growing fruit. http://www.northeastediblenursery.com/ John from Farm Marketing Solutions will be talking Chickens and Chicken Tractors https://farmmarketingsolutions.com/ Jess from Roots and Refuge will is going to be chatting about Starting a Garden https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTZN3HhejW1tOiRdLGUCGGA Not only are we going to be talking about Homesteading and Growing Food, but we are also going to talk about HEALTH! Jackie from Middle Path Counseling and The Mindful Homestead is coming on the show to talk about Anxiety and how to keep it in check during scary times. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-NLGo8JDE3g8POtPjTnIxg I am looking forward to learning about some real life solutions to controlling fear during a pandemic! And finally Dr Hillary from the Hunt Harvest Health Podcast is going to join us to talk about practical ways to stay healthy and avoid getting this virus!  http://huntharvesthealth.com/ In addition to all this great info, there will be some really FUN music to enjoy, from the Bess and Mike Show. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeBFwBKmUuDeVxuti1e3lEQ RESOURSES FOR HOMESTEADERS HELPING OTHERS CLICK HERE TO SEE INFO - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lc5z68c2TiYFJFr2a1oTls6rUpHwX8m4B_n3VwHKErc/edit?usp=sharing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a break from scary corona virus news, and join us for an uplifting and inspiring live show today! DIGITAL TIP JAR FOR THE BAND - https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8nyiVu8cH2 NEW SHIRT - https://www.parsons-designs.com/homesteady Jonathan from Fairfield County Hydroponics will join us to talk Microgreens.  https://www.fairfieldcountyhydroponics.com/ Dave from Northeast Edible is going to talk about perennials and growing fruit. http://www.northeastediblenursery.com/ John from Farm Marketing Solutions will be talking Chickens and Chicken Tractors https://farmmarketingsolutions.com/ Jess from Roots and Refuge will is going to be chatting about Starting a Garden https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTZN3HhejW1tOiRdLGUCGGA Not only are we going to be talking about Homesteading and Growing Food, but we are also going to talk about HEALTH! Jackie from Middle Path Counseling and The Mindful Homestead is coming on the show to talk about Anxiety and how to keep it in check during scary times. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-NLGo8JDE3g8POtPjTnIxg I am looking forward to learning about some real life solutions to controlling fear during a pandemic! And finally Dr Hillary from the Hunt Harvest Health Podcast is going to join us to talk about practical ways to stay healthy and avoid getting this virus!  http://huntharvesthealth.com/ In addition to all this great info, there will be some really FUN music to enjoy, from the Bess and Mike Show. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeBFwBKmUuDeVxuti1e3lEQ RESOURSES FOR HOMESTEADERS HELPING OTHERS CLICK HERE TO SEE INFO - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lc5z68c2TiYFJFr2a1oTls6rUpHwX8m4B_n3VwHKErc/edit?usp=sharing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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

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

John Suscovich is a farmer from Western Connecticut. He is also the inventor of the the Suscovich Stress-Free Chicken Tractor, one of the most popular designs out there, used by farms across the world, including Gold Shaw Farm. In today's episode, I got the chance to sit down with John and learn his story and gain some valuable insights on starting a farm. To learn more about John, check out his website: www.farmmarketingsolutions.com MORE ABOUT GOLD SHAW FARM YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/goldshawfarm Web: http://www.goldshawfarm.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/goldshawfarm Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/goldshawfarm Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/goldshawfarm   Send us mail: Gold Shaw Farm PO Box 225 Peacham, VT 05862

In this episode, I talk with John Suscovich of Farm Marketing Solutions. We discuss John's new book on Marketing Pastured Poultry, how to start a pastured poultry business, the critical success factors to achieving profitability and much more. And, of course, we discuss what Howard Stern has in common with pastured poultry.

Meat Chickens are a great gateway animal into raising your own meat and becoming, overall, more sustainable. On this episode of Homesteady, we revisit chicken ownership. As we examine homestead chickens closer, we have to wonder: are chickens a "gateway animal?" Does buying chickens lead to more chickens, then to pigs, goats, sheep, and even (perhaps) a cow? John Suscovich from the Growings Farms Podcast and Farm Marketing Solutions became a full-time farmer. But First: We've got some changes happening on Homesteady! We are going weekly! For the next two months, we are going to broadcast weekly. We are hosting a LIVE SHOW at 9:00 PM EST, every week, live with Accountant Mike. Watch us on YouTube, on the Homesteady Channel, or on Prepperbroadcasting.com. Today is our first time using our YouTube live-stream from last Tuesday evening! Did you know we will be live AGAIN this and EVERY Thursday event at 9:00 PM EST Cornish Crosses' were Aust's first meat bird. Purchased at Tractor Supply Co, and treated more as pets, it was a very different experience at the beginning. Aust is able to reflect by re-reading an old Homesteady blog post on how his perception of raising chickens for meat has changed with experience. Now, Aust raises pastured pork along with meat chickens, and that pork is one of the most profitable of his homestead endeavors. For Aust and Kendra, meat chickens were a gateway to raising pastured pigs; for John, chickens were the gateway into a career. John and his wife both wanted to farm; but they didn't own any land. Not only that, they had been homeless for two years, embarking on a cross-country bike trip across the United States. After touring farms and craft breweries, they knew that living on the farm was the life for them. But, John had a fascination with chickens, and knew how to process meat birds. Becoming a pastured poultry farmer seemed the next logical step. NO money, NO job, NO land; John saw only opportunities. The broad decision of going into agriculture was passion-based...but it had to work on a spreadsheet before it was going to work on the field. John went door to door until he had accumulated several offers from landowners with hay fields he could use to begin his chicken business. He used chicken tractors to develop a mobile pastured chicken business. John started with Joel Salatin's chicken tractor design, and then...innovated. He designed a custom chicken tractor to meet his own needs. With a background in technical theater design, John was able to parlay his skills into his ideal chicken tractor. (See! EVEN THEATER can help on your homestead journey!) As John was selling chickens, people started to ask, "Where did you get those chicken tractors?" and another arm to his business was born. Chickens for meat are great for a homesteader. Their infrastructure is mobile, they are affordable, they only take eight weeks to mature to processing if you use Cornish Cross chickens, and they are a very manageable animal. Running two or three groups of ten chickens will fertilize your lawn and fill your freezer. John has progressed from leasing open land to now running Camps Road Farm. He has diversified to not only raise chickens, but grows hops for his on-farm brewery and an apple orchard for his off-farm distillery. There are two great resources John shares with us. The pastured poultry packet breaks down the process from purchase to processing. And of course the plans for his chicken tractor. If you'd like to build a John Suscovich chicken tractor, you can buy his book here. Homesteady Pioneers get ten percent off! Log into the discount section of the pioneer library. You can see the extended version of this podcast- an hour and a half long video- in the pioneer library. You can do this. But what will you need to make the leap? And what about the butchering? You know, when the time comes to "process" the bird. While it is possible to process the chickens yourself, you are looking at a significant time commitment. At the very least, get a Power Plucker to help you pluck the feathers off the chickens. What does Accountant Mike have to say? Is there a large enough profit margin? Does it get a thumbs up? Listen to find out. With this being the THIRD Homesteady chicken episode, there is lots of material in our pioneer library about egg laying chickens, and now meat birds. Inspired after this episode to start with meat birds? John's books, the power plucker, and so much more have discount codes available in the Pioneer portal. We are a growing internet community! You can follow Aust on Instagram at @homesteadyshow and Alexia, The Suburban Escapee, at @suburbanescapee. Tag your homesteading posts with #iamhomesteady and we will find you and see what you are up to, as well as connect with other homesteaders and fans of the show. Do your Amazon shopping through the www.amsteady.com link and benefit the podcast!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is Part 2 of an interview with farmer John Suscovich of Farm Marketing Solutions. You can listen to Part 1 of the interview here. Part Two was recorded a year after Part 1, and was recorded in February 2016. So you will get two perspectives from the same person, separated by a lot time and experiences. You hear about what John learned about life and farming over the course of year and how his farm evolved based on what he's learned. Today's episode focuses on how things have changed on the farm over the last year.  John will talk about what operations he dropped on the farm and why.  He will break down the economics between laying hens and broilers.  And he will talk about the macro concept of focusing on less to do things better overall. See some of John's videos in the show notes at permaculturevoices.com/118.

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

What makes a guy quit his New York City job on the Howard Stern show, sell everything he owns to bicycle across the US, and then start his mid-life farming career. That's the summary of John Suscovich's self-described quarter-life crisis. John is the Farm Manager at Camp Roads Farm in Connecticut and host of the Growing Farms Podcast. In this episode, Mike and John talk through John's transition to farming. Over the course of four years, he has gone from a trial batch of 40 broilers in year one to raising as many as 2,400 meat birds and up to 350 laying hens. John primarily markets through a chicken CSA, and we spend a fair amount of time talking about marketing birds. John can be found at: Camp Roads Farm (www.campsroadfarm.com)  Farm Marketing Solutions (www.farmmarketingsolutions.com) - Home of the Growing Farms Podcast. Food Cyclist (foodcyclist.com) - The journey that started it all. John's chicken tractor plans are available here. Farm Marketing Solutions on YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/user/farmmarketing)

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

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

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

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

2014 was a great year for Farm Marketing Solutions and for Camps Road Farm. On farm we expanded in a few areas, built a lot of infrastructure, and learned a lot about our land and what it is capable of. Online I made a lot of great progress as well. I am constantly listening to hear when farmers are struggling with something or if someone needs some advice or to hear a story about life on the farm. My whole goal with this website is to bring as much value as I can to the readers, listeners, and watchers. I am also learning a lot as well. About farming, about marketing, and about my audience. I then share what I learn here and on my other "channels" so that others may learn with me. Well, 2015 is going to be no different. I have a lot to learn and I want to learn and grow as a group. That is why I have already launched my content plan for 2015. I have been very busy. Right click here to download the MP3 Farm Finance Challenge: I have to get better at record keeping and financial tracking. Last year was a growth year, and this year is still kind of a growth year but my budget is way tighter and I have to be really smart about what I do and how I do it. I also need to justify all my decisions to the boss and to myself. Keeping on point with my record keeping will make running the farm easier year to year, it will help me make decisions, and it will help other farmers with their businesses as well. As part of the 12 Month FFC I will have: Monthly Production & Income Reports Participating farms reports Story about each farm Podcast episode with each farm Growing Farms Podcast: I will keep the podcast going as it is, same format, and same schedule. I have seen the podcast grow from the very beginning to over 100,000 downloads. Considering every episode is 30-60 minutes, that's a lot of podcast time. During the year I will be interviewing more farms from all over the world, I will be interviewing the participants in the FFC (by the way, it turns out they're really interesting people), and I will continue to openly share my story so that we can all grow our farms together. Bi-weekly podcast just the way you like it Videos on YouTube: I found that when there was something I needed to learn on farm I turned to video. Now having learned a lot, I still turn to YouTube, haha! I am also creating a lot of videos from around the farm and in the farm office to share what I have learned. The videos are typically 1-3 minutes on a very specific topic. I really don't sell anything on them. The videos are meant to be actionable pieces of advise that you can walk outside and use. Lots of video on YouTube and reposting to the blog Tips from the Field Tips from the Farm Office Updates to FMS: Aside from all the fun content there is not quite as fun website maintenance, restructuring, reformatting, etc... There is a whole back-end side to running a website and building a community. At this time I do everything and I farm full time so you can guess that I cannot always get around to everything. I have a few more big ideas and projects in the works but my mission in 2015 is to stay focused, get my farm running smoothly, get Farm Marketing Solutions running more smoothly, and then we'll think about these new big projects. I will be and have been creating a lot more content and sharing what I have been doing. What works and what is not working. If one thing I post saves you some time and headache then it has been a good day for me. Cleaning things up Getting the website I want it (will it ever be done?) Thinking about a site redesign (maybe next winter) Getting book sales on the website Publishing more content Farm quote of the episode: "Entrepreneurs may be brutally honest, but fostering relationships with partners and building enduring communities requires empathy, self-sacrifice and a willingness to help others without expecting anything in return." - Ben Parr -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

Hindsight is always 20/20. Looking back on 2014 there are a number of things that I would do or manage differently on the farm. There are little things, like how we raise our chickens, or bigger picture stuff like how we communicate as a team to work more efficiently. With the year coming to a close, it is about time I start thinking about the lessons that I learned this year, and how I am going to apply what I've learned in the coming months. 1. Spend more time with family The first thing that I want to change about 2015 is that I want to spend more time with my family and friends. There is always something more to do on the farm. The laundry list of chores and projects just never seems to get shorter. With what it requires to run a farm, it can be easy to get caught up with what you have to do instead of who you should be spending time with. Setting aside time and making the effort to unplug from the grind of the farm allows your brain to reboot. In 2015 I want to make more of an effort to spend time with my family and friends and to maintain a good work/life balance. 2. Get on top of my record keeping It kills me to think that my farm could have had a better year, or could have been a little easier if I had just been able to track my production and finances better. But it is true. While my records weren't quite the mess I might make them out to be, they are still far from where I want them. I fully understand the importance of having detailed records for all areas of your farm. It would make the winter decision making easier if I had detailed records of what the year was like. So, going forward into 2015 I am swearing to hone my record keeping skills. I have a few things that I am trying out to keep organized and better collaborate and I get into that in the episode. 3. Get better at outsourcing and delegation I have a fantastic and dedicated support network involved with the farm. I am humbled to be a part of such a lovely group of people. As part of my support network they are always willing to lend a hand when and if they can. What I need to do is detail out what my tasks are so that my support people can choose an area to help out that best suits their own motivations. I then need to make sure I have the processes figured out so I can effectively delegate that task to that person. This will help me with both #1 and #2. Click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: My strategies to get more time with family and friends The tools that I intend to use more of in my record keeping A method for outsourcing at least some of your tasks Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Farm Marketing Solutions on YouTube The E-Myth Revisited GFP Episode 39 Getting Investment to Start a Farm Google Docs Take the 12 Month Farmer Finances Challenge With Me Starting in 2015 I will be publishing a monthly income report for my farm. To better keep on top of my cash flow I am going to make the commitment to publish it. January's report will come out in February, February's will come out in March, etc... Good or bad I will share it with the FMS community so that we can all learn and hopefully better the moment of sustianable farmers. If you would like to add your own story and transparency to the blog in an effort to improve your record keeping and to serve as a case study for other  farmers then contact me and let me know. I would publish your reports on the blog as well as have you on the podcast to introduce you to the audience. I believe in getting farmers on the land and keeping them there. If sharing my numbers and all of my "behind the scenes" info can help that then I am happy to share. If you feel the same way then I encourage you to make the 12 month commitment with me. It's only 12 reports and it could end up being a really big help to a lot of people. Take aways: What are you planning on doing differently in 2015? If you could outsource one thing that you do on a regular basis what would it be? How can you manage to delegate that task in the coming weeks? Farm quote of the episode: "The five essential entrepreneurial skills for success: Concentration, Discrimination, Organization, Innovation and Communication." - Harold S. Geneen -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

There are SO many topics to cover when to comes to farming. Each topic reflects on something that the average farmer has to deal with as he or she runs their operation. Today's podcast episode covers it all. The mindset to focus on today is that of the big picture. It is very easy to get caught up in the minutia of each farming task. Exactly what tool to use, exactly how to grow something, or most often exactly how to fix something. As we work through all of the little details, which are super important, we must remember the big picture and our holistic goal. I have been focusing a lot of my big picture lately. My 2015 budget projections are due. I need to have my plan for next year laid out and I need to have it fairly detailed. With that chore on my plate I have been focused on just how all the pieces are going to fit together and how I am going to properly use my resources to accomplish my goals. Let me tell you, it's a little scary. As 2014 winds down think of all the things you have done this year in relation to every other thing. What would you change? How could you improve? What are your pain points? What was successful? All of these questions, when thoroughly gone through will help you start the new year on a good foot. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: How to work with brides to assemble organic flower bouquets Collaborate with other farmers for flower bouquets How to settle on crops that work for you instead of you for them You can’t say yes to everything Finding the time/income balance How to track profitability of certain crops How a computer can me instrumental to record keeping Quickbooks as a tool for farm finance tracking Interview with Robbie & Deena of Sweet Roots Farm Robbie and Deena grow a variety of vegetables and flowers on roughly four acres in Grass Valley, CA. They market through a CSA, a local coop, various wholesale accounts, and weddings. Their mission statement as seen on their website: We pride ourselves on growing great soil and the quality, flavorful produce that follows.  Through the use of integrated organic systems and the farm’s many microclimates, we produce food, flowers and nursery starts that are healthy and vibrant.  We have a diversity of crops and markets that will build a healthy farm and business.  Farming brings us close to the land, which we will preserve and improve for the future. Our business management and sustainable agricultural practices will eventually support our family while providing equal access for a diversity of community members. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Sweet Roots Farm Camps Road Farm UC Extension Farm enterprise calculator Easily build a farm website Farm Marketing Solutions on YouTube Take aways: Are you actively keeping the big picture in your head? How are you preparing for next year? Farm quote of the episode: "If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself." - Henry Ford -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

"Farming is hard." I hear it over and over again. But what does it mean? Farming is going to mean a million things to a million different people. There are an infinite number of scenarios that can play out when it comes to starting and running a farm. Now having interviewed dozens of other farmers on how they got their start in agriculture I can tell you one thing, it's hard, and it's worth it. Oh sure, there will be times when you want to throw your hands p and walk away. Many of those times you should, then come back to whatever you were doing with a fresh mind and a better attitude. There may come a day when I am too over-whelmed by what is going on with the farm and a year may come that beats me down to the point where I find a new occupation. That day is not today, nor is this year the year. The best I can do with Farm Marketing Solutions is to give you my perspective on what is stressing me out and how I am dealing with it. I found that regardless of how many things go poorly, (and they will, it's part of learning) you have to concentrate on the positive things in life. As a new format for the matching blog post in addition to the podcast I want to share some photos from around the farm to give you visual perspective to go with the audio. Right click here to download the MP3 Items mentioned in this farm podcast: Take aways: What are you thankful for? How does that effect the decisions that you make? What is one small thing you can do right now to make yourself a little happier? -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

It's not secret that farming is hard work. What if you want to be a farmer and an online entrepreneur? That's a whole new level. In this episode of the Growing Farms Podcast I share what my schedule is and how I produce the content that I do. In addition to giving you a look at the man behind the curtain I share some updates on what is going on with the podcast, I introduce my latest video project, and share my philosophy on work/life balance that keeps me sane. Welcome FatCow as a sponsor of the Growing Farms Podcast! In order to keep providing you content I have been looking around for just the right sponsors for the show. I have personally used FatCow web hosting since 2009 and I am very happy with them. Since I talk about having a farm website all the time on Farm Marketing Solutions I saw the opportunity to bring you value along with the content in the form of a deal for you. FatCow is offering 60% to listeners of the Growing Farms Podcast. Simply go to http://FatCow.com/farm to see more details and sign up. You save money with that link, and I earn a commission. That will help keep me going with the podcast. Honestly though, no pressure. Only sign up if it makes sense for your business. 100 Days to Sell Out My CSA I have created a project to help share valuable content with you through another medium. During the 100 days leading up to my first CSA pick-up I will do a video each day highlighting what I have done that day to market my CSA and get my shares sold. You can follow on YouTube or Facebook as I make my daily posts. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: How to set SMART goals and why. What my schedule is as I farm full time+ and produce the content on FMS Information on my addition of a sponsor on the podcast My philosophies on work/life balance Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: FatCow.com/farm (for website services) How To Start A CSA.com Easy Farm Website.com CampsRoadFarm.com Take aways: Would being more transparent help your business? What marketing strategies have worked for you in the past and how will you replicate that now? -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month

Are you trying to start a farm and you are looking for investment capital? What would you do if you had an extra $10,000 to invest, how about $100,000, how about ONE MILLION DOLLARS!?!? The Wall Street Journal recently published an article about successful people trying to make a living at organic or small scale farming. My thought would immediately be that if they found success in another area of business some of that should translate over to farming. Wouldn't that makes sense after all? The answer is, "Yeah, probably." But it is not going to be ANY EASIER to farm than it is if you are starting your farm on a shoestring. There are still all the issues of huge capitol investments, mother nature, getting to know your land, working with others, and perhaps balancing your day job on top of it. Through whatever act of luck or some higher power I have been afforded a unique opportunity both for myself and for Farm Marketing Solutions. In 2013 I started a poultry farm from scratch on a shoestring budget. It is the farm I have been talking about on the podcast all year. As we move into 2014 I am now farm manager of another farm start-up that has the benefit of a land-owner and some start up investment capital. It is not an "infinite budget" and a lot of the capital has to be paid back. Even so I am able to purchase some things that I wish I had in the past and would like going forward as well as make improvements to the land and create something great. In 2014 Camps Road Farm is going to be my main focus. I am rolling my farm operation in with theirs because I am running the whole show anyways. I will smartly (hopefully) use the resources at my disposal to bring a about a successful future for the farm. Right Click to Download MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: The risk the wealthy are taking getting into agriculture What you can do to encourage investors What is the business structure of my farm The story behind Camps Road Farm (my farm) An important perspective from a successful entrepreneur getting into farming Interview with David Birnbaum of Camps Road Farm: David comes from an IT and telecommunications background. He goes into detail about his journey through life that eventually led to farm ownership in the podcast and I suggest taking the time to hear it from his perspective. One of the things that I have greatly enjoyed about working with David on Camps Road Farm so far is that he brings a highly efficient and analytical work ethic to the farm. He spends his work weeks in Manhattan doing stuff that's above my technical understanding, and he spends his weekends on the farm, well, doing whatever I tell him to, haha. His work on the farm allows me to have a day off here and there to spend with Kate and Mabel and for that I am grateful. The great thing is, while his expertise is not in agriculture, he has the ability to take my "to-do lists" and not only accomplish them, but add in his own problem solving as he goes. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Wall Street Journal "The New Gentleman Farmer" Camps Road Farm (Facebook) Episode 37 with Spence about Poultry Neversink Spirits (Facebook) Kent Falls Brewing (Facebook) Take aways: Are you doing anything on your farm that might inspire an investor? If you are planning on starting a farm of your own do you have the capital to get off the ground? If not how can you creatively structure your business plan to make yourself desirable for someone looking to invest in local agriculture? Happy Holidays!!! I cannot thank you enough as my listening audience for all the support that you have given me this year. It has been an amazing journey through 2013 and it looks to be even more wild going into 2014. I created this podcast for you and I continue it for us. I am thankful for so much and so moved by all the feedback I get from the podcast and from Farm Marketing Solutions. Thank you for coming along with me! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! -- My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month

There are many good reasons to get into farming: Take part in work that is challenging and fulfilling. Have easy access to fresh and healthy food. Be a part of a local community with shared goals. Spend more time with you family working together on the farm. Simply because your parents did it. Your spouse wants to do it. Whatever reason you have to start a farm it will take you down a long and adventurous road. I have been on a number of adventures in my day, and this one is just as crazy as the rest. In some ways, I feel like there is a lot more at stake with this adventure. In the beginning of this episode I update you on what is going on on my farm. The weather is warming and things are starting to happen OUT of the office, which is fantastic. Though I feel like the more that happens out of the office, the more paperwork comes up to take care of whatever else is happening. I then discuss one of the reasons I have for starting a farm, my health. I share insights into my goals of creating a healthy atmosphere for myself and my family through farming, and give some advice on how to deal with motivating others to eat right. Right Click to Download MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: How to start a grass-fed farm in Iowa. The most effective way to instill the change you wish to see in the world. Insights on pasture management, grain storage, and farrowing pigs. Another farm marketing strategy illustrating the power of word of mouth marketing. The health benefits of choosing farming as a career. Interview with Ethan Book of Crooked Gap Farm, Knoxville, Iowa. Ethan and his wife Rebecca farm 40 acres in Knoxville, Iowa.  They raise a variety of animals for meat including pigs, chickens, sheep, cattle, and rabbits. I wanted to quote the philosophy section of Ethan's "About Us" page: The three most important things to us are our faith, our family, and our friends.  These things directly impact the way we farm.  We strive to raise our animals in a way that reflects how they were created and to manage our land in a way that benefits nature.   We also desire to work together as a family while doing this, cultivating strong family ties and values in our children.  Because of this, we plan on remaining a small family farm and do not wish to become a large producer.  And finally, we value friendships and building community.  Our hope is that as customers come out to our farm, many new friendships will be formed. Ethan has also started his own podcast about farming. He was nice enough to come on my show, and since I know his audio is great I wanted to give him a plug on Farm Marketing Solutions. His episodes seem to be about 30 minutes in length. They are about his experiences as a farmer, how he started his farm, what he has learned along the way, and advice so you can learn from his mistakes. It's definitely a format that is near and dear to my heart. I hope that if you listen you can get some good information from Ethan. He's a nice guy and very willing to help out and give advice. Congrats on launching Ethan! Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:   The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It Ethan on Epicurious The Beginning Farmer Crooked Gap Farm QuickBooks Grow Your Small Market Farm Class in Iowa Bon Apetit Magazine Take aways: Why do you want to farm? What do you hope to get out of the experience? If you are farming, why did you get started originally? Do you still have that original intention in sight? What work do you do, or that you want to do, that is worth fighting for? -- My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Click to Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes Feed) Support the podcast with $1 a month  

Adapting new technologies can sometimes be a good thing, and sometimes be a bad thing. Adapting to the internet is a good thing. It can, as it has for me, do good things for your business. I have been marketing my CSA through my farm website, social media, and out on the streets in person. Even with the people I meet in person, a good percentage of them like having the website to send to friends, review at home, or join my CSA when they decide to. Besides marketing my farm I have been busy working on it in other ways. I have redesigned my chicken tractors, started seedlings, and added more content to the Farm Marketing Solutions website. In this farm podcast you will learn: The importance of online marketing. The importance of building a community and what that means in terms of true sustainability. I love chinese Kung-Fu. Alternative housing options. Green buildings. Sustainle energy. Interview with Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station, Ohio On the eve of the birth of their grandchild (Catlyn), Jay and Annie Warmke looked out over the foothills of the Central Appalachian Mountains in Muskingum County Ohio and felt they had come home. They bought the 38-acre tract that makes up Blue Rock Station in 1993, and dreamed of creating a retreat for their extended family. A few months later, while listening to WMNF public radio (Tampa, FL), Annie heard architect Michael Reynolds of Solar Survival in Taos, New Mexico talking about a new type of home he designed that used clean waste like old tires and bottles. He called his design an "Earthship." The seed had been sown. Construction of the original 1,650 square foot house began in 1996. During a nine-week period, 1,200 tires were brought in from an illegal dump site cleaned up by the Environmental Protection Agency near Roseville, OH. The tires were rammed with earth and used to create the walls of the single-family dwelling. Most of the wood used in the construction of the roof trusses and window framing was re-claimed from local barns. Annie served as the contractor and project manager for the building of the original structure, with Jay serving as the support person and weekend carpenter.  They worked on this project during summers and vacations, taking a three-year break in 2001 to move to Europe.  In August, 2004 they returned to Blue Rock Station to live full time and create the premier green living center in Ohio.  Over 25,000 visitors have walked through the living room of the Earthship. The goal is to merge engineering, art and re-use of existing materials. This is accomplished by creating buildings made out of re-used materials to demonstrate a series of alternative building techniques, including the Earthship, straw bale structures, earth bag walls, and whatever else seems to make sense. In addition to the buildings, workshops and publications, Blue Rock Station is open periodically for llama trekking around the beautiful hills of Southeastern Ohio, special events like Earth Day and special open house tours, plus skill building weekends. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: The Wilds, Ohio Safari Wiggle Wire from Johnny's Seeds Farm Marketing Solutions YouTube Channel Quick, Simple, and Inexpensive Farm Website Creator Host your Web site with FatCow! FoodCyclist.com LocalHarvest.org House of Trash Video: MTV Cribs Kids Edition: Chicken Tractor Design: "The Wilds" Ohio Safari Blue Rock Station Take aways: Do you have a farm website? Are you using it effectively? What have you done recently to develop a community around your farm? Can you learn to live with less? -- My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Click to Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes Feed) Support the Podcast with $1 per month