Podcast appearances and mentions of michael kilpatrick

In this episode, we're joined by Michael Kilpatrick of Farm on Central, a seasoned farmer, educator, and advocate for sustainable small-scale agriculture. Michael shares valuable insights into the world of urban farming, how to thrive within city limits, and why smart marketing is key to farm success. We dig into the real struggles small farmers face — from navigating confusing regulations to staying afloat financially — and Michael offers practical, experience-backed advice on how to diversify your income streams to build resilience on your homestead or farm. Whether you're a backyard grower, market gardener, or dreaming of your first CSA, this episode is packed with actionable strategies and real talk about the challenges and opportunities in modern farming. Sponsored by BaseCampEd - It Takes a Village, Build Yours Today! Episode Links Find Michael Kilpatrick on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/ Get 5% off using this link: https://www.farmoncentral.com/?ref=hteirdlu Kody Links Website: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/ Shop Curriculum: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/shop Speaking Events: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/events Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehomesteadeducation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homestead_education Watch episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@homesteadeducation

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick talks about streamlining a farm's processes to run it more efficiently.  Get time and labor-saving farm tools and microgreen seeds at shop.modern grower.co Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Farm Small, Farm Smart Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast Carrot Cashflow Podcast In Search of Soil Check out Diego's book Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF

In this episode, farmer-educator Michael Kilpatrick shares a quick look at how they run their post-harvest processes at the farm.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick talks about how viable cover cropping would be on a small scale farm.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick shares his learnings from raising livestock that are applicable to running a sustainable agricultural operation.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick drills the importance of doing beta tests first before implementing large-scale changes on the farm.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

In this episode, farmer, educator, and consultant Michael Kilpatrick talks about how to strategically plan out which crop varieties to grow.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick talks about the right time to start putting up systems on your farm.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick talks about some must-have tools to get a new farm business up and going.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Farm Efficiency Tools and Equipment at Modern Grower. Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools at Modern Grower

Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer, presenter, inventor, and leader whose mission is to help farmers apply business principles and practical solutions to grow their businesses and simplify their lives. He has managed large organic farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts, and spoken at dozens of conferences. In 2004 Michael launched a highly diversified, year-round vegetable farm with his brother, which soon grew (no pun intended) until it encompassed several hundred acres and had more than twenty employees, selling produce to farmer's markets, CSA, co-ops, and wholesale buyers. These days Michael continues to be actively involved in the market farming industry, managing the Farm on Central in Carlisle, Ohio, and he is a leader working to equip others. He is the creator and host of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, he is a farming consultant, and he serves on the City Council in Carlisle, working to improve his local community and pave the way for a successful and thriving small business ecosystem.

In this episode, educator Michael Kilpatrick talks about the importance of encouraging feedback for further improvement.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/ Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools https://www.paperpot.co/

January 10, 2024 Today we do one of my favorite things: we interview a farmer and audit their sales funnel. In today's episode, you'll hear from Adam Henson of Shady Brook Farm. Adam joined my Accelerator program this fall to build out his email nurture sequence and sales sequence for his meat sales. As you listen, I want you to hear how simple his sales funnel is. Sometimes we think that we have to have a lot of irons in the fire, but in reality, in the early years of setting up your business sales flow, you're just layering in the main players: the website, the weekly email, the nurture sequence, the product ladder, the attraction strategy and message. Although Adam will tell you he isn't at his finish line yet, I wanted to show you a farm that is well on its way. Listen for some of the strategies that are working well for him. Notice the importance of the buyer's journey at the point of sale, and knowing your customer's pain points. I'm sure you'll find some marketing gems in this episode! This podcast was sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Today's Podcast Guest: Today's podcast guest is Adam Henson of Shady Brook Farm in Canton, NC.  Adam is a fourth generation cattle farmer running a cow/calf operation in a grass based production model along side his wife Jada. his dad and grandmother are stake holders in the operation as land owners and in having a small interest in the cow herd. In 2012 Adam made the switch from the commodity system to a direct to consumer model offering grass fed and finished beef under their own label. Since then they have added pasture raised eggs in 2013 and pasture raised chickens in 2015. In 2022 they switched their laying hens and meat chickens to an organic/soy free feed. They sell at a local farmer's market on Saturdays, maintain an online store connected to their website, publish a weekly email to push customers to the online store and farmer's market, as well as offer some small scale subscription services. Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! https://www.mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Sign up for Farm Marketing School at https://www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms - my monthly online marketing school membership just for farmers. Farm Marketing School is an on-demand library of marketing workshops and project plans that will help you build some of the most important marketing elements in your farm business like: building a promotion calendar, auditing your sales funnel, updating your home page of your website, building your first email nurture sequence, and practicing different types of offers. These projects are designed to be completed in under 30 days, so that you slowly build your marketing system piece by piece. To see what courses are currently inside of FMS, or to try out Farm Marketing School for a month at mydigitalfarmer.com/fms  Cancel your membership anytime.

Are you ready to take your vegetable farming to the next level?     On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael shares about this year's Thriving Farmer Summit and this year is all about Vegetables. The Summit is a free event happening January 12-14th and features a lineup of expert speakers covering topics from fertilizer-free farming methods and winter production to balancing family and farming, soil tests, compost and much more.   Tune in to hear about how this year's Summit offers valuable insights and practical tips for farmers to improve their farming practices and grow better quality vegetables. Click here to register for the Vegetable Summit. You'll hear: About what the Thriving Farmer Vegetable Summit is all about  Some details about each of this year's Session Speakers What some of Michael's biggest takeaways were from his interviews How to register for the Vegetable Summit About the Guest: Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer and educator in Carlisle, Ohio. Along with his wife, Savannah, they run the Farm on Central, where they pursue their passion of providing fresh and local food to the community. In addition to co-running the farm, Savannah teaches cooking, canning, and baking classes from her kitchen. Meanwhile, Michael is also the founder of Growing Farmers and the Thriving Farmer Online Summits and is dedicated to providing educational resources for farmers. Together, they reach a community of over 60,000 farmers, homesteaders, and families!   Resources:  Website - Register here for the Vegetable Summit And if you want to keep the conversation going, join us in our Facebook Group to connect with us and other farmers looking to grow their business!   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! Explore new revenue opportunities with Harvest Hosts! List your farm and connect with a community of more than 250,000 RVers eager to support small businesses! You only need to provide space for at least one RVer to stay overnight. In exchange, the RVers will patronize your farm. No hook-ups or RV services required! Ready to add 15K+ in extra revenue with minimal time investment? Visit us at Harvest Hosts.com today!  

How do you make more money in your farm business? Answer: make more offers. In our early years as a CSA farm, we struggled to increase revenue because we only had the one thing to sell: our 18-week CSA membership. That's it! Once you paid for that, you weren't asked to buy anything again until the next year, when we asked to renew the membership. Looking back, that was a mistake. In order to maximize profits, your farm will want to sell multiple things to the same customer all year long. That means you will need to have enough products in your product suite to sell. You need a "product ladder." In today's episode, you'll learn how the product ladder works, how to build one, and how to USE it to make more money. This may involve making new products!! Your homework is to identify your product ladder and map out the different key categories, products, or promotions that fall into it. This is your key step to increasing your revenue as a farmer. This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline This podcast was sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Sign up for Farm Marketing School - my monthly online marketing school membership just for farmers. Farm Marketing School is an on-demand library of marketing workshops and project plans that will help you build some of the most important marketing elements in your farm business like: building a promotion calendar, auditing your sales funnel, updating your home page of your website, building your first email nurture sequence, and practicing different types of offers. And new content is being added every month. You get to chose what you want to study each month. I've taken the recordings of just the teaching sessions of each project inside of my high-end coaching program (Accelerator) and made them available to everyone. These projects are designed to be completed in under 30 days, so that you slowly build your marketing system piece by piece. Use the step by step project planner and resource folder to help you jumpstart your work.Take advantage of my new marketing crash course inside, watch my new Email Marketing Course, or take the onboarding assessment tool to help you identify where your funnel is broken and what project to do first. To see what courses are currently inside of FMS, or to try out Farm Marketing School for a month at mydigitalfarmer.com/fms Cancel your membership anytime. ConvertKit - I mention my email service provider of choice. If you decide to try this ESP out, use my affiliate code here and I get a small commission. Flitetest.com -- this is the RC airplane brand that got my kids hooked on aviation! Find my Facebook group for farmers! Follow me on Instagram for a daily IG story tip on marketing! @mydigitalfarmer

Do you take the time to reflect on the past year of your farm?    On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by his wife, Savannah. Together, they chat about how this past year went at their farm in Ohio called The Farm on Central. From building a farm store to strawberries and sourdough, they share the up's and down's of 2023. Tune in to hear about this Year in Review and how they are taking the lessons they learned into the New Year. You'll hear: Why they started The Farm on Central 1:01 About what all has changed with their store this year 5:19 What they've been doing with sourdough bread 11:35 About how they did their hiring and team management 15:17 An update on their farm's soil and water 24:47 What is currently going on with their wellness line 29:52 An update on some new land they recently leased 39:35 About the Guest: Michael & Savannah Kilpatrick are farmers and educators in Carlisle, Ohio. Together they run The Farm on Central, where they pursue their passion of providing fresh and local food to the community. In addition to co-running the farm, Savannah teaches cooking, canning, and baking classes from her kitchen. Meanwhile, Michael is also the founder of Growing Farmers and the Thriving Farmer Online Summits and is dedicated to providing educational resources for farmers. Together, they reach a community of over 60,000 farmers, homesteaders, and families!   Resources:  Website - https://farmoncentral.com/ Crowdfunding Page - https://farmoncentral.com/crowdfunding/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/farmoncentral/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/farmoncentral And if you want to keep the conversation going, join us in our Facebook Group to connect with us and other farmers looking to grow their business!   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! Explore new revenue opportunities with Harvest Hosts! List your farm and connect with a community of more than 250,000 RVers eager to support small businesses! You only need to provide space for at least one RVer to stay overnight. In exchange, the RVers will patronize your farm. No hook-ups or RV services required! Ready to add 15K+ in extra revenue with minimal time investment? Visit us at Harvest Hosts.com today!  

Have you ever wondered what are the primary agents that cause people to buy your product? Turns out there are "laws" in marketing that drive the sales to our products. Do you know what they are? I'm betting that many of these principles are familiar to you. You're probably using some of them without realizing it. But there might be a couple that are new to you. What's REALLY cool is when you can use multiple principles at the same time for a multiplier effect. In today's episode, I want to introduce them to you all as a group -- let them "walk across the stage" and strut their stuff. Pay attention to your favorites, but also notice some new characters. Then pick one principle that you can work on this month as you optimize the different elements of your sales system. Here they are in a list: Principle of Authority Principle of Social Proof Principle of Direction Principle of Tunnel Vision Principle of Objections Principle of Why Now? Principle of Cause and Effect Principle of Reciprocity This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline This podcast was sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Take My 5-Day FREE CSA Startup Challenge - Looking to start your first veggie CSA, but not sure how to get started? Subscribe to my 5 day challenge. Each day, I'll walk you through one of the 5 key steps to getting your CSA framework in place. You'll do the homework assignment each day, and by the end, you'll have your basic roadmap! Sign up for Farm Marketing School - my monthly online membership. Farm Marketing School is an on-demand library of marketing workshops and project plans that will help you build some of the most important marketing elements in you business like: auditing your sales funnel, updating your home page of your website, building your first email nurture sequence, creating a promo calendar, practicing different types of offers. These projects are designed to be completed in under 30 days, so that you slowly build your marketing system piece by piece. Use the step by step project planner and resource folder to help you jumpstart your work. Take advantage of my new marketing crash course inside, watch my new Email Marketing Course, or take the onboarding assessment tool to help you identify where your funnel is broken and what project to do first. To see what courses are currently inside of FMS, or to try out Farm Marketing School for a month at mydigitalfarmer.com/fms Cancel your membership anytime. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini -- this is a great read that will show you the triggers and psychology that cause someone to be ready to buy. The Rule of Reciprocity is one of them! Find my Facebook group for farmers! Follow me on Instagram for a daily IG story tip on marketing! @mydigitalfarmer

How do you sell a rare breed pig in a community who's never heard of it? This was a problem faced by today's podcast guest. Joanna Shepherd from Cobblestone Farm had moved from the UK on a mission to save the Berkshire pig breed! The problem: not many people in Saskatchewan, Canada knew what they were, or why they deserved her luxury-level price point. How do you market a product no one has heard of and create desire for it? Joanna has spent the last 5 years trying to figure it out. In today's episode, we'll hear some of the issues she has had to work through to help her find her way. Now she's guiding other Berkshire pork farmers and helping them learn how to market this rare breed of pig. You'll hear her rather simple strategy which is a mix of email marketing funnels, social media, and SEO that is slowly building an audience of super-fans who become repeat buyers. She's building a marketing machine "slow and steady" that will serve as a strong foundation as she scales her production. This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline This podcast was sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Meet Our Guest ~ Who is Joanna Shepherd: Joanna Shepherd is the co-owner of Cobblestone Farm in Saskaketchewan, Canada, that specializes in raising Berkshire pigs. She and her husband Carl  are a couple of Brits from the North Of England, and you'll definitely hear her fun accent! Joanna was raised in UK on mixed livestock farm, meaning beef, sheep, and pigs.  She met her husband at an abattoir they both worked at and decided to move to Canada to see where the adventure would take them. They started out working in abattoirs and ended up buying acreage and raising registered Berkshire pigs. Joanna's mission is the save the rare Berkshire breed, selling her "genetics" to breeders, as well as weanlings and processed pork to local buyers. Her small herd of Berkshire pigs free ranges on 27 acres of pasture year round. She's committed to allowing her pigs live a stress-free life -- one that allows them to breathe fresh air, wallow, root, sunbathe and play. Blunt, bold, a risk taker, she says what she thinks and goes after what she wants. Learn more about CobbleStone Farm at www.berkshirepigs.net Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Take My 5-Day FREE CSA Startup Challenge - Looking to start your first veggie CSA, but not sure how to get started? Subscribe to my 5 day challenge. Each day, I'll walk you through one of the 5 key steps to getting your CSA framework in place. You'll do the homework assignment each day, and by the end, you'll have your basic roadmap! Sign up for Farm Marketing School - my monthly online membership. Farm Marketing School is an on-demand library of marketing workshops and project plans that will help you build some of the most important marketing elements in you business like: auditing your sales funnel, updating your home page of your website, building your first email nurture sequence, creating a promo calendar, practicing different types of offers. And new content is being added every month. As the DIY version of my Accelerator Group Coaching program, you get to chose what you want to study each month. I've taken the recordings of just the teaching sessions of each project inside of my high-end coaching program (Accelerator) and made them available to everyone. These projects are designed to be completed in under 30 days, so that you slowly build your marketing system piece by piece. Use the step by step project planner and resource folder to help you jumpstart your work.Take advantage of my new marketing crash course inside, watch my new Email Marketing Course, or take the onboarding assessment tool to help you identify where your funnel is broken and what project to do first. To see what courses are currently inside of FMS, or to try out Farm Marketing School for a month at mydigitalfarmer.com/fms Cancel your membership anytime. Find my Facebook group for farmers! Follow me on Instagram for a daily IG story tip on marketing! @mydigitalfarmer

In this episode, guest host Chris Thoreau and microgreens grower Michael Kilpatrick talks about a more efficient post-harvest process when it comes to microgreens.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/ Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools https://www.paperpot.co/

How do you make your farm products highly desirable?  To answer this question, this week I share another saga in my continuing quest to find a massage therapist.  I share how my prospective LMT played "hard to get" when I tried to book her; and what that did inside my brain to make me want it even more.  We'll explore the value of things like "sold out" signs, wait lists, and low inventory. How can you use the principle of scarcity to ratchet up the perceived value of your goods and services? This is an episode that will make you rethink how subjective the word "value" really is.... This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline This podcast was also sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/   Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Take My 5-Day FREE CSA Startup Challenge - Looking to start your first veggie CSA, but not sure how to get started? Subscribe to my 5 day challenge. Each day, I'll walk you through one of the 5 key steps to getting your CSA framework in place. You'll do the homework assignment each day, and by the end, you'll have your basic roadmap! Sign up for my CSA Academy -- and get access to my CSA's member resource library to use for your own CSA (as long as you're a paying member). Videos, veggie guides, recipes, onboarding tips, and more. Use coupon code TRIAL to get your first month for $1. Find my Facebook group for farmers! Follow me on Instagram for a daily IG story tip on marketing! @mydigitalfarmer  

How do you raise your prices and get your customers to buy at that price point? (And feel good about it?) In today's episode, I'm diving into a crucial aspect of farm marketing: the art of price anchoring. Have you ever gone to Amazon to buy something with a certain idea in your mind of what something will cost?... and then you see what Amazon thinks it should cost?... For example, I recently  needed to buy a countdown timer for our Chopped Competition -- a big one that everyone can see from the room. Amazon had one priced at $300 (!!!), then another one at $65, and another one at $125. Guess which one I bought?... Yup, the $125 one. AND... I felt okay with it. Honestly though, going into it, I was hoping for a $75 option. That's where my mind was. But then I saw the $300, and realized I was at the wrong pricing table. So the $125 suddenly didn't feel so bad -- like I had compromised and found a good happy medium in quality and price. This... is price anchoring in action. And if you know how to use it, it can help you raise ALL your farm product prices, get people to buy at that price level, and make you more money. Price anchoring is a psychological technique where consumers use an initial piece of information to base future buying decisions. You set a mental benchmark, or an "anchor" with a high price tag, and then this creates a perception that subsequent (slightly lower) prices are a better deal. (Meanwhile: you've also raised the prices of those subsequent, slightly lower prices, too). You see this ALL OVER THE PLACE in the retail world. And in this episode, we dive into the details of how it works. It's time you learned the psychology and strategy behind what makes this work. Your homework from this episode is to set up a product with a higher price anchor, position your other products around it, and guide your customer this week to buy the thing you want them to (at the price you want). This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline This podcast was also sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Hit play and let's get started! Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Join my CSA Renewals Course: CSA Early Bird Campaigns that Convert. In this program, I teach you my exact process for how I build my renewal promotion campaign every fall, that gets 80-90% of my members to sign up again by November 1st. Sign up for my CSA Academy -- and get access to my CSA member resource library to use for your own CSA (as long as you're a paying member). Use coupon code TRIAL to get your first month for $1. Find my Facebook group for farmers! Follow me on Instagram for a daily IG story tip on marketing! @mydigitalfarmer  

When you talk about your farm products, are you making a nice, bullet-point list of features that come with your product? Things like: certified organic by USDA grass-fed, regeneratively-raised locally-sourced raw and unfiltered That's great, but that may not be enough. The problem with just focusing on features in our marketing is that we (as the salesperson) have assumed that the customer has a level of understanding he/she simply doesn't have. From the inside looking out, we think, “Everyone knows why it matters that my honey is unfiltered!” My friends, they don't.  Which is why, you need to learn 3 very powerful words that will immediately transform this list of features into a list of BENEFITS. When you start using these 3 words in your marketing, you'll begin to show your customers what's in it for them. You need to answer the question: "So what that your honey is raw and unfiltered?..." You want to know what these 3 words are?... Listen to this episode to find out, and hear lots of examples for how to use them in farm marketing. See if it helps you increase your sales. This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2023. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline This podcast was sponsored by: The Thriving Farmer Podcast.  In this top-rated farm podcast, you'll learn the latest tricks and strategies of successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. In our interviews, we focus on building farms that last, on setting up systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and creating a work/family/life balance. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it's really like to build a profitable, sustainable farm. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts or visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Hit play and let's get started! Some of the resources mentioned in this episode: Join my free email list! I have a great "Crash Course in farm marketing" that will guide you through the marketing jungle over the course of several months. Each week, you'll get a new email with suggestions and tips to make your marketing better. Join my CSA Renewals Course: CSA Early Bird Campaigns that Convert. In this program, I teach you my exact process for how I build my renewal promotion campaign every fall, that gets 80-90% of my members to sign up again by November 1st. Sign up for my CSA Academy -- and get access to my CSA member resource library to use for your own CSA (as long as you're a paying member). Use coupon code TRIAL to get your first month for $1. Find my Facebook group for farmers! Follow me on Instagram for a daily IG story tip on marketing! @mydigitalfarmer

In this episode, farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick talks about building out a a wash-pack station using used equipment.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/ Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools https://www.paperpot.co/

It's every homesteader's dream to quit their job and become completely self-sufficient selling eggs & soap from their homestead. The bad news? It's almost impossible to make a full-time income from selling eggs & soap. The good news? It's entirely possible to make real money from your small farm-- you just need a strategy. In this episode, I'm joined by farmer and business coach Michael Kilpatrick to bust through the common misconceptions around making money from a farm so you can make actual money instead!Learn more about Michael's podcast here: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/Learn more about Michael Kilpatrick here: https://www.growingfarmers.com/Learn more about Genuine Beef Co. here: https://genuinebeefco.com/Order my NEW book Old-Fashioned on Purpose now and get exclusive bonuses! http://oldfashionedbook.com/Have a message you want to share with the world? Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application Weekly musings from my homestead: http://theprairiehomestead.com/letterMy essays on an old-fashioned life: www.prairiephilosophy.comMy homesteading tutorials & recipes: www.theprairiehomestead.comOur Wyoming-raised, grass-finished beef: http://genuinebeefco.comJill on Twitter: http://twitter.com/homesteaderJill on Instagram: @jill.wingerJill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead

In this episode, farming educator and consultant Michael Kilpatrick shares some tips to ensure the wash-pack area is food safety compliant.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/ Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools https://www.paperpot.co/

In this episode, we sat down with Michael Kilpatrick of The Farm on Central. We discuss several ways farmers can increase profits without the use of synthetic chemicals or inputs. Michael shares his most profitable revenue sources on his own farm while weaving important topics such as faith, societal systems, and more into the conversation. Find The Farm on Central Instagram // @farmoncentral Website // https://farmoncentral.com/Podcast // Thriving Farmers PodcastFind our 6-week meal plan -- 42 real food meals for $24Find Homegrown on YouTube // @homegrown_educationFind Homegrown on Instagram // @homegrown_education

In this episode, Michael Kilpatrick describes the different possible ways of improving a farm setup.  Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/ Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpotco Podcasts by Diego Footer: Microgreens: https://apple.co/2m1QXmW Vegetable Farming: https://apple.co/2lCuv3m Livestock Farming: https://apple.co/2m75EVG Large Scale Farming: https://apple.co/2kxj39i Small Farm Tools https://www.paperpot.co/

In this episode, we dive into the world of entrepreneurship and explore the skills that employers are seeking today. Our guest, Michael Kilpatrick from Growing Farmers, shares his journey in sustainable farming and how he's helping his community eat more awesome foods. From turning a washing machine into a salad spinner to understanding marketing psychology, we discuss the keys to success in the farming industry. Join us as we learn about opting out of traditional systems, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit, and preparing the next generation for a future of critical thinking and curiosity. Discover how farming is evolving and the valuable life lessons that transcend boundaries. Don't miss out on this inspiring conversation with a farmer, marketer, and businessperson who's changing the landscape of agriculture and employment. Learn more about Growing Farmers and Small Farm University here >>  https://www.growingfarmers.com/ Find them on Social Media here >> @growingfarmers  

Do you have farming questions? This podcast will make you want to pull up a chair and take notes. It is a conversation between two experienced farmers about greenhouses (including climate battery greenhouses), creating a holistic farm model and how greens play an important role, dealing with water and soil issues, and taking a CSA from a picnic in the park to farmers market levels of volume for a profitable mid-week retail store.  Michael Kilpatrick is joined by David Greenberg, owner of Abundant Acres Farm, located in Hants County, Nova Scotia. Abundant Acres is an organic farming operation situated on the tidal Cogmagun River. It consists of a periodically flooded salt marsh, upland fields, and woodlands.  Abundant Acres' first priority is to grow the best tasting and most healthy food for their own table and for their customers. They are also developing, testing, and sharing designs for machinery and techniques that make farming more efficient and profitable.  Tune in to hear how a field trip at the age of 7 instilled a life-long passion in David for farming. Join us today to hear all about it! You'll hear: How David got started in farming 3:22 David's farming education 10:57 Staff on Abundant Acres Farm 16:54 How they keep the soil fertilized 34:34 The scoop with their climate battery 42:07 Overview of the farm's retail store 49:46 About the Guest: David farms with his wife, Jen, and many wonderful employees at Abundant Acres in Centre Burlington, Nova Scotia.  Growing on six acres, with half an acre under cover, they supply fresh vegetables year round from their two Climate Battery greenhouses. Their produce is sold at their Halifax store, The Warehouse Market. Resources: Website: https://abundant-acres.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundantacresns/   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor!   Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement that provides an add-on certification held by over 1,000 certified organic, family-owned operations across North America. Real Organic Project strives to uplift farms working within the spirit, not just the letter, of organic principles. Real Organic certified farmers use practices that are centered around the foundational organic principles of soil-based crop production and pasture-based livestock agriculture. To remain accessible to all types of farmers, Real Organic Project fundraises year round to keep this certification available at no cost to farmers. You can apply today at realorganicproject.org/thrivingfarmer.

This week, Nathan talks to Michael Kilpatrick a farmer, educator, and inventor. Michael is also the host of the top-rated Thriving Farmer Podcast and Thriving Farmer Summit series which has been viewed by over 50,000 farmers. In this interview, Michael describes the struggles and rewards that come from starting and running multiple small businesses and how he's raising his kids to work in (but not resent) the family. Michael also explains how to gain the skills required to be your own boss. Relevant Links: Growing Farmers The Thriving Farmer Podcast The Farm on Central

Airing 12/31/2022, guests on this episode include longtime Huntsville residents Caroline Prince, Michael Kilpatrick, Mark Torstenson, Kip Shepherd and John Owens, all reminiscing on the Tip Top Café- a diner and dive bar that served as a music venue in the 80s and 90s for a variety of eclectic bands, both local and passing through. According to the new owner of the Tip Top, construction is underway, and should be open once again in 2023! The audio you'll hear on this page features a collection of stories recorded for this episode. The live airing of this episode featured music from bands who played and recorded sets at the Tip Top Café, and you'll find a playlist of those songs on the Arts Underground page. With the help of folks who frequented the Tip Top, Kip has compiled and published a list of 534 bands and musicians who played there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/117961945354/ Thanks to Alabama Sharp for the music played underneath the promo for this episode, Monster Dog's "My Church." & check out WLRH's social media for pics related to the Tip Top, including a spectacular shot of everyone's favorite doorman, Lanny, sitting festively in a Santa hat!

What can you do on your land to add more income? What is value-added to you? In this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael dives into why you need to attend this weekend's Thriving Farmer Summit! It combines everything he's passionate about: farmers loving what they do, while spending time with their families, and being justly compensated.  In this episode, you'll hear… Why innovation in products, not more production, is the biggest opportunity for farmers to work less and make more What the term “value-added” really means - and it's not quite what you think Joel Salatin's bullish prediction about repercussions from the pandemic and why farmers need to cash in now Why the numbers are in your favor when you decide to start owning your own processing, marketing, and distribution Why companies like Driscoll, that we equate with strawberries, don't grow a single one How a wide variety of products are challenging to produce, but why the variety is needed to attract customers How the market is changing, and why we need to adapt so we can thrive The three areas that will hold any farm attempting value-added back and how to address them Joel's parting advice to those who are ready to get started, and his warning to those who don't want to innovate If you haven't signed up for the summit yet, here's the link. You don't want to miss this one…it may be our most important summit yet. We have 37+ speakers on all aspects of growing and profiting in agriculture There are some amazing and generous giveaways  Live Q+A sessions And so much more! If you can't catch the daily sessions or want to have a replay, we do offer an All Access Pass that gives you lifetime access to all the presentations. This is optional, but available for those who need it. Learn more here Join us to learn more about the upcoming Value-Added Summit and how you can create additional income! About the Guest: Growing Farmers is led by Michael Kilpatrick, a farmer, educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He is the host of the top-rated Thriving Farmer Podcast and Thriving Farmer Summit series, which has been viewed by over 50,000 farmers. He has managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in Small Farm University, a community he founded for thriving farmers. Together with his wife, Savannah, they are raising their three children at The Farm on Central.    Resources: Website: farmsummits.com/valueadded  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael Instagram: @growingfarmers

Farmers face challenges ranging from rising costs for them to low prices to them and seemingly endless regulations that need more time and attention than they have the ability to give. They need to be more resourceful than ever, whether they have been farming for generations or just coming in to it from a non-farming background, Michael Kilpatrick has been helping farmers make resourceful, sometimes 'rogue' adjustments in their plans, execution and results that yield desired incomes.  In podcasts and events including the  annual Rogue Food Conference, the attainable goal is Thriving Farmers. www.growingfarmers.com   www.farmsummits.com  www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com

How do you get someone to buy your product? Well, it all starts with a "good offer." What does that mean? "Crafting the offer" gets its own module in marketing school, because it's THAT important. There are strategies for what goes into an offer that makes people convert. And in today's episode, we dissect those elements in details. My guest is Michael Kilpatrick, host of the Thriving Farmer podcast, and he is a MASTER at creating offers. He's interviewed hundreds of farmers and consulted with dozens of farms in his lifetime -- he's seen so many examples of irresistible offers at work. He's also in the process of building out his own micro-enterprises on his own new-ish farm, Farm on Central. I ask him to break down his marketing strategy, and you'll learn a lot of cutting-edge ideas he's using right now to grow his own new farm business to $1 million in revenue. This podcast was sponsored by Local Line, the leading e-commerce platform for the local food system. Try Local Line for your farm today! Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: DIGITALFARMER2022. Head to this special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline Join me December 1-4, for Thriving Farmer's FREE annual Online Farm Summit. Every year, Michael Kilpatrick's team at GrowingFarmers.com puts together an awesome lineup of guests for a 3-day summit. This year's topic focus is all about "Adding Income to your Farm" -- creative ways to bring in more revenue -- including a focus on Value-Added products. You'll learn from 37+ different speakers innovative ways of working less and profiting more from your farm enterprise! This virtual conference is free, as long as you watch it live. (You'll be given a chance to pre-purchase an all-access pass which gives you "forever access" to the recording of the whole event for a low price!) Reserve your free pass to this virtual event here: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/summit    

We are now halfway through the month and the clock is definitely ticking. In fact, there is only 12.3 percent left for 2022 in the remaining month and a half. This is another regular installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that seeks to be published as often as is necessary. I'm your host, Sean Tubbs, an award winning journalist and freelance member of the Virginia Press Association. On today's program:* Continuing updates on the murder of three members of the University of Virginia football team. Two other people remain hospitalized. * Concern continues to mount about the convergence of flu season with the presence of RSV as well as the background of the continuously evolving COVID virus* A new round-about opens tomorrow at the intersection of U.S. 250 and Route 151 in Albemarle County * Charlottesville gets funding to acquire property across Moores Creek from Azalea Park for a new alignment of the Rivanna Trail* Delegate Sally Hudson briefs the Albemarle Board of Supervisors on ranked-choice voting To get each newsletter in your inbox, please sign-up. If you like the program, please consider paying through Substack. That'll help me be ready to report whenever its necessary.Today's first shout-out: LEAP wants to help you prepare for winterCrisp air and colorful leaves. Hot cocoa. Snow days. There are plenty of reasons to get excited about fall and winter, but the return of high heating bills isn't one of them. Your local energy nonprofit, LEAP, has been empowering Virginians with energy efficiency and solar solutions since 2010. With programs for all income levels, residents can access upgrades like insulation, LED bulbs, low-flow fixtures, and affordable rooftop solar systems. Visit www.leap-va.org to learn more, and fill out the LEAP Services Inquiry form to lower high heating bills and stay cozy this winter. UVA community continues to mourn murder victims Last night, hundreds if not thousands of people filled the Lawn at the University of Virginia to mourn the murder of three students murdered Sunday night. Classes at the University of Virginia are not in session today for a second day of mourning for the deaths of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr, and D'Sean Perry.All three were members of the football team. Coach Tony Elliott posted a message across social media. A fourth student has not been identified officially, but the Cavalier Daily and others are reporting a tweet from someone believed to be the mother of one of the two who were injured.For more on the story, do take a look at other accounts:* ‘Wonderful People': UVA Community Pays Tribute to Lost Student-Athletes, Andrew Ramspacher, UVA Today, November 14, 2022* "I'm not sure if I have the right words yet": UVa students react to Sunday night shooting, Sidney Shuler and Alice Berry, Daily Progress, November 14, 2022* Suspect in Sunday's shooting taken into custody, Ava MacBlane, Cavalier Daily, November 14, 2022* Mike Hollins, one of two students injured Sunday evening, undergoes second surgery, Eva Surovell and Ava MacBlane, Cavalier Daily, November 15, 2022Around the same time the lockdown at the University of Virginia was lifted, Charlottesville police and UVA police began work on investigating a series of social media posts that made threats against UVA. “CPD opened an investigation into the postings and the individual believed to be responsible for posting them,” reads a press release. “At approximately 4:00 p.m., Charlottesville detectives obtained and subsequently served a search warrant for an address associated with the suspect in the 200 block of West Main Street in the City of Charlottesville.”They then arrested 31-year-old Bryan Michael Silva and charged him with weapons possession by a felon and possession of a controlled substance. Silva rose to fame as an internet personality whose armed standoff with Charlottesville Police resulted in a previous jail sentence.At this time, CPD does not believe at this time Mr. Silva's threats were related to the tragic events that occurred last night at the University of Virginia. However, we understand the fear this caused in our community and acted swiftly to resolve this investigation.He is being held without bond at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. As for shooting suspect Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., he is expected to be held be arraigned tomorrow in Albemarle County court as the University of Virginia is technically within that jurisdiction. Pediatricians keeping an eye on RSV casesThe colder weather this week comes at a time when flu cases are rising across the country and while respiratory syncytial virus or RSV is peaking. RSV is something most people are expected to get at some point when they are children. “And adults get RSV too,” said Dr. Debbie-Ann Shirley is an infectious disease expert at UVA Children's Hospital. “It tends to be more severe at the extremes of age so very young children and the elderly can develop more severe RSV. In young children, that can look like a pneumonia or bronchiolitis.” Bronchiolitis is the inflammation of the small airways in the lung according to the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Shirley said this has resulted in more hospitalizations of children to assist them with breathing.“There is not currently a good RSV treatment like an antiviral and there's not currently a vaccine available,” Dr. Shirley said. “However, for select very high-risk infants, there a monoclonal antibody that can be given monthly as an injection throughout RSV season.”Dr. Shirley said that before the pandemic, RSV was fairly predictable with rises expected in fall with a winter peak before subsiding in the warmer months with almost no cases. But that changed in the year of the shutdown. “First, a complete disappearance of RSV and we didn't see the typical peak during the fall of 2020 and into the winter of 2021 and then we started to see an interseasonal out-of-season spread,” Dr. Shirley said. “So RSV has become very unpredictable and this season we saw a very early and rapid peak in RSV cases.”Dr. Shirley said that meant between ten and a dozen new patients admitted each day for RSV, and that number had dropped slightly as of last week. The situation may be worse because many children born during the pandemic did not have had regular exposure. “We're not yet able to breath any sigh of relief, one because we don't know how long or how sustained this current peak will be, and two because we are really starting to see an uptick in flu including severe flu in children being admitted with the flu.” Dr. Shirley said it is important to take a COVID test when symptoms present themselves to rule that out.  She also urged the importance of wearing a face mask to limit transmission and isolating when ill. One of her colleagues added this advice. “Most importantly, if you're feeling sick, stay at home and don't spread illness to others,” said Dr. Costi Sifri, the director of hospital epidemiology for UVA Health. “And we really can't emphasize enough that now is the time to get your flu vaccine.” Sifri said this is also a good time to get a bivalent COVID vaccine if you have not already done so. The Virginia Department of Health today reports a seven-day average of 891 new cases. That trend has been declining since the end of the summer. New roundabout to open at U.S. 250 / Route 151A new traffic pattern will begin tomorrow at the intersection of U.S. 250 and Route 151 in Nelson County. The Virginia Department of Transportation expects that vehicles will be routed through a new roundabout beginning at 9 a.m. "Flaggers will control traffic through the intersection while the traffic signals at the intersection are removed and pavement striping is completed,” reads a VDOT press release. “Drivers should anticipate brief delays during traffic stoppages and congestion in the vicinity of the project. The traffic switch will be complete, and the flagging operation removed by 3 p.m., at which time traffic will use the roundabout for all movements through the intersection."This will not be the end of construction, however. Work will continue outside the travel way until February. This project is one of six being built by Curtis Contracting under a $28.5 million contract. Another is the diverging diamond at U.S. 250 and Interstate 64. That project opened to traffic this past weekend. The four completed projects are the reconfiguration of I-64's Exit 118 to add a traffic light on U.S. 29 to access to eastbound I-64, a roundabout at Route 20 and Proffit Road, a connector road between Rio Mills Road and Berkmar Drive, and a second turn lane from northbound U.S. 29 onto Fontaine Avenue into Charlottesville. All six were funded through VDOT's Smart Scale process. Charlottesville receives funding to buy land along Moores Creek The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation has awarded nearly $15 million in grants across the Commonwealth to help preserve land from development. That includes $175,000 for Charlottesville to purchase 8.6 acres of land in Albemarle County along Moores Creek. That falls under the “Open Spaces and Parks” category of the program. The money can be used to purchase property, acquire conservation easements, or some other method of preserving land. In this case, Charlottesville will use the funding to buy land currently used by the International Rescue Committee for an urban farming project. That use would continue. “This property is a priority for developing the Moores Creek Greenway as it allows a shared use path and the [Rivanna Trail] to stay on the same side of Moores Creek as the trail upstream and means we don't absolutely have to build a bridge, which could cost as much or more than the land itself,” said parks planner Chris Gensic in response to a question. Gensic said Albemarle County is aware of the potential purchase and have made comments related to is compliant with the county Comprehensive Plan. Other project in the area also received funding:* The Nature Conservancy will get $71,937 for 179 acres at Gent Branch in the Elk Conservation Area. * The Piedmont Environmental Council will get $500,000 for farmland protection along Brook Run covering about 698 acres in Culpeper County. * The Piedmont Environmental Council will also get $237,500 for farmland protection on about 340 acres in Orange County. Click here for the full list. Standard disclaimer rules apply: PEC is a sponsor of the Week Ahead newsletter but have no editorial control over or involvement with my workSecond Shout-out is for the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards In today's second subscriber-supported shout-out, an area nonprofit wants you to know about what they offer to help you learn how to preserve, protect, and appreciate! The Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards holds several events throughout the year including a walk in western Albemarle County on the morning of November 20 through a well preserved and highly diverse woodland to see naturally occurring winterberry, spicebush, and dogwood laden with red berries. In abundance will be nuts from forest oaks, hickories, walnuts as well as orchard grown Chinese chestnuts, walnuts, pecans, and American hazelnuts. Registration is limited. Want to know more about how to identify non-native plants so you can help get rid of them over the winter? There's a two-part class that begins December 7. Visit charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org for more information. Albemarle Supervisors exploring ranked-choice voting Tomorrow the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will discuss what the Electoral Board might need if a directive was given to adopt an alternative method of selecting candidates. Earlier this month, Delegate Sally Hudson (D-57) briefed the elected officials with control over elections policy on what's known as ranked choice voting. “Ranked choice voting is an election reform that is now being adopted across the country, both coasts and every in between,” Hudson said. Hudson said ranked choice would encourage participation both by voters and by candidates who might feel they have a better chance of making the ballot. She also said this method would elect people who can build consensus. “Consensus builders who are invested in the very real work of bringing people together to get good governing done,” Hudson said. “That's what has motivated me to be so passionate about this topic for some years now.”Under ranked choice voting, people select more than one candidate.“You get to rank the candidates from most to least favorable,” Hudson said. Hudson said the state of Maine has been using ranked-choice voting since 2018. There's a whole list of Frequently Asked Questions about the process there.  In many cases, there are still only two candidates for a particular office. “But in the event that more than two candidates run, the ranked choice voting really starts to come into play,” Hudson said. Voters do not have to rank candidates if they do not want to do so. If no candidate wins a majority on the first round of voting, a run-off election can be counted immediately by dropping out candidates at the bottom. If there are several candidates, this process can take many rounds. “A ranked choice or an instant run-off election is just like the run-off elections that have been conducted in the south for years,” Hudson said. “You just don't drag everybody back to the polls and make them cast another ballot to determine the winner in the head-to-head final race.” There's even an example of how the concept works in recent history. On August 20, 2011, the Charlottesville Democratic Party selected their nominees for City Council in a “firehouse primary” and seven candidates were on the ballot. Voting took five-rounds. Write-in candidates could still play a role. In 1993, Sally Thomas won election to the Board of Supervisors on a write-in vote for the Samuel Miller District. In 2019, a write-in candidate for the Rivanna District who failed to qualify for the ballot still received a third of the vote. Legislation carried by Delegate Hudson in 2020 passed the General Assembly and authorizes local government bodies to authorize the use of ranked-choice voting for local office. It's up to the local body to determine how far they want to go. (HB1103)“Whether that ordinance could include primaries, general elections, or both, the state code is flexible on that,” Hudson said. Hudson said the county's costs would be to adjust the voting equipment to handle the counts. She said all vendors are offering the service. “The county would need to update its ballot scanning software if it wanted to offer ranked choice next year,” Hudson said. And that's the conversation supervisors will have tomorrow. Hudson said she would defer to Registrar Lauren Eddy about the costs for the update. She said parties would like to know if this method is a possibility for next year. One option would be to eliminate party primaries in favor of a free-for-all in the general election. The system would also be moot if no one wants to run. All three of the Supervisors elected in 2021 ran unopposed including first-term Supervisor Jim Andrews. He said he was in favor because it may spur more to seek office. “People's decisions to run as candidates can be impacted by ranked choice voting just as much as the electorate's ability to choose among the candidates,” Andrews said. Hudson said more people have run in New York City's 51-seat council since ranked-choice was adopted there and it has made a difference. “They've never had more than I think 18 women and the year after they adopted ranked choice, they have the first majority women city council and the vast majority of those are women of color.”Further discussion is scheduled tomorrow afternoon in the Board of Supervisors' meeting. Reading material to learn more * Charlottesville residents file lawsuit against Charlottesville and City Council over proposed building, Keagan Hughes, NBC29, November 10, 2022* Money pit: How this taxpayer-funded program spent tens of millions of dollars — and is failing a poor Virginia community, Patrick Wilson, Holly Kozelsky, Bill Wyatt, Martinsville Bulletin, November 11, 2022* Virginia tightens landfill rules, Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury, November 15, 2022Housekeeping for #459The numbers I use to keep track of this program refer to the installments are perhaps not important, and may not be accurate. I put out two newsletters yesterday, but those were to get information out about the murder of three football players committed late Sunday night. You'll notice I didn't have any shout-outs, and I tried to sound as neutral as possible.  Those two were not numbered. I resumed a career in journalism as soon as the pandemic hit. I thought I was ready to move on from deadlines and from devoting my life to being ready to write at a moment's notice. But, something was missing from my life and I didn't feel complete. When I created a podcast to cover the pandemic in March 2020, I acted on autopilot for much of that, feeling guided by something. We are humans who live in a complex civilization in a world that is shifting. My sense is that not many people know how all of the pieces fit together and I believe that the kind of journalism I practice is intended to provide some of what's missing. At least, that's what the imaginary instruction manual for my autopilot seems to say. I'm grateful for those who are supporting me, and for today I'll leave it at that except to thank Ting for matching Substack subscriptions. Details on all of that tomorrow.Thank you to Michael Kilpatrick for recording a small blurb today. And thank you to Wraki and the Fundamental Grang for providing audio. The latter even composed a very small informal public service announcement that remixes one of the soundbites heard in this newsletter.  This is for a friend of mine who is trapped in an office today despite having flu-like symptoms. Thanks for listening, and more tomorrow.  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Our podcast this morning completes an interview with Michael Kilpatrick, a continuation of podcast #22 from last week. Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer, podcast host, and inventor who helps farmers and others apply business principles and practical, proven solutions to grow their businesses and simplify their lives. He runs farmer training programs and he owns and operates the Farm on Central in Ohio. And of course, he is a dad! Besides growing farmers and their businesses, he incorporates his faith in his daily life, and being a good dad to his growing family is a priority as well. Michael shares his thoughts and experiences in parenting. I really enjoyed talking to him as he was transparent with us and had some very interesting thoughts. 00:00 Introduction01:28 Developing character- honesty06:35 Learning in the last decade07:22 Learning from Ancient Cultures10:34 Find the root of frustrations11:07 True man admits he's wrong and keeps their hearts12:20 Kids mirror emotions12:47 Communication with the kids14:20 Time with kids is important16:21 Take breaks in frustrations 16:45 Hand-on-arm communication17:17 Projects with kids and phone rules 19:01 Holistic approach to health and behavior 22:45 Final words Michael has multiple service-oriented businesses. Here are some links to his businesses: The Farm on Central Growing Farmer Training https://michaelkilpatrick.com/ Michael referred to an author whom he has learned from. I haven't read his books, but here are links to a couple of his books about healing from emotionally toxic environments. I would love to hear your thoughts about them! The Myth of Normal- Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture, by Gabor Mate and Daniel Mate Hold on to Your Kids- Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Their Peers, by Gabor Mate and Gordon Neufeld Scattered Minds- The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder, by Gabor Mate Michael talked about things that may be out of some of the mainstream channels of thought. I have previously mentioned our Adventure Parenting chats where we can discuss what we are hearing in our podcasts. I would love for you to join me to discuss these further. You can sign up here: Adventure Parenting with Grace Community Chats to discuss all things parenting. You get 8 forty-five-minute chats a month for a nominal fee- 2$ a session. May you have a terrific week and remember to rest in the Lord this week! You can reach me at Laurie@KidStrength4Life.com or check us out at https://KidStrength4Life.com

We have a great podcast this morning and a bit different from previous podcasts because we get to hear a different perspective. Michael Kilpatrick is a dad. I talked to someone who knows him well and recommended him because she said he is such a good parent. Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer, podcast host, and inventor who helps farmers and others apply business principles and practical, proven solutions to grow their businesses and simplify their lives. He runs farmer training programs and he owns and operates the Farm on Central in Ohio. Besides growing farmers and their businesses, he incorporates his faith in his daily life, and being a good dad to his growing family is a priority as well. Michael shares his thoughts and experiences in parenting. I really enjoyed talking to him as he was transparent with us and had some very interesting thoughts. 00:00 Introduction02:58 Importance of goals and dreams 04:08 Understanding their Faith05:09 Teach them to critically think06:04 Culture of learning07:57 Teach kindness and empathy10:56 What makes you unique as a father?14:06 Balancing differences in kids15:32 Small incremental rewards16:27 Parenting boys and girls18:57 Final words Michael has multiple service-oriented businesses. Here are some links to his businesses: The Farm on Central Growing Farmer Training https://michaelkilpatrick.com/ Be sure to subscribe to next week's podcast! He's got so much more for us! I mentioned our Adventure Parenting chats where we can discuss these techniques further. You can sign up here: Adventure Parenting with Grace Community Chats to discuss all things parenting. May you have a terrific week and remember to trust in the Lord this week! You can reach me at Laurie@KidStrength4Life.com or check us out at https://KidStrength4Life.com

Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast Michael is joined by his wife, Savannah, to discuss their first season of offering u-pick strawberries at The Farm on Central. The Farm on Central is a small family farm located in Carlisle, Ohio and provides the community with a wide array of vegetables, mushrooms, and horticultural products. In this episode, Michael and Savannah talk about the benefits of offering a premium product and running a profitable value-added program. They also go over how they manage their fields of annual bed strawberries, their ticket system for scheduling u-pick, things that worked well, and lessons learned for next season. Join us today to hear how Michael and the team ran a successful first year of u-pick strawberries!  You'll hear: How many strawberry plants they planted this year 1:50 How their strawberry growing system differs from others 2:09 What type of ticketing system they used to sell slots for u-pick 5:24 The options people had at u-pick 6:49 How they created a buzz 11:28 U-pick management and organization 14:02 The rules they set for customers 17:16 Learning opportunities from the season 23:51, 26:26 Field Management 27:13 Products used: 28:29 How they spaced their sections 29:39 A huge takeaway 31:48 How many people came to the farm for u-pick in just three weeks 34:15 About the Guest: Growing Farmers is led by Michael Kilpatrick, a farmer, educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He is the host of the top-rated Thriving Farmer Podcast and Thriving Farmer Summit series, which has been viewed by over 50,000 farmers. He has managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in Small Farm University, a community he founded for thriving farmers. Together with his wife, Savannah, they are raising their three young children at The Farm on Central.   Resources: Website: https://www.growingfarmers.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! At Agrigro, we know that in today's modern agriculture, our efforts can deplete life or add life. When you look for ways to add life, it's sustainable and makes everything work better. The result is enhanced plant and soil health for crops, gardens, and turf, as well as improved animal health and environment for livestock and wildlife. Our products are all-natural, easy to use, and friendly to the soil, the plant, as well as the grower. AgriGro's® formulations deliver essential plant nutrition along with an advanced prebiotic concentrate, which significantly increases the multitude of beneficial native microbial species already residing in the production environment. Through these environmentally sound technologies, we're adding life to crop production, livestock, home, turf, and wildlife markets. You don't have to be dependent on crop production efforts that deplete life…Just Add Life with AgriGro®.

If there's one thing after my own heart, it's helping farmers. I grew up watching Mother Nature be the bearer of bad news time and time again, and seeing my dad learn how to navigate so many issues that were simply out of his control.However, even with a career that has the odds greatly stacked against you, many persevere and succeed, and one of the reasons they succeed is because of the help of people like Michael Kilpatrick.Michael is the host of the Thriving Farmer's podcast, and helps farmers marry the worlds of farming and business, so they can build a career and a life that they love through farming.In this episode of Branding Podcast Secrets, Michael talks about his podcast, how he's grown such a large following, how he utilizes it to grow other parts of his business, and why taking a stand can help the growth of your podcast. To listen to his podcast visit: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/.If you're interested in starting your own branded podcast, feel free to set up a 1:1 Consultation with me here: https://calendly.com/erin-gregor/podcasting_consult_30

#046:  As the host of Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael Kilpatrick is filled with stories,  solutions, and advice for the tough challenges that small farmers face today. He's also filled with plenty of observations around the negative impact industrial practices are having on our land and animals, especially when amplified at scale, and the disappointment of seeing these techniques earning the organic seal.   Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer, consultant, speaker, and the host of the Thriving Farmer Podcast. After many years of farming in NY's Hudson Valley, he is currently transitioning his newly-acquired family farm in Carlisle, OH, The Farm On Central, to certified organic. As a consultant, Michael leads thousands of small farmers through trainings focused on business and finance at Growing Farmers. To watch a video version of this podcast please visit:https://www.realorganicproject.org/michael-kilpatrick-small-farms-can-earn-good-livings-episode-forty-sixThe Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce. It also identifies pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs as compared to products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:https://www.realorganicproject.org/farmsWe believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be. But the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing small farms that follow the law. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but are still paying a premium price. The lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.If you like what you hear and are feeling inspired, we would love for you to join our movement by becoming one of our 1,000  Real Friends!https://www.realorganicproject.org/1000-real-fans/To read our weekly newsletter (which might just be the most forwarded newsletter on the internet!) and get firsthand news about what's happening with organic food, farming and policy, please subscribe here:https://www.realorganicproject.org/email/

Michael Kilpatrick is a farmer, presenter, host, inventor and online entrepreneur who lives to help entrepreneurs apply business principles and practical, proven solutions to grow their businesses and simplify their lives. He has managed large certified organic farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts, and spoken at dozens of industry conferences.If you are regenerative agriculture or food company, please support this podcast by checking out Steward: https://gosteward.com/Do you enjoy the podcast? If so, give us a rating and review to signal to us that you support our work: https://ratethispodcast.com/regenerativeagricultureclubSHOW NOTES0:00 Introduction2:56 Michael's start in agriculture4:15 Advice to new farmers11:33 Start up capital14:06 Michael's thoughts on agriculture loans15:12 Overview of Michael's farm21:31 Critical things to focus on when startinga new farm23:20 Finding the right property34:29 What does regenerative agriculture need that it is not currently getting right now?EPISODE LINKSGrowing Farmers: https://www.growingfarmers.com/Thriving Farmer Podcast: https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/Growing Farmers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/Growing Farmers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael/PODCAST INFOApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/regenerative-agriculture-club/id1589813038Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcUjBj2OIXjjcQBV0rPv2?si=ruFlImdlTvK9NBkTh1ptOQRSS Feed: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1847147.rssYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqEOn-dUAkZxJzkzuRfs8ygPODCAST / DON DAVIDSON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/regenerativeagricultureclub/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regenerativeagricultureclub/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donpdavidson/Email: don@raclub.co

What options are available to farmers who want to optimize their farmers market presence?  Today we're going with a bit of a different approach to the podcast. I had the honor of presenting at the Great Lakes Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I covered topics revolving around farmers markets and how to thrive in that environment. I take a deep dive into attracting the right customers, crafting an engaging experience that creates long term customer relationships, knowing your numbers, what Michigan's current markets are like, 4 social network platforms you should be aware of, 7 ways to double your income and much more. If you're looking to maximize your farm's income this is the episode for you!    You'll hear:  What we do at Growing Farmers 3:05 Attracting the right customer 4:52 Targeting your demographics 10:24 4 social marketing platforms you need to utilize 13:47 Crafting the right experience 18:31 Knowing your numbers 40:52 Summary and closing thoughts 57:04   About the Guest:Michael Kilpatrick is the owner of Growing Farmers/In the Field Media, LLC and a farmer (The Farm on Central), educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He's the host of the top rated Thriving Farmer Podcast as well as the Thriving Farmer Summit series, which has been viewed by over a quarter million farmers. He's managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can build a profitable farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in the Small Farm University, his company's educational platform and community for thriving farmers.   Resources: Websites - https://www.growingfarmers.com/, https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/, https://www.farmoncentral.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael, https://www.facebook.com/farmoncentral, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507985609714417 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/, https://www.instagram.com/farmoncentral/

Michael Kilpatrick, of ThrivingFarmerPodcast.com and GrowingFarmers.com, joins host Nick Carter to discuss farming, the organic label, and the dos and don'ts of starting your own farm.   Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (00:04): Welcome to More Than A Mile, a local food podcast from Market Wagon, focused on connecting you to local food through farmer stories from across America. I'm Nick Carter, your host, a farmer and the CEO and co-founder of Market Wagon. We are your online farmer's market with a mission to enable food producers to thrive in their local and regional markets. Food is so much more than just nutrients and calories. It's actually the fabric that holds us together. And I look forward to crafting a generational quilt of farmer stories and experiences, the victories and challenges of individuals, families, and teams doing their part to help democratize food in America. Thanks for joining me for this episode of More Than A Mile, and thank you for buying local food. One critical step in making an investment in food for future generations. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (00:54): Welcome to the More Than A Mile podcast. My guest today is Michael Kilpatrick, and this is a great way for me to return a favor because I was invited to be a guest on Michael's podcast a few months ago -- the Thriving Farmer podcast. Welcome to the show, Michael. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (01:08): Hey, thanks for having me. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (01:09): Yeah, thanks for coming. So tell me a little bit about how you got into farming to begin with. Did you grow up as a farmer? Are you new to it? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (01:19): Yes, so I mean, like I've been always growing things like my parents have pictures when we were six years old in St. Louis with now some very, very poor, anemic tomato plants growing up the side of our condo. But then we moved to the Springfield, Massachusetts area, and my dad started a garden with us, you know. He started it cause he worked full time and wanted something that he could do with us in the evenings when he came home. So we had very sandy soil, which meant that things didn't really grow super well, but he brought in compost and got books. I remember the kid's Victory Garden book, which was one of the mainstays that we had. And actually my wife a couple of years ago got me a copy because it's really hard to find now, as a Christmas present. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (02:02): So I've got a copy of one of those that book again. But we started gardening and the first year I want to grow cucumbers and carrots and obviously cucumbers are up within 24 hours pretty much, but carrots take like 10 to 15 days. And so we didn't think we were gonna get any, we tilled them under then like two months later we wondered what this weed was in the garden and it was the carrots. So yeah, we kind of started around with the kind of roundabout way with the gardening. And then when we moved to upstate New York in '99 we kind of really started diving a lot more. And then by 2004 we were doing it pretty much full time and it kinda grew from there. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (02:39): Wow. And now you're in the Southwest Ohio area. Is your, is your dad still involved in the farm operation with you? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (02:47): Yeah. No, my parents actually, so we left New York in 2015. Our company kind of, we kind of leased out the company, moved to Ohio to be with my wife's family. So my parents ended up staying in New York for a couple more years with the land and they weren't doing any active farming. They actually now live in Lynchburg, Virginia area and my mom actually has quite the garden down there -- but just for her own consumption. But we moved, we shut down that first farm to be near my wife's family. And then our current farm kind of ramped back up summer of 2021. So basically the summer, I mean, we were, we started boots on the ground last year, but a lot of it was infrastructure. But you know, between those, we always were growing something we know there was something, not something was always growing, you know, but it really the scale back to commercial farm with a, you know, a payroll and all of that kind of started again this year. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (03:44): Very exciting. And you're also very active in just educating other farmers. I want to talk a little bit about your Thriving Farmer podcast and summits. What are some of the most interesting things that you've learned during conversations with the guests on your podcast? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (04:00): Yeah, I think the big, a huge aspect of it is there's just not one way right way to farm. There's so many versions out there. You know, again, I come back from a very regenerative organic version of farming. So, we like to see soil, things grown in soil and some of the podcast guests I've had, let's say like Elaine Ingram and you know, she just talks so much detail about the importance of the soil and just like the microbiology and stuff that's going along with with all of that. But I think the thing with that is, is like, you know, we've interviewed again, hydroponic, we've interviewed animal farmers, we've interviewed value added people. We've been interviewed so many different people, but I've obviously through all of that comes these themes. Okay. And so the themes are one, one is you have to treat your farm like a business. If you don't, you're going to go bankrupt or you're just not going to know your numbers, not make a lot of money. And, and, you know, that's something that we are factitious about is we really, really deep dive into, you know, we know the numbers on all of our crops and we still grow some that don't quite make as much money cause you kind of have to, the customer looks for that. But I mean, I can tell you that cucumbers is one of our bigger moneymakers on the farm. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (05:13): What are some of the things that you grow because the customer loves it that's just not really profitable for a farmer? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (05:18): Yeah. That would be a sweet corn and strawberries. I mean, sweet corn, we really only did a little tiny bit this year just to kind of play around a little bit with it. Again for our farm stand, we bring it in from a couple of local folks. But strawberries again, we will not outsource that. That is something that we are very, very picky about--the varieties, the soil, when we plant them, we spent a small fortune this year on tips bringing those in, and then we root them in the greenhouse in September. And then they get planted the end of September, and then they go into the winter, and then we'll start doing the whole row cover dance. Starting at the first of, actually the last week of March, for literally three to four weeks. There's a row cover dance: on, off, on, off, trying to protect the blooms from the frost, but also allow the bees to pollinate. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (06:08): But we're rewarded with a strawberry crop that's 10 days earlier than the competition. And the barriers are literally -- they're your grandma's berries, as people like to say, when they come. You know, they they'll buy two pints, they'll go sit in their car, they'll take one berry -- you can watch them -- we've got video footage of this, because we have video footage around the farm. But it was just funny, one day I was watching it, they took one berry and then they ate the rest of the pint. Then they got back out of their car and came back and bought four more pints. So, you know, that's, that's the kind of the, the quality we're looking for. There's just, you know, pull those customers back. And again, and again. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (06:43): Yeah, these are not the same strawberries that you pick up at the grocery store. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (06:45): No, no, they're not California strawberries that get shipped 3000 miles that are picked [when they are] white and the flavor is just not there. They get a little strawberry flavor, but there's not the juice. There's not the sweetness. There's not the melt in your mouth -- you know, it stains. Because those strawberries really won't stay in you and our strawberries do. And I think that's something important you gotta think about when it's really fresh. It's really incredible. Then there's going to be that, you know, that, that lasting effect. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (07:13): Yeah. Sweet corn is another interesting one. We grow a lot of sweet corn too, but just like you said, it's, it's the least amount of dollars per square foot. How big is your farm there, Michael? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (07:22): So we've got eight acres. We're an urban farm. So on one side it is train tracks and on two other sides it's houses. And then the fourth side is route 123 or Central Avenue, which our farm is named for. So yeah, we can't expand, although I did have conversation with today with someone who has got another acre there's that they are, you know, we're going to start talks about just giving us a little bit more, basically land to kind of work with. So but you know, I think going back to that aspect of, you know, the sweet corn, I mean like obviously your plant populations keep going up. So I think it used to be like 18,000, now we're about 24,000 plants to the acre. And, and the prices starting to go up, but consumers are willing to pay a lot more. I think that is one of the interesting things in the last couple of years is obviously you have those people, which, you know, $4 a dozen is all they're going to ever spend and they complain otherwise, but we were for a while, there selling a dollar an ear and people were not complaining. They were very willing to pay a price premium for an organic ear of corn. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (08:27): No, you're right. The population has gone up we've we've tried the 20 to 24,000 population count. But what I've discovered is the ears are just much smaller and you end up with smaller ears and some customers pick through them or pick around them, because they're looking for, they have an expectation of a good 10 inch long ear that you can only get if you keep your populations down. And so it's an interesting calculus. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (08:48): Yes. And so, but to the new consumer does the new consumer look for an 11 inch ear or is that someone, who again is again the... Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (08:57): ...is an old farm boy like me... Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (09:00): Or, the 60 year old woman. We like to, I like, we like to say, okay, the only customers we've ever had problems with, the only ones that complain, are a 60 year old woman, unfortunately. I don't know why that is? I think that's just like they were stuck in that era of, you know, having to really, really be careful of every single penny and so that's why they're, and I said like, we're not, you know, we're not 1950s prices anymore. In 1965 does again, inflation has gotten the last year, inflation has skyrocketed. And so just for us, you know, we've had to raise prices throughout the year, just as we're like watching our supplies go up. And like our cost of shipping literally in the last month went up 30%. So yeah, it's, it's kind of scary on one aspect and just the aspect of how to communicate this to our customers and just say, "Hey, shipping has gone up 25%. We have to be able to start covering that." Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (09:49): And you know, speaking of what the consumer is looking for, by the way, no offense to any 60 year old women who may be listening. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (09:58): Yes, exactly. I'm not, I'm not, yeah. I'm not trying to point that. I'm just trying to say that seems to be that demographic. And again, to that point though, Nick, we're very, very careful and you have to be as know who those avatars to those ideal customers are. And again, we know the four or five people that are really good for our business and we need to be very careful to attract. And the people that, Hey, they're not, they're not our customer and that's fine. Again, those people, I'm not calling them out to say, I don't want the shop. They want to shop with us. That's fine. We can't cater to them. We will send them down the road to where it's the fruit stand. Now again, I'd like to say, you know, we're a farm stand, they're a fruit stand and where a fruit stand is where they're buying in from the local, you know, six states and, you know, offering that. And that's fine. Again, that's just where they are going to find the best place to shop. And our clientele is just going to be a little bit different. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (10:52): Let's talk about, what's different about your farm because, I mean, I know that there's a lot. How you grow? And one of the first questions I have is are you, do you have the little USDA circle? Are you "organic," quote, unquote? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (11:04): Yeah, not yet. I mean, there's obviously like all sorts of like good and bad around that. Obviously over the last decade, the USDA certified organic label has been like just threshed and just, basically, destroyed because they now allow hydroponics. Yeah. Yeah. They allow industrial organic with 24,000 cow dairy. You know, that's the kind of stuff where like, okay, no, we're not, that's not organic. And that's where I love the work that some of the regenerative folks are doing. The real organic folks are doing. They're doing some amazing work to kind of bring back the standards. We are not certified organic yet because we can't because our farm is too young. So literally 24 months ago they were pulling corn off our farm. And so we still have another year to go before we can get that certification. I mean, we could have certified our greenhouses, for like our transplants and stuff. We decided just to wait until we could do everything at once. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (11:59): And just to educate any new listeners who are not really familiar with this. The certified organic label requires -- is it three years... Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (12:06): Yes. 36 months. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (12:07): ...from the last time any kind of non-organic management had been taking place on the, on the land. So six years was in row crop from some row crop farmer who was certainly not organic as early as two years ago. It's just not available to you yet. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (12:21): Yeah. So basically in 20 -- let's say 2019 -- we've got in 2019 in June, they sprayed 11 different herbicides trying to keep up with the weeds. So yeah, that's not great. So when we came together to really do a good job of putting lots of cover crops and lots of you know, slurries and stuff like beneficial microbe slurries to try to bring back the life to that. And we have, I mean, soil is looking really good. But yeah, I mean, so what we would say is we're regenerative. So lots of composts, we're using lots of prebiotics, mulches we are bringing in habitat strips for the beneficials. So again, we're not, you know, not, you know, it's not a wall to wall, just cropping, there's strips of willows and elderberries, and we're doing mushrooms in the woods. So again, we're trying to build this ecosystem here and it's really cool, Nick, because over the last 18 months we've watched the life come back. We now have regular hawks that hangout because we brought back the mice and the rabbits. We now have songbirds. I mean, you walk out in the evening, it's literally a cacophony of just tweeting and the music of the birds. So bats are back now. That's amazing to see too -- coming after the mosquitoes. So again, that aspect I feel like is what organic is truly about. And you know, not just this little circle as you called it earlier. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (13:41): Yeah. Well, I mean, congratulations, and thank you for the way that you restored the land. I, I think that you deserve a lot of credit for that. We've, we've certainly seen how consumers really appreciate it. I wanted to ask you, what are your biggest, what's the biggest challenge right now for you to manage the land in a regenerative fashion, in what we might call sustainable -- there's a lot of keywords for this -- but in regenerative fashion what's the biggest challenge right now? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (14:06): Yeah. I mean, obviously tillage is something that a lot of farmers have been talking about. And we want to do as little tillage as possible. Unfortunately, as you're converting from, let's say a row crop system, a lot of things you got to work through, you got get a lot of compaction, typically. You've got your soil, that's definitely like the nutrients aren't there. So it's a little bit of a couple of year process to really get that soil back and then you can start phasing out that tillage. And so that's one of the biggest things now we're worried about is, you know, how do we go to a lower no-till system? And obviously some things it's not possible. I mean, we do eight, almost 8,000 strawberry plants. And with 8,000 strawberry plants, you got to make beds and all of that. So it's just not -- and the labor scale is just not there --you know, to it's one thing to do a couple, a hundred foot rows, no till, and then, you know, sprinkle on the mulch. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (14:52): But when you do 8,000 plants, that's a little bit different of a, of a, just a challenge to kind of do that properly. So you know, we're, we are doing till where we can, then we are moving to, you know, more of the more eco aspect of that. But I mean, over the year, we really only go through, you know, less than a hundred gallons of diesel. I mean, it's not that much that we're using to do what we need to do here to, you know, take care of the crops and, and literally save hundreds of hours. And one of the things we have chosen to do is we have chosen to mechanicalize. So we're using four wheel tractors to do cultivation, to move things around. You know, I'm in my mid thirties and, you know, I did, you know, for like, basically my last farm around 30 is when I stopped, but I already could feel my, my joints and things. So I don't want to get to another 10 years -- and, you know, like some of my other friends that have done empowered farm or market style farming is they have lost their -- they have major back issues. I don't want to see that. So we have chosen to do the mechanicalization so that, you know, at the end of, you know, when I'm 50 and 60, I can still enjoy life. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (15:57): I don't think many people think about that aspect of sustainability. And nobody can see my air quotes in my hands, but that sustainability, the definition of it just simply means that you can keep -- you can sustain doing what you're doing. And if it's, you know, you out there for an eight hour shift with a hoe, yeah, no, you can't do that when you're 50, 60 years old. Not at all. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (16:20): Yeah. It's a challenge. So, you know, that's sometimes, you know, we do get, you know, a flack for using, you know, geotextile fabrics and the biodegradable plastic, but I'm putting it back to you. It's like, look, we've run the numbers. We know what it takes for us to make a profit. And right now that's what it takes. You know, in five years we hope to be able to phase that kind of stuff out as we can start, you know some of our infrastructure is paid for, and we can afford to put more time and effort into actual production. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (16:50): Well, one farmer to another, I'll tell you to avoid the the paper versions of those. The fiber ones. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (16:56): Yeah. I've have heard those things are a little bit of a disaster sometimes. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (16:59): Oh, completely we, we tried it on our, under our tomatoes this last year. And it was great until about mid June when it, I mean, the decomposition of those things was a little more accelerated than we wanted. And before you know, it, you've got, you've got weeds coming up through them and they're disintegrating and falling apart, but we had set everything up to be no till. So we couldn't get out there and do anything about it. It was a nightmare. So then you have, we're gonna try plastics this next year. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (17:24): Yeah. Strips of paper blowing around and weeds everywhere... Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (17:28): Yeah, yeah. And once it tears in one spot, it can make, like you said, blow up and then it actually starts ripping plants up with it. You know, it gets out in, you're running a parachute underneath your tomato vine. So avoid those, if you can, like, right. Here's your tip for the day. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (17:43): So how, you know, as you're building a, that is not yet certified organic and you, you talk about the principles and how you want to grow. And there's really a lot of explanation about what makes your farm different. How do you get that message to the consumer? How are you able to connect with the consumer and let them understand why your sweet corn is different -- why your strawberries are different? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (18:08): Well, I'm going to pull this up here because there is very specific ways we talk about this. Okay. We've got a little blurb as it were. So this is what we say. And obviously, because we sell on Market Wagon too, so we use that little blurb on there, "We love growing nutrient dense, safe food for you and your family. It's important to us that we eat what we grow. So that means we grow our food without harmful pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides to make sure our fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and transplants are as good as they can be. We use compost, rock dusts, and prebiotics to fuel the soil, encourage beneficial insects, bees, and earthworm habitat and work with nature to produce the best food possible." So, you know, that's the longer version that we put everywhere. Obviously when people ask, they say, are you organic? And we'll be like, "well, we're in transition to organic. And we use beyond organic methods." That's the quick, dirty version. When, you know, someone's asking me, you know, face to face. And then obviously if they're on the farm, I can just point. And because we're such a small farm, I say, well, there's our compost piles. And here's where our beneficial insects hang out. And, you know, here's where our mushrooms are and the mushroom blocks fuel the compost, which then goes into the field. So that's kind of what we can do. And that's the fun aspect of giving people farm tours -- is to be able to walk them through the different areas of -- and show them -- the sustainability and how we're basically producing a superior product. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (19:30): Speaking of Market Wagon. And, you know, obviously I live in a digital world. That's, that's kind of what we have staked everything on. And have you found that has been possible to create that same kind of relationship online, your consumers that maybe haven't been to the farm still have a relationship with you and understand what you're doing differently? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (19:49): Yeah, it is a little more challenging because we can't, and it's really interesting because the market wagon folks, which, because the, your guys are getting is like a 14 counties you guys cover, which is a huge geographical area, is those people don't really want to come out to the farm. We've tried to lure them because we want to get some of the customer ratings for, we want to say, we get them out, then they can do a review of us so that you guys had that new thing, which is super cool, but we've actually had a hard time getting people to do that because they just don't want to come out to the farm. So what we do encourage is we try to push them to our Facebook page because that's how I really communicate. Obviously I do a lot of talking with my other businesses. I'm really comfortable on camera. So I do a lot of live videos on the farm, walking around, showing what's going on, talking about how we're doing it. And so that's where we really push people to, because I can get them there. We do it live so they can comment below and they can, they've asked a question. I can answer it right then and there. So that's kind of what we've done. And then obviously, you know what, they it on our email list too. We can send out emails and stuff through that as well. But Facebook, Instagram, I think is the strongest aspect. And again, I'm not a, I don't love social media just because of all the inherent challenges with it, but it is really one of the best ways for us to reach our people if they don't want to come out to the farm. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (21:09): That's great. So speaking of your, you said you mentioned your other businesses you have done a lot to train, educate, and help other farmers to succeed. What, what piece of advice would you have for any new first-time farmers who want to get into the business? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (21:25): Yeah, I think you don't dive, don't go out and spend $20,000 or hundreds of thousands of dollars and buy a farm and buy equipment and just start. If you are interested, pay down your debt. So I don't know to say, to get debt free, but having low outgoing is always going to be way, way, way more advantageous than, you know, just assign the dive in. You know, it's really sad. I've been watching a farmer out -- I forget where he is. He's a north of us, a couple of states north of us. But you know, he basically had limited success one year on his home property, decided to quit his job, start a very large farm operation. He had some weather challenges, but there was one line in his -- one line that he kind of put out there and is like, "we expected the farm to pay our expenses this year," -- in his first year of farming. I mean, like we're not even taking a salary from our farm. I mean, you know, we understand what it's like to build that first year aspect. So what I would say, get those outgoings down as low as possible, get a couple years on another farm -- go work for somebody, make some mistakes on their dollar, not yours. And then start small. Okay. Start really small -- quarter-acre, half-acre, And make sure, you know, what you want to do. Like if you work at a dairy farm for two years, you know that your apprenticeship you're going to probably do a much better job with the dairy than just saying, well, I'm going to do vegetables if you want. Yeah. So make sure you're stay in that lane and then just run your numbers, always be running your numbers. You know, we obviously, our pricing -- let's go back to Market Wagon, our pricing on Market Wagon. You guys obviously need a percentage because the whole platform you have to run and all the expenses you guys have. But we, so we don't actually mark up that percentage, the product, we mark up a fraction, a fraction of that, because we also know that we're not having them market that ourselves. So we have this, this formula we kind of use and that we know like, are there, you know and where we can play with that as well. So again, if you know your numbers, you can be incredibly competitive in the marketplace and know what's your competitive advantage. There's certain crops we know we can drop down low to pull new customers in. We know there's other crops we can't do that with. It's, you know, we just kind of have to stick with what we've got and it's just basically a service we're offering for those few customers that want that specific product. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (23:45): Great. So it's basically, you have to be as good at running a business as you do at growing vegetables. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (23:51): Oh, absolutely. You've got to be, as my mentor said, you've got to be, "first, you've got to be a marketer, then a business person, and finally a farmer." Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (24:01): Yeah. We're just barely ahead of you on our own farm. We're in our third season and this'll be the first year that we've taken a salary. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (24:07): Oh, wow. Well, that's good. Yeah. The year three is going to be taking a salary. Usually we see it between year three and year five. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (24:14): Yeah. It's not a big one, but it's a salary. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (24:17): That's good. Yes. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (24:18): Yeah. Well, I really, this has been a fun conversation and I appreciate you giving us the time. I want to know. In addition to finding you on Market Wagon, which our listeners can connect with you there, where else can listeners connect with you and learn more about the enterprises that you have going? Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (24:37): Yeah. So, ThrivingFarmerPodcast.com. We have over 150 episodes now. Wide range of things -- GrowingFarmers.com. And then if you really just want to get like, inside my life and find out, you know, how busy I am, I'm now, you know, we have two businesses with employees. I'm now a councilman in our little city here of Carlisle, and I have three kids. Follow me on Facebook. I tend to put most of my content out there. So I know that that's not how you're supposed to do it, but yeah, if you really want to kind of follow the craziness that happens here, check that out. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (25:14): All right, I'm going to be following you right now, Michael, if I haven't already. Michael Kilpatrick has been my guest today on More Than A Mile. And it's been a pleasure talking with you about farming, Michael. Michael Kilpatrick (Thriving Farmer) (25:25): All right. Thanks so much for having me. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (25:26): Thanks for being here. Nick Carter (Market Wagon) (25:33): Thanks for listening to this episode of More Than A Mile. Be sure to sign up for Market Wagon at marketwagon.com or after downloading the Market Wagon app for iOS or Android. Follow us @MarketWagon on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook for stories, recipes, special announcements, news, and just digital handshakes from our friendly farming community. If you enjoyed More Than A Mile, please rate the podcast and write a review on iTunes, Castbox, Podchaser or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Thank you for continuing to support local food.  

Michael discusses how he faced off with the many challenges presented to him within his local government to ensure a positive change for the future and farming.   You'll hear: Why many farmers feel like the government is not our friend 2:17 About the many regulations placed on small farms 4:04 Why we don't trust the government with the task of preserving the best interests of our farm, human health, and the environment at large 4:46 Why the government can't be as efficient as private industry 8:44 What you can do to make things more efficient for your farm and your elected officials 11:34About the Guest:Michael Kilpatrick is the owner of Growing Farmers/In the Field Media, LLC and a farmer (The Farm on Central), educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He's the host of the top rated Thriving Farmer Podcast as well as the Thriving Farmer Summit series, which has been viewed by over a quarter million farmers. He's managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can build a profitable farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in the Small Farm University, his company's educational platform and community for thriving farmers.   Resources: Websites - https://www.growingfarmers.com/, https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/, https://www.farmoncentral.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael, https://www.facebook.com/farmoncentral Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/, https://www.instagram.com/farmoncentral/ 

Jeffrey Smith joins Michael Kilpatrick on the Thriving Farmer podcast to discuss why adopting an organic diet is the critical first step in sustaining your health. Do you take inventory of your food intake and how it impacts your body? Jeffrey Smith is an American consumer activist, self-published author, and former politician. Jeffrey is the author of two books on genetically engineered foods, Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating, and Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives, which he made into a film in 2012. He focuses on advocating against GMOs and pesticides, exposing the dangers they bring to humanity. This info-packed episode details how proper health and nutrition sustains life and the modern day trends that create disease, as well as potential cataclysmic disasters we may face due to genetically engineered microbes. In This Episode: Why organic is so important in today's ecosystem About the Protect Nature Now campaign About the disaster surrounding golden rice Some recent studies regarding the effects of GMOs on our health What the average person can do to avoid the dangerous pitfalls of modern food production and live healthy The Institute for Responsible Technology is working to protect you & the World from GMOs (and while we're at it, Roundup®...)  To find out exactly how we do this and to subscribe to our newsletter visit https://www.responsibletechnology.org/ Join us at Protect Nature Now to Safeguarding Biological Evolution from GMOs 2.0. The place to get critical up to date information, watch our short film and most importantly, learn easy ways for you to take action against this existential threat. Visit: https://protectnaturenow.com/ Watch "Don't Let the Gene Out of the Bottle" Get the book: "Seeds of Deception" Sign the Petition https://protectnaturenow.com/signthepetition/ IG @irtnogmos Facebook @responsibletechnology YouTube @TheInstituteforResponsibleTechinology Twitter @TheInstituteforResponsibleTechnology  

The farm is hot but your workforce is dwindling. What now?  On today's episode, I'll be taking this time to talk to you all about labor. Currently there are lots of folks in the industry struggling with it! Summer crops are coming in, Fall crops are being planted, but labor might be waning due to a variety of factors. In the episode, I'll be discussing why you need reliable help to fall back on, how you can maximize your production and profits with labor, what you can do to secure the labor force you need and maximize their presence on your farm, and more. Learn a bit about how I hire and maintain a productive team on the farm year round!   You'll hear:  Reasons why you need labor 1:50 What to do if you can't secure the labor you need and how you can maximize your time and effort on the farm 10:54 Some effective ways to approach hiring 19:42 What kinds of questions are on our employment application 26:12 What we offer our employees 31:12 How to utilize H2A for productivity and profit 33:43 Resources:Websites - https://www.growingfarmers.com/, https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/   Harvest Hosts Resources:If interested in being a host, please be sure to mention ​​Thriving Farmer Podcast on your application! We are Harvest Hosts, a platform that connects over 180,000 RVers to local businesses and attractions. Based on our recent survey, Harvest Hosts members spend an average of $50 per night at each Host Location they visit; well-established Hosts are reporting an average of $13,000 in additional annual revenue. Our model is a cost-free opportunity for hosts to share their offerings with our members by opening up space for an overnight stay. We simply tell our members about you and they schedule their visit in advance. In exchange for the overnight stay, Harvest Host members are encouraged to make a purchase of at least $20 at each host location they visit. We hope to see you as a new host location of ours soon. ​If you have additional questions, please contact our Account Executive, JD at jd@harvesthosts.comHarvest Hosts Facebook  Harvest Hosts Instagram  Become a Host Information ​Don't believe us? Hear more from a host!

This episode is made in partnership with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions.  Municipalities across the U.S. experience any number of challenges when building infrastructure projects and energy solutions, but one of the biggest is building with future needs in mind. The issues of resilience and sustainability are front and center in this undertaking, and the guests on this episode are on the front lines of the fight. Join John Failla of Smart Energy Decisions as he hosts a conversation about resilience and sustainability, with his guests Ann Kloose, City of Fresno Manager of Sustainability; Whit Remer, City of Tampa Sustainability and Resilience Officer; and Michael Kilpatrick, Key Segment Manager for State and Local Governments at Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Ann's past experience and role in the City of Fresno [1:54] Whit's past experience and role with the City of Tampa [3:23] Michael's past experience and role with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions [5:16] How does resiliency play into an overall sustainability plan? [6:19] What is happening in municipalities across the U.S. [9:51] How infrastructure can be designed in adaptable and user-friendly ways [16:55] The biggest challenges in building future-ready projects [26:54] Unifying stakeholders around common goals [31:21] Specific projects happening in Fresno and Tampa [33:56] Trends being seen across the United States [40:49] How social equity figures into resiliency [43:33] How do Resiliency and Sustainability work together? In Whit Remer's view, resiliency is the top-line of any sustainability plan. It requires looking at the shocks and stressors that affect the community being served. He says the acronym, E.S.G. — the Environmental, Social, and Governance measurement of energy solutions — is a helpful way to remember what resiliency is all about. Sustainability comes into the picture when the Environmental area is considered. How can we take care of the water, land, and air in a community? A good resiliency plan should include sustainability initiatives to ensure that the provision of energy for the community is not damaging the area, and in fact, is helping to improve the community. There's a “Resiliency Movement” happening in municipalities across the U.S. Michael Kilpatrick has the opportunity to see and hear what a variety of communities across the U.S. are doing to increase both the resiliency and sustainability of their energy solutions. He says that in the past, the two were often not tied together. But things are changing now, due to the impacts of COVID and a growing realization that sustainability and resilience support each other. This new approach is benefiting communities across the nation. Community-wide, resiliency is simply defined as improving the quality of life across the entire population. As an example, the design of streets has an amazing impact on a community. Do they include protected bike lanes? Are they complete and well maintained? Are they aesthetically pleasing? Do they include walking trails or sidewalks as part of their design? These factors and many others create vibrant, connected neighborhoods that provide access to businesses, community features, and public services conveniently and easily. The biggest challenges when building future-ready projects It's impossible to predict the future, but municipalities have been attempting to wisely forecast future needs when planning infrastructure and improvements. But working to meet future needs doesn't happen without challenges. Communities around the nation are finding common roadblocks such as… Communicating effectively about budgetary and timeline needs for large scale projects such as solar arrays Many governments still operate in “siloed” ways, with each department competing with the others for budget, resources, etc., when the real need is for cooperation and coordination between departments to build resilience into every aspect of infrastructure and services. Smaller communities often experience a deficit when it comes to technical proficiency to move forward with resiliency projects. They have neither the budget nor the amenities to attract those with the expertise needed to move in a new direction. Finally, there is the need to address the root causes behind many issues resilience is trying to solve. A prime example is carbon emissions, where mitigation and new approaches need to be implemented on a wider scale. It's clear that there are many challenges facing cities around the world, but the dedication, cooperation, and expertise of individuals like Ann, Whit, and Michael are making a difference from which other cities can take notice.  Connect With Our Guests Ann Kloose, City of Fresno Manager of Sustainability Ann Kloose has over 25 years of combined government and utility industry experience and currently serves as the Sustainability Division Manager for the City of Fresno. She is committed to serving the citizens of Fresno and is responsible for guiding the City's energy efficiency programs, sustainability efforts, and energy policy issues. Ann's experience also includes City Council Chief of Staff, Utility Outreach Manager, State Communications Coordinator for the Concord Coalition, and Sr Government Relations at PG&E. She also serves as a Board member on the Fresno Fire Chief's Foundation, Board Secretary of Jazz Fresno, and is an instructor and Board member at the San Joaquin Valley Political Academy. Ann graduated from Fresno State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.  Connect with Ann on LinkedIn Whit Remer, City of Tampa Sustainability and Resilience Officer As the City of Tampa's first Sustainability & Resilience Officer, Whit is advancing Mayor Jane Castor's commitment to 100% renewable energy and building a more resilient and equitable city. In partnership with international resilience experts and community partners, Whit led the creation of the Resilient Tampa roadmap - an extensive process identifying Tampa's shocks, stresses, and resilience opportunities in coordination with frontline communities. Prior to joining the City of Tampa, Whit was Counsel and Director of Public Policy for the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), an insurance-backed research organization focused on building safety and community resilience. Whit also held roles for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as a lobbyist and lead author of the American Infrastructure Report Card. Following the 2010 BP oil spill, Whit worked for Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in Washington, D.C. Whit holds a law degree from Loyola University of New Orleans, a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of New Orleans, and a bachelor's degree in geography and political science from Florida State University. Whit is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), an ENVISON Sustainability Professional, and Courtesy Faculty for the Patel College of Global Sustainability at the University of South Florida. Connect with Whit on LinkedIn Michael Kilpatrick, Key Segment Manager for State and Local Governments at Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions In his role at Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, Michael is focused on helping State Governments, Cities, Towns, and Villages solve complex energy problems by delivering the solutions that meet their needs. His focus areas include public transit, airports, seaports, water/wastewater, municipal electrics, and smart-city technologies. Michael began his career in energy as an Energy Trader which led him to Duke Energy. During his time at Duke Energy he has also held roles in Natural Gas Transportation, Products and Services Management, and Business Development focused on Distributed Generation. Michael has a strong understanding of organized energy markets, public policy, and renewable energy which he leverages to help Municipalities pursue their sustainability goals. Michael is a graduate of North Carolina State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management with a concentration in Finance and Accounting.  Connect with Michael on LinkedIn Connect with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions https://sustainablesolutions.duke-energy.com/ Follow DESS on LinkedIn Follow DESS on Youtube Connect With Smart Energy Decisions https://www.smartenergydecisions.com/ Follow them on Facebook Follow them on Twitter Follow them on LinkedIn Subscribe to Beyond The Meter onApple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Who is Michael Kilpatrick? Michael Kilpatrick is the owner of Growing Farmers/In the Field Media, LLC and a farmer (The Farm on Central), educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He's the host of the top-rated Thriving Farmer Podcast as well as the Thriving Farmer Summit series, which has been viewed by over a quarter-million farmers. He's managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can build a profitable farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in the Small Farm University, his company's educational platform and community for thriving farmers. Website & Social Media Links: www.growingfarmers.com www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/ https://www.youtube.com/growingfarmers https://www.farmoncentral.com https://www.facebook.com/farmoncentral https://www.instagram.com/farmoncentral/   Dig Deeper Club: https://soillearningcenter.com/digdeeper See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you newly interested in pursuing an agricultural profession? Do you have countless questions for which you could really use some answers? Today I’ll be taking a break from the traditional interview style podcast to answer a few questions I received from someone who’s interested in getting into the farming life. I take a comprehensive dive into the fundamentals of what it takes (as well as what you’ll have to put up with) to have a thriving career in agriculture. If you’ve found that agriculture may be your passion, I’m here to help!     You’ll hear answers to the following questions: What training does a career in agriculture require? 1:34 Am I in a particular branch of agriculture, and what training did it require? 3:19 What natural interests/abilities do you need to pursue a career in agriculture? 6:30 Are there good jobs out there for people who chose agriculture? 8:39 How do I rate overall opportunity for advancement in agriculture? 14:48 What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a career in agriculture? 17:11 What’s my advice for courses of study for agriculture? 19:08 What are the major problems faced today in agriculture? 20:52 Why did I choose agriculture? 24:10 Resources:Thriving Farmer Podcast - https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/ Growing Framers website - https://growingfarmers.com/ Small Farm University - https://growingfarmers.com/enrollsfu Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael, Your Successful Farm Business Discussion Group Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk6g2uuITj9pu0JAfsqvG0w Steward Resources: Steward is transforming agriculture by equipping regenerative farms with the capital they need to grow. As a financial partner, we offer private commercial loans and the expert support services that sustainable farmers, ranchers, fishers, and producers need to expand and sustain their businesses. Through Steward’s user-friendly online platform, responsible lenders are able to join us in fueling this growth and participate directly in these loans, deepening their connection to agriculture while providing critical funds needed by farmers. Certified B Corporation. Get started at gosteward.com Website: gosteward.com Online Loan Application: https://lets.gosteward.com/farm-loan Newsletter: https://lets.gosteward.com/join-our-community

This week we welcome farmer and educator Michael Kilpatrick as our Tent Talk guest! After blowing us away with his jam-packed presentation at InTents: the Farmers Market Conference 2021, we had to have him on the show to hear more about his farm education projects Growing Farmers, Small Farm University and the Thriving Farmers podcast and online forum! With years of experience under his belt as an educator and consultant as well as farmer selling at farmers markets, and a stint as a market manager, Michael has tons helpful info to share! Tune in to hear us chat about how to increase your production and make a comfortable living selling at the farmers market. This week's episode is made possible by support from American Farmland Trust.

Helping others navigate the challenges of starting a new farm. In This Podcast: Farming is often perceived as a career that requires long hours, little leisure and profit. However, Michael Kilpatrick spends every day working towards his vision working with farmers to create sustainable farming systems that generate profit and provide the ability to enjoy life. Listen in to learn about his ideas on how to build a profitable farm, the most important aspects of farming, as well as sound advice for someone who is looking to start a new farm.    Don't miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/podcast Michael is a farmer, presenter, host, inventor and online entrepreneur who lives to help farmers apply business principles and practical, proven solutions to grow their businesses and de-stress their lives. He has managed large certified organic farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts, and spoken at dozens of industry conferences. He is the host of the Thriving Farmer Podcast and Summit series, Visionary and educator at Growing Farmers, and farmer at The Farm on Central. Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/farmoncentral for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library! Michael Kilpatrick on Starting a New Farm.

Have you ever considered the thought that mushrooms may have a bit more to offer than just unsightly, unsettling, unwanted growths on your farm? On this special episode, we’re discussing our upcoming Mushroom Summit. While you might think mushrooms are just weird fungus that have no place on your farm, well, I would passionately disagree! The mycological kingdom holds an integral place in our health, on our tables, and so much more. We have some amazing experts to share with the world, who will surely convince you to consider adding mushrooms to your farming operation. This 3-day Summit is 100% free to attend. You have nothing to lose and ever so much to gain, so if you can make it, you owe it to yourself to do just that!   You’ll hear: What mushrooms do for humanity 2:37 About the Mushroom Summit is and its structure 3:40 Who’ll be speaking on day 1 at the Mushroom Summit, what they do, and what you can learn from them 6:03 Who’ll be speaking on day 2 at the Mushroom Summit, what they do, and what you can learn from them 12:06 Who’ll be speaking on day 3  at the Mushroom Summit, what they do, and what you can learn from them 25:02 Why you should attend the Growing Farmers Mushroom Summit! 34:52 About Growing Farmers and the Mushroom Summit: Growing Farmers is led by Michael Kilpatrick, a farmer, educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He is the host of the top rated Thriving Farmer Podcast and Thriving Farmer Summit series which has been viewed by over 50,000 farmers. He has managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in the Small Farm University, our community for thriving farmers.Join the largest virtual Mushroom Conference in the world. You will discover how fungi impact virtually every aspect of our lives, learn how to grow mushrooms of all types, and explore how to start a fungi focused business! In this FREE Online Conference you'll discover: How fungi impact virtually every aspect of our lives, and are needed now more than ever How you can grow your own nutrient-rich mushrooms on your countertop in just a few days How to start your very own mushroom business in a spare room, garage, or even your basement! Resources:Sign up for our FREE Mushroom Summit:  https://www.farmsummits.com/mushroom See my daughter, Charlotte, talk about growing mushroom when she was 4 years old HERE!

It’s Winter. You run a farm. How do you most efficiently extend your growing season? Winter farming has historically proposed many challenges. Oftentimes, Winter has meant it’s time to “hunker down and weather the storm” until more bountiful climates return. However, it doesn’t have to be a time to run, hide, and hope for the best. Many farmers have adopted practices that allow them to thrive year-round. You, too, can adopt a model for your farm that prolongs your season of prosperity, every single year!  In this special solocast, Michael Kilpatrick discusses proven techniques, systems, and structures conducive to bountiful Winters, which he’s learned and honed through experience, so you don’t have to! If you’re looking to expand your farm’s annual cycle, stick around as he talks all about climate versatility for farms!   You’ll hear: About structures which assist a bountiful winter season 3:59 How you can properly manage snow 7:17 When you should do your planting and how you can keep track of it all 9:22 How to go about crop steering 12:18 How to ensure you have the best soil for the season 16:05 How to manage weeds during this process 19:19 How to optimally utilize space 24:05 How to maintain your crops 32:46 How to manage pests 35:58 How to go about watering in your tunnels 44:27 What you should be observing as far as growth rates 48:43   About Michael Kilpatrick:Growing Farmers is led by Michael Kilpatrick, a farmer, educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He is the host of the top rated Thriving Farmer Podcast and the Thriving Farmer Summit series which has been viewed by over 50,000 farmers. He has managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in the Small Farm University, our community for thriving farmers. Resources: Ebook - https://growingfarmers.com/wintergrowingebook Website - https://growingfarmers.com/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael, https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourfarmbusiness/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/, https://www.instagram.com/farmoncentral/

The last embers of the season. The final wander through the woods. The chill not yet hitting the air. That’s when you know it’s time… Grab your seat by the fire Spooksters, it's time to get warmed up for Season V! We proudly present, “Campfire Tales VII.”  STORIES Kapu If the sign at the mouth of the cave says “kapu,” forbidden, you better take heed. Don’t go searching for trouble. Thank you, Joe, for sharing your story with Spooked! Produced by Greta Weber and Annie Nguyen, original score by Lauryn Newson Route 666 Michael Kilpatrick is coming home from the venue, celebrating a great show. He’s taking a familiar road. But tonight, the conditions are bad: hard wind, rain, and… frogs? Thanks, Michael, for sharing your story with us! Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Leon Morimoto Widow’s Walk Howling wind. Swirling fog. What lurks in the mist? To whom is the wind calling? Thank you, Bubba, for sharing your terrifying tale with us. Produced by Greta Weber & Gaylen Koch, original score by Clay Xavier Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 5 of Spooked drops 8/21/20 & will have 22 brand new episodes, each released weekly on Mondays & Fridays. Select episodes will be available across streaming platforms, but you can find ALL the new episodes only on Luminary. Visit LuminaryPodcasts.com to start listening!

What is The Looney Farm and what is their unique approach to the business? Carrie Chlebanowski of The Looney Farm (a Certified Naturally Grown farm), joins us today to tell us all about her and her husband Joe’s farming operation. Located in central Oklahoma near Oklahoma City, The Looney Farm started their little homestead in February of 2015 learning to raise and grow as much of their own food as possible. After closely studying market garden legends, they transitioned their homestead into a very small, but functional market garden farm. Spring of 2019 brought a 4x expansion in their farming operations, and they are now growing a wide variety of premium produce for the greater Oklahoma City metro area. As you all know, every farming operation is different, and The Looney Farm is certainly no exception. Join us today to hear all about Carrie’s unique approach to the farm biz!   You’ll hear: What’s currently going on at The Looney Farm 1:33 How much farmland The Looney Farm is working with and what kind of crops they are growing 2:24 Why Carrie decided to become a farmer 3:27 What the typical day looks like on The Looney Farm 5:41 Some strategies Carrie uses for handling the heat 7:57 How Carrie handles task management 9:21 The hardest thing Carrie has done as a farmer 12:15 How The Looney Farm communicates with their customers 14:01 About the various investments Carrie and Joe made before starting The Looney Farm 15:19 Who Carrie’s mentors in farming are 19:45 What systems Carrie would put in place sooner if she could go back in time 21:18 About Carrie’s team 23:48 What Carrie’s children’s roles are on the farm 27:10 About The Looney Farm’s key marketing tactics 29:28 The biggest mistake Carrie sees newer farmers making 35:11 How Carrie achieved the right mentality to start a farm 37:27 Carrie’s favorite farming tool 39:52 Where you can find out more about Carrie and The Looney Farm 45:03   About the Guest:Carrie is a 44 year-old reformed suburbanite who moved with her family to their 10 acre farm in February 2015. In previous lives she owned an on-location portrait business and worked in special education. Initially set up as a homestead, her family dabbled in pastured pork and poultry before diving in full gusto to market gardening in 2018. In an effort to gain the knowledge of growing vegetables and building a new ag business, she invested in intensive trainings and workshops with internationally recognized market farmers such as JM Fortier, Michael Kilpatrick, and Ray Tyler. Since then, she has made it her goal to grow the best quality, most nutrient dense vegetables possible, and in that effort The Looney Farm became the first Certified Naturally Grown farm in the OKC metro in early 2019. She hopes to learn more regenerative practices to incorporate into their model of growing in the coming seasons. Building healthy soil is one of the top priorities. Carrie and her husband Joe look forward to working together full-time soon, and find even more avenues to serve the OKC metropolitan communities through the farm. The Looney Farm currently sells at the two OKC farmers markets, a Buyers club style CSA, and through a locally sourced grocery store.   Resources:Website - www.thelooneyfarm.com Facebook - https://facebook.com/thelooneyfarm Instagram - https://instagram.com/the_looney_farm

The most infectious, catastrophic, and potentially, most deadly pandemic of recent history is upon us. Quarantines and strict precautionary practices are quickly blindsiding people and businesses around the world…far from least of which are farmers. With cascading closings of restaurants, farmers markets, bars/breweries, etc, the source of a farmers’ struggle is no mystery. However, between the myriad of challenges, there is opportunity not only to prosper, but to substantially alleviate real burdens and boost your community during these hard times with healthy, immune system-supporting food. The time is now. You CAN make a lasting difference in people’s lives!  In this special episode, I’ll discuss what to do, what not to do, and how you can continue to thrive during this pandemic. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay prosperous! We’re rooting for you! Also, be sure to check out www.growingfarmers.com/tips for rigorously updated tips, pointers, and examples of how farmers are continuing to thrive amidst the chaos.    You’ll hear: What’s going on out there?! 3:08 How to leverage the situation in your farming business 5:49 How you can move forward and thrive in the short term 7:23

Today's guest is Michael Kilpatrick, host of the Thriving Farmer Podcast. Michael shares his tips for how to make the most out of a farming conference and leverage the networking opportunities at these events.

Michael Kilpatrick is a successful agricultural entrepreneur, host of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, and Creator of the Facebook group “Farming CBD Hemp Commercially”. Joaquin talks one on one with Michael about what he’s experienced leading the group, what he’s seen, and what’s coming up. Join the Facebook group or jump onto the website www.CBDHEMPTALK.com for access to his FREE LIVE CBD Hemp Master Series featuring multiple successful professionals in the hemp industry. www.CBDHEMPTALK.com find the group on Facebook at “Farming CBD Hemp Commercially”

Michael has been behind the scenes of more than a dozen launches from just a couple dozen students all the way up to multiple 7 figures.As a systems driven entrepreneur, he loves breaking things down into bite size pieces to make them easy to understand.His passion is seeing people thrive through implementing systems and checklists that give you freedom!Want to connect with Michael Kilpatrick?Website: https://www.michaelkilpatrick.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourfarmerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekilpatrickfam/--Want a simple step-by-step process to plan and execute your launch? Download "Your 90 Day Launch Plan Essentials" - https://kenwestgaard.com/90-day-launch-plan"The 90 Launch Plan Essentials is really fantastic! I will be using this again and again! The launch process can often seem really hectic and crazy, but Ken breaks it down into simple and easy manageable steps with goals and deadlines so you can get your desired results. I highly recommend Ken and his program!" - Nick BonitatibusIf you enjoy this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me @kenwestgaard. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast receive notifications of new episodes.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to https://kenwestgaard.com/podcast, and thanks for your support of this show!Support the show (http://paypal.me/kenwestgaard)

Micheal Kilpatrick is a bushcraftsman and an instructor for NC Lighthouse Pathfinder Youth Organization. Micheal drops in to discuss basic wilderness survival skills and more. It is amazing what you can do with duct tape! To learn more go to FB and search NC Lighthouse Pathfinder Youth Organization 

Michael Kilpatrick from LaunchCon describes his journey from farmer to online entrepreneur and how he and his wife help countless farmers develop a successful business model and shares some helpful tips for those wanting to start their own business --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/trevorwgoodchildinc/support

In 2017, after running a business farming organic vegetables on a large scale, Michael Kilpatrick came to a realization: there’s a massive need for great education in the farming industry. Many aspiring farmers know how to grow vegetables, but few understand how to market or sell their products, build businesses, hire teams, and manage people. He founded In The Field Consultants to help independent, organic farmers succeed in the United States, where the agriculture industry is far more supportive of massive monocrop farms. After realizing that he was providing the same resources and tools to so many of his clients, he launched a membership program. He currently serves about 170 farmers internationally, many of whom have doubled their year-to-year revenue without spending more hours on their farms. His membership service allows him to bring in a recurring revenue stream while providing greater value to his clients — and allowing him more time with his young family. Today, Michael joins the podcast to talk about the unique challenges that so many independent farmers face, how he leveraged his unique combination of skills to launch his membership service, and how he scaled in the era of Blue Apron and Amazon Fresh.   Get Access to the Full Show Notes! To get access to the full story and to all the resources mentioned during today's episode, visit TribeHub.com/02

Balancing running a business with life and family is challenging no matter what industry you’re in. So, what lessons can you take from organic farming that will help you run your business more efficiently? Quite a lot, it turns out. For farmer and entrepreneur Michael Kilpatrick, building systems and planning into every aspect of his business (when to scale, who to hire, etc.) has helped him create more freedom in his life and even take the occasional vacation. If you’re looking to build more freedom into your life, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Support the show (http://buildingabusinessthatlasts.com)

I'm not gonna lie, if there is one thing I love it's shining a spotlight on tenacious (and creative) entrepreneurs who never give up no matter how hard the journey may get. I mean, let's keep it real: This world of entrepreneurship can be challenging (to say the least) and I always find it encouraging and inspiring to hear how other entrepreneurs have persevered through the ups and downs. And today is no exception. Because in this episode we're bringing our homie (and fellow Screw U member), Michael Kilpatrick onto the show to talk about how he transitioned his sustainable farming business into a lucrative online brand. Wanna know what his journey has looked like and what he's learned along the way? Scroll on up and hit play!

Michael Kilpatrick joins me to talk about some of the issues that he sees on farms that struggle with post harvest processing and how most farms can improve that part of the process.  He will also touch on the role that new food safety regulations will play on vegetable farms and how famers can start preparing for that. View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, Farm Smart episodes. Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter.

Michael Kilpatrick joins me to talk about some of the issues that he sees on farms that struggle with post harvest processing and how most farms can improve that part of the process.  He will also touch on the role that new food safety regulations will play on vegetable farms and how famers can start preparing for that. View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, Farm Smart episodes. Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter.

Michael is a farmer, presenter, inventor and blogger who lives to help farmers apply business principles and practical, proven solutions to grow their businesses and simplify their lives. He has managed large certified organic farms and businesses, consulted with industry experts, and spoken at dozens of conferences.

Farmer and consultant Michael Kilpatrick joins me to talk about improving farm productivity and profitability through better processes. View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, Farm Smart episodes. Learn how to start a microgreens business in Chris Thoreau's Build Your Microgreen Business Workshop. Keep learning with these two great audiobooks: The Market Gardener by JM Fortier The Urban Farmer by Curtis Stone  Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter.

Farmer and consultant Michael Kilpatrick joins me to talk about improving farm productivity and profitability through better processes. View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, Farm Smart episodes. Learn how to start a microgreens business in Chris Thoreau's Build Your Microgreen Business Workshop. Keep learning with these two great audiobooks: The Market Gardener by JM Fortier The Urban Farmer by Curtis Stone  Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter.