Episodes
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In this episode, host Diego talks to farmer Alec as he reflects on his first year running Crop Culture Farm, with emphasis on dedicating ample time for farm buildout and infrastructure before diving into full-scale production. They also talk about the value of experimentation, staying true to oneself, and not taking things too seriously when entrepreneurial challenges arise—running a business is hard enough, so give yourself some room to laugh and be flexible so you can get back up again.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Gro
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In this episode, farmer Jodi and host Diego talk about greenhouse efficiency. Farmer Jodi shares his transition from growing in the field to growing in a greenhouse, the benefits of growing in a greenhouse, how he maximizes space, the thought process behind choosing which crops to grow, and irrigation and trellising, to name a few. Hopefully, these tips and tricks help as many farmers gear up for spring! Learn more about farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck: https://www.roebuckfarm.com/ @roebuckfarm
Kwik Hoops are eligible for NRCS low-tunnel grants. Protect your valuable crop from rain, wind, cold, and insects using Kwik Hoops and InsectaNet.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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Missing episodes?
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In this episode, host Diego and farmer Alec talk about the mental struggles, challenges, and hardships of running a business. While making a living from a business can be both fulfilling and exhilarating, it can also get all-consuming and mentally exhausting, especially when financial uncertainty comes into play. Diego and Alec also talk about some practical strategies for handling anxiety and maintaining well-being, as well as the importance of having a support system in keeping mental calm.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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Tony Barlow of Barlow Roots Market returns to the show to look back on their 10-year market gardening journey. He shares the practical financial mindset with which he ran Barlow Roots, as well as how they manage their finances both inside and outside the business.
Sign up to Tony's newsletter here!
Click here to learn more about Barlow Roots Market!
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 PodcastCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
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In this episode, host Diego talks to farmer Alec about his reflections on the first year of his journey in entrepreneurship as a new farmer. He shares the challenges and successes he faced while balancing production, sales, and his personal life. He also talks about the key things he's discovered that makes a farm business sustainable: collaboration, adaptability, and steady progress.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, farmer Jodi and host Diego talk about running a farm business during a national economic downturn while navigating the impact and aftereffects of a cyclone on his farm. Jodi shares the strategies he employed to adapt to the changing market including choosing to grow high-value crops, cutting back on production, and exploring new opportunities. Learn more about farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck: https://www.roebuckfarm.com/ @roebuckfarm
Kwik Hoops are eligible for NRCS low-tunnel grants. Protect your valuable crop from rain, wind, cold, and insects using Kwik Hoops and InsectaNet.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, host Diego and farmer Alec welcome guest farmer Jim Marsh of Mile View Acres in Oklahoma to talk about how his first full year of farming is going. Alec and Jim, two first-year farmers talk shop and share insights and challenges as they face the reality of running a market farm in their first year.
Learn more about Mile View Acres here.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, farmer Jodi and host Diego talk about going through a difficult year as a farmer as an economic recession hits New Zealand. Farmer Jodi shares how he adapted through financial prudence and innovation, and how their greenhouse helped getting through tough times. It's easy to run a farm business when the wind is in your sails, but how do you manage when conditions are less-than-perfect? Learn more about farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck: https://www.roebuckfarm.com/ @roebuckfarm
Kwik Hoops are eligible for NRCS low-tunnel grants. Protect your valuable crop from rain, wind, cold, and insects using Kwik Hoops and InsectaNet.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, host Diego and farmer Alec list out the 7 biggest challenges that all farmers face: they hit hard at the start of any farm business and pop up throughout the rest of any farmer's career. Find out what they are in this episode of Farm Startup with Farmer Alec Smith!
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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Jay Tracy of CucumberShop.com shares his interesting journey of starting a hobby, which later turned into a business of breeding and selecting the best of over 70 different varieties of cucumbers and selling cucumber seeds online.
Click here to learn more about Jay Tracy and Cucumber Shop!
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, farmer Jodi and host Diego dive into the realities of farming—particularly, the resilience required to run a farm in the face of extreme weather conditions. Farmer Jodi shares their experience with cyclone Gabrielle and how mindset, support from the community, and innovative farming techniques allowed them to bounce back from severe natural disasters. Learn more about farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck: https://www.roebuckfarm.com/ @roebuckfarm
Kwik Hoops are eligible for NRCS low-tunnel grants. Protect your valuable crop from rain, wind, cold, and insects using Kwik Hoops and InsectaNet.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, host Diego and farmer Alec welcome a special guest from across the sea, Rob Moores of Passion4Plants in West Yorkshire, England. An experienced farmer and entrepreneur, Rob shares a farmer-to-farmer conversation with Alec about the work that it takes to build a sustainable business for long-term success in agriculture. He shares what life looks like in the beginning and what life can look like after putting in the work.
Click here to learn more about farmer Rob and Passion4Plants.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, host Diego and farmer Alec take a close look at farmer Alec's current farmer's market: is it a good market worth staying at? Is it a good enough market to stay in but the farm will need additional revenue streams to tack onto? Or is it a bad market that needs to be moved on from? Farmer Alec also thinks about whether or not staying part-time is a prudent choice, as well as delving into potential expansion with production and possibly including restaurant sales.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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This new season of The Profitable Mini-Farm kicks off with farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck joining host Diego to talk about the challenges and techniques of managing excess water on the farm. They also dive deep into cover cropping: what do you do to your production beds when the farm slows down? Farmer Jodi shares his cover cropping strategies: which crops he uses, seeding rates, termination techniques, and Jang tips to accomplish everything. Learn more about Jodi: https://www.roebuckfarm.com/ @roebuckfarm
Kwik Hoops are eligible for NRCS low-tunnel grants. Protect your valuable crop from rain, wind, cold, and insects using Kwik Hoops and InsectaNet.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, host Diego and farmer Alec talk about farming in the peak season: summer. They dive into the challenges that come with being a solo farmer surviving the summer season by balancing production, ensuring having enough crops to sell, expanding the product variety, and potentially tapping into additional market streams to include restaurants.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, Diego and Alec talk all about tools. If you plan on starting a farm, you're probably thinking about a mountain of tools you think you need to get started, but waiting to buy every single one might be setting you back a while. Farmer Alec shares the few tools he used to get his farm up and running on a shoestring budget. Lastly, Diego and Alec touch a bit on fertility and how getting your soil fertility down can help boost production.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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In this episode, farmer Alec and host Diego are joined by a special guest: veteran market gardener Cassie Pierce of Peace of Prairie Organic Farm in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Cassie shares some of her insights on Alec's farming journey and her thoughts on some of the misconceptions she hears being passed on to younger farmers. She then unpacks the disconnect between her experience as a market gardener and the pseudo-myths she hears about small-scale farming such as the need for a high-end market, and that only growing a few select crops is the key to profitability.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
Click here to learn more about farmer Cassie and Peace of Prairie Organic Farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 SoilCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99
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Farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck of Roebuck Farms in Taranaki, New Zealand jumps on the show to discuss how they grow microgreens as part of their market garden operation. Farmer Jodi shares some interesting ways they leverage microgreens as a way to expand their product offerings, such as enhancing existing salad mixes and picking up the slack by filling in production gaps when field crops are having issues.
Learn more about Farmer Jodi and Roebuck Farm on Instagram and their website.
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 SoilCheck out Diego's book Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Chris's online course Growing Your Profitable Microgreens Business https://microgreens.teachable.com/courses
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Watch and listen to more on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InSearchofSoil
Exploring the Fascinating World of Fungi with Dr. Elizabeth Koziol:
From Dumb Luck to Mycorrhizal Wisdom Elizabeth is a mycologist whose accidental journey into the world of fungi turned into a lifelong passion. She shares her experiences from her career working with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, debunking common misconceptions and explaining the intricate relationships between fungi and plants. Learn about the surprising mechanisms of fungal-plant communication, the role of fungi in agriculture, and the potential of microbial inoculants like MycoBloom. Whether you're a gardener or a researcher, this talk offers valuable insights into the unseen world beneath our feet.
Dr. Kozoil's research: https://scholar.google.com/citations?...
Dr. Kozoil's company MycoBloom: https://www.mycobloom.com/
Subscribe and Listen to the audio version of In Search of Soil:
iTunes - http://bit.ly/soilpodcast
Spotify - http://bit.ly/insearchofsoil
Enjoy the show? Drop me a line @diegofooter - / diegofooter
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In this episode, farmer Alec and host Diego talk about the finances behind two ways of starting a farm: when the farm starts out as a side hustle, and when the farm starts out as the main hustle. Farmer Alec talks about where he falls on that spectrum, as well as the challenges around navigating the financial landscape of running a first-year farm.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools 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 PodcastCheck out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
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