CropTalk

Microgreens, sprouts and baby leafy greens are becoming a staple in our culinary options.  While the time from start to finish of many of these crops is relatively short, there are unique considerations that a grower must take to manage their production efficiently and effectively.  In this episode of CropTalk podcast, I sit down with Nick Greens, a crop consultant and a team member at  Dohmen Com...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Mark Horler about commodity crops in the future of controlled ag, vertical farms as a potential tool to solve global issues and the power of humanity to dream big and succeed. 

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Henry Gordon-Smith about his journey in urban farming, his advice on getting started in the CEA industry and what it's like to run Agritecture. 

What does a stock portfolio and a cannabis crop have in common?  "More than you can ever imagine!" exclaims Brett Strauss of FolioGrow.  Brett and I sat down (in a back alley/hall somewhere in the Las Vegas Convention Center) during MJBIZCON 2019 to discuss the unique ways that he and his team are helping growers make better decisions and allowing them to ditch their whiteboards forever.  Brett ha...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Penny McBride about her journey giving back & working in the urban & vertical farming space, from her work at Vertical Harvest to her current role at Second Chances Farm. 

I am so excited I'm going to wet my plants (hemp plants that is)!! The World Ag Expo is here! Today through Thursday I will be hanging out at The Hemp Pavilion looking to learn about alllll sorts of Hemp Happenings. I had Kevin Nowell, of HiLo Seed Company, onto CropTalk to discuss how he and his partners were able to bring the The Hemp Pavilion to life. Tune in and get yourself to the World Ag Ex...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett takes a tour with Adam Green through AGreen Farms in Philidelphia, exploring the exotic flavors of crops they are growing while discussing Adam's philosophies on starting a vertical farm. 

Whoa...I never imagined this podcast would evolve into what it is today.  I am so grateful for SOO many people that have been instrumental in this podcast growing into what it is today and what it will be years down the road.  This episode is celebrating and thanking those folks that helped CropTalk and me get to where we are today.  I am truly grateful for all of you.  Until next time, #startclea...

Consistently producing quality crops starts with understanding what you're doing, what you've done and what you're going to do in the future.  On this episode of CropTalk podcast, featuring Jason Scott Arnold of Henry's Original, we dive deep into why every cannabis grower should have some sort of slight addiction to data.  Too little data is like growing in the dark. Too much data is a burden and...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett sits down with Alexander Olesen of Babylon Micro-Farms, to understand the ins and outs of small scale indoor farming systems.  Alexander shares some unique perspective and what makes Babylon's growing system and service for their clients, special.   

When it comes to understanding how many acres one should grow as a hemp farmer, two of the most important questions to ask oneself is:  1. Will I have a buyer or biomass purchase agreement for my crop, before I intend to plant it?  2. How much infrastructural capacity (harvest equipment, drying or curing capacity, mechanization) do I have? The second question is to make oneself think long and hard...

Fighting microbes at the microbial level in cannabis production is easier said than done.  There are a laundry list of potential microbes and mycotoxins that could leave your finished cannabis product worthless. Jason Hadley of Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions is focused on helping growers understand the nuts and bolts of growing clean cannabis.  In this episode, Jason and I dive deep into microbial...

Choosing the right genetic varieties for your hemp crop could mean the difference between success and failure in 2020.  While many claim they have superior genetics and that they understand what the farmer needs to be successful; Travis Higginbotham and the team at The Hemp Mine prove it day in and day out.  CropTalk's newest co-host, Kyle Barnett, talks crops with Travis in this enlightening epis...

Growers have often struggled with understanding where their crops stand with regards to optimal nutrition. Optimal nutrition is often the difference between a bumper crop and a break even year. Soil testing and plant tissue analysis are traditional ways for growers to attempt to understand how their plant is taking up needed nutrients and regulating its overall health. Those techniques offer more...

Managing the startup of a large-scale operation of any kind can be overwhelming. Add in stricter regulations and a relatively uninformed market and you're in for a ride, my friend. In this episode of CropTalk, I catch up with lifelong farmer and founder of The All-Natural Farming Group, Joey Bedard-Brunet . He shares all the ups and downs of managing the startup of a commercial cannabis production...

It's clear that a lot of people in the U.S. are still wary of cannabis products being regulated.   Even regulators - like the FDA and USDA - are still uncertain of how to handle the regulation process of the commodity.   In this episode of CropTalk, founder and CEO of Allay Consulting , Kimberly Stuck , fills listeners in on how her team is educating regulators about cannabis.   She covers topics...

How does variety selection impact growth from Oregon, to California, to the Carolinas?   On this episode, we invited Dr. Allison Justice to share her expertise on variety selection with cannabis.   Dr. Justice is the Founder of The Hemp Mine , Co-Founder of SC Botanicals , and a Board Member of the California Industrial Hemp Advisory Board.   What we talked about: Variety selection How geographies...

As horticulture recovers from a generational gap in recruitment, it's important to emphasize the value of building relationships - and trust - in the industry.   In this episode of CropTalk, co-host Kyle Barnett talks with Todd Downing , managing partner at Best Human Capital & Advisory Group , about recruitment in the ag tech industry.   They also discuss:   The best ways to break into the ag tec...

You know what you want to grow. You know how you're going to grow.   Do you know your market?   This is the question Kyle Barnett , regional sales manager at Hort Americas (oh, and CropTalk's brand new co-host!), asks all his clients.   In this episode, Kyle and I discuss:   The biggest problem for growers Consistency in growing Building a network of distribution Horticultural lighting   Resources...

In the age of information, it's hard to believe there are still knowledge silos in the growing industry.   How can we work together to halt the cycle of tribal knowledge?   Head grower at Van de Wetering Greenhouses and 40+ year growing veteran, Bill Turner , shares his method of eliminating knowledge silos in growing.   In this episode, we discuss:   Passing along information to new growers Devel...

So, you're getting into the cannabinoid extraction business.   How do you know what methods and equipment are the best to invest in?   Shane Smith , cannabis and hemp consultant at CEID Consulting , fills us in on his favorite cannabinoid extraction methods and products.   Plus, he goes over:   Gaining knowledge and experience working in multiple labs Reasons why it's important to invest in good e...

In the last 10 years, IPM (Integrated Pest Management) has evolved rapidly.   Now, there's a lot more to consider than just pests. IPM has become a holistic approach to growing.   To fill us in on where IPM is going is Vince Livengood , Technical Services Manager for Kemin Industries .   In this episode, we go over:   How to get the most out of biopesticides Keys to building an effective IPM plan...

Root aphids are the stuff of horror movies.   They're born pregnant, and some of them can mutate into flyers. When you hit them with pesticides, they send a lot of flyers out.    They just don't go away. You'll think you're clean, then they'll come back stronger out of nowhere. They're "borderline supernatural," according to Bill Cook , a cannabis consultant and today's guest.   In this episode, B...

Hydroponics is the art of growing produce without the use of soil, using  water and nutrients instead. Many people think it's a new science/technology, but we now know that the science dates back to the ancient Chinese, Aztecs, and Egyptians, the latter of which farmed on rafts in the Nile.   Today's guest is John Harrison , Founder and CEO of AGR1 . John was classically trained as a chef, which s...

In a predominantly male industry, Arielle Van Wingerden has made her mark.   A multi-generational horticulture grower, and a student of business, Arielle has a very unique perspective on what it's like to be a female and a leader in the industry.    "There's this common misconception that women are trying to take over. But really, all we're looking for is collaboration."   On this episode of CropT...