CropTalk

Your business is limited by your capacity. Want exponential growth? Give people a mission around your business that they can believe in. Develop leaders who feel that mission in their DNA and let them take over the day to day details of your business so you can focus on the bigger picture. You can do more, but not without empowering others to do the same. Today's guest on this special episode of t...

Agriculture education starts at the dinner plate and moves backwards. Teaching the next generation what they're eating and where their food comes from is invaluable to creating better food consumers and, ultimately, a healthier community.  On this week's episode, Charlie talks with Tim Downing, farmer and agriculture educator about the need for connection between consumer and producer and what rol...

Results are what count. On today's episode of CropTalk we are joined by 4th generation farmer, Joe Swartz , whose growing techniques and outcomes prove his hydroponics expertise. Joe is celebrating his 35th year as a full time, year-round grower of herbs and vegetables, and is also the current VP at American Hydroponics , one of the leading hydro-systems equipment manufacturers in North America. J...

Your pest control program is only as good as your worst scout. Your scout is your eyes, your ears, your nose in relation to your crops, so why aren't more growers more committed to hiring great ones? On this special solo episode, host Charlie McKenzie talks through the 3 personality traits he's found are common to every great pest scout.

Austin Kasso found his passion for agriculture when he was 16. Originally from New York, Austin worked with his cousins on a farm in North Carolina in the summertime, where they had hundreds of fruits, veggies and chickens, a few cows, seven goats, and a large pond of catfish. "That summer was all it took to solidify my career path. I was set on figuring out a way to bring this kind of abundance,...

On this episode of CropTalk, Charlie talks with Aaron Fields about why crop scheduling is important, the risks and challenges associated with it, and how running an efficient schedule benefits your credibility and business.

On this episode of CropTalk, Charlie chats to David Gilmore about the revolutionary benefits of installing green roofs. From economic savings to vital environmental returns, even community betterment, David shares critical insights about why green roofs are worth their investment. 

On this episode of the CropTalk podcast, our host, Charlie McKenzie, talks with Chandler Bennett of Parabug about the challenges of biocontrol and how the solution of a flying drone is making it efficient and economical.

Are you a grower seeking a promotion? Start by understanding the ins and outs of the entire industry--not just your intersection with it. Chris Vande-Stowe,  COO at Leaf Express, joins Charlie on this episode of CropTalk to discuss why it's important to understand the entirety of your business. He share's his  three H's of success: Humble, Hungry, Hustle and how knowledge of business development i...

When it comes to GMO's, there's plenty of value to each side of the story. On this episode of the CropTalk podcast, Charlie chats with Joe Cunliffe, Assistant Grower at Smith Gardens in Aurora, OR. He shares the unseen value in GMO's and just how they are changing the world for the better.

On this episode of the CropTalk podcast, our host, Charlie McKenzie, talks with John Morgan of Green Circle about the challenges he faces when growing long-term crops and his creative solutions to help nurture that process.

Charlie's former mentor, Ian Patric, is the guest on our first full-length episode of the CropTalk Podcast. Ian is a master poinsettia grower from Smith Gardens in Aurora, Oregon, and shares with us the top three things he's learned from this year's season. 

Our host, Charlie McKenzie, shares his passion for connecting with other growers in this kickoff episode of the CropTalk podcast. Charlie talks about why podcasting is important to the modern agricultural business leader and how he sees the CropTalk podcast as a tool to influence and innovate across the industry.