Farm Small Farm Smart Daily

In terms of journeys, today I am going to highlight an epic one.   It's the story of Justin Rhodes. Justin who has gone from someone one government assistance and in debt to someone who is self-made, out of debt, and now making a living through his various online businesses.   A remarkable feet in an of itself.  And even more remarkable given how quickly it has played out. It's a truly inspiration...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - The question is whether or not mushrooms could be used in a brooder to help break down the wood based bedding, manure and spilled feed and maybe get a mushroom harvest. My brooder, along with others across the country are basically going to sit idle over the winter. Come late winter I go in there with some tools and c...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - I have an abundance of woodchips.  Any thoughts on inoculating the pile to "rapidly" break down the pile of chips into compost, or is it not worth the effort and just let nature do the work? To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/peter. Support the show at permacul...

For notes related to this episode visit permaculturevoices.com/growmicrogreens. When you think about what your selling, don't forget that what you are selling isn't just what's in the cooler behind your booth. You're selling yourself, your story, and the role that you play in a bigger movement; all intangible assets that can allow you to succeed without having a diversity of products. But if you w...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support About one year ago Season 1, Episode 37 aired. It was us taking a look back at Curtis production for the 2015 season. Today we will do something similar for 2016, because a lot has changed. Let's start by rewinding the clock and go back that previous episode from December 2015... "We are official...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - Is it possible to have a raised "bed" of hardwood chips with multiple strains happily cohabiting and fruiting in different seasons? To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/peter.   Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support.

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/141 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support Stefan Sobkowiak of The Miracle Farm is encouraging more vegetable farmer to consider planting some fruit trees. And to start planting some trees now, so they are established and producing when you or the vegetable farming gets old. Now you may be saying, "I barely have enough time to do the work that I am...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support Anytime that you do something for a long time, over and over again, how do you keep it fresh. Let's be honest, any time that you do something for weeks and years, eventually that honeymoon phase wears off. As should be expecting, things changes, life changes, and you change. If that think that's...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - What are your thoughts on looking for local strains of mushrooms to cultivate out versus ordering or receiving genetic material from someone from a strain that isn't indigenous to your particular area where the strain will be grown? To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoic...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/140 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support What if you live in a suburban or urban area on a small lot? A lot of those the chickens living in those areas live in degenerative systems, spending their days on mud runs and dirt patches that are more of a net negative than a net positive. What can be done to avoid this issue? This is where we turn to th...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support A lot of people who want to start farming, don't start because they focus too much on what they don't have and not enough on what they do have. Land's too expensive. Lack money to start a farm. Common complaints that you hear about starting up a farming enterprise. And I will fully acknowledge th...

We are experiencing the end of an era as a new era in human civilization is beginning. It is a time of great risk but also a time of great potential. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/103 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE. We now know that it is possible to restore large-scale damaged ecosystems. It is possible to sequester...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - What are the current roadblocks to being able to consistently grow your own morel mushrooms? To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/peter   Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/javan Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support There are many reasons that we can do something. To survive, to get paid, to compete, to make ourselves better, to achieve a goal, to seek fulfillment, the list goes.... All valid reasons. None of them more universally right than another. Some are more applicable to some people at a given time in a given...

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com takes on the question -  Basic advice, suggestions and learnings on breeding chickens on the homestead? To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin .   Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support .

For notes related to this episode visit permaculturevoices.com/growmicrogreens. Over the last two episodes [Episode 1, Episode 2] we looked at How Chris started and grew his microgreen business, and we have taken a look at what's possible with that business when it grows. And if you just stand back and look at the numbers, their jaw dropping. Let's be honest. Grossing $200,000 growing 10 day old c...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/27 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE. Ben Falk from Whole Systems Design, LLC joins me talk about permaculture design and what he has learned on his research site over the years. He talks about how to break into the business as a designHe touches on cold climate infrastructure and heating w...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/139 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support If you have kids and you are self-employed and you work from home, getting work done in that environment can be a challenge. Today Rob Avis is going to talk about some of his methodologies for balancing out working at home and what techniques he uses to plan out his week. Rob is a busy guy co-running two co...

For notes related to this episode visit permaculturevoices.com/growmicrogreens.   "They weren't just buying the product, they were buying the whole package."   That's how Chris Thoreau was able to go to a farmer's market selling one crop.  Just one.  Sunflower shoots.  He was able to go to market with just one crop because he was selling a product that had a great story.     It was a product that...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - What are you thoughts on combing biochar and fungi? To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/peter. Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support.

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/138 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support Today I am talking with Erica Wisner, co-author of The Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide.   She co-wrote the book with her husband Ernie, and combined they are a wealth of knowledge on RMH. They build them, they use them, they teach about them, and they innovate new designed.  They live the RMH lifestyle....

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com takes on the question - Any advice for processing one to two birds at a time on a homestead level without having to purchase a bunch of equipment? To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin. Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support.

For notes related to this episode visit permaculturevoices.com/growmicrogreens.   Today we are going to start the series, by going back to the beginning.  This is the story of how urban farmer Chris Thoreau started his microgreens farm almost 10 years ago.   Chris will take on questions such as:   Why microgreens?  Why did he start with microgreen?   Who did he model and how much did he start with...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/79 Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE. In Woody Agriculture, crops would be planted only once in a lifetime. The use of woody perennials for agricultural staple commodities production would result in little or no use of tillage, as well as the presence of a permanent cover during both the gr...

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - I have been curious how an aspiring homeowner could make prefab parts of their home using mycelium on a straw based substrate? Wouldn't be amazing and incredibly empowering if we could literally grow the walls of our homes? Is this something the average person could realistically pull off? To learn more about Peter an...