Growers Daily

Welcome BACK Brooke, and for the first time Dan, from a farm that holds a dear place in our hearts, Urbavore Farm in Kansas City, Missouri. They and Jesse talk about evolving practices and very measured compromises in the face of climate extremes, their brilliant Compost Collective partnership, and some profound insight into balancing our ideals with what is practical. Wonderful interview, wonderf...

A little off the beaten path today with fellow Kentuckian Sarah Barney of Among the Oaks in Appalachia. We talk about her background in ecology, HERB production and marketing, and making farms welcoming for folks with disabilities, herself included. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses  quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business...

What. A. Guest. Tevin Allen of Tevin's Farm from Jamaica joins the show to talk about how he has adapted market gardening techniques for his climate, adopting a simplified approach because the tools and infrastructure are not available, dealing with a clay-loam soil and flood season, his atypical marketing style, how the country has moved away from organic growing, and how he is bringing it back....

COMPOST CONTENTS... Each season, we have a professional composter on to talk about well-made compost because it's so essential to the market garden. Today, we have Zach Brooks of Arizona Worm Farm on to talk about his high-quality compost, vermicast, and veggie operation (among other things). The conversation ranges from the microbiology of healthy compost to the profitability of the many enterpri...

Fellow Kentuckian Zach Selby of DreamTime Market Gardens joins the show to talk about his Lexington KY no-till market garden, a creative land-access partnership, how being a chef for over a decade has informed his growing, what to and not to do when working with chefs, and how herbs can increase your value proposition when selling to restaurants. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhous...

What a joy, we're so happy to bring you this conversation with Cheyenne Sundance of Sundance Harvest in Toronto, Canada. She and Jesse talk about constructed raised bed greenhouse production/growing, expanding to 1.5 acres, collaborating on Winter CSA, being real about you and your farm (it ain't all salad greens), being accessible as an urban farm, self-care early in your farm career, and looking...

The Farm Spreadsheet Master , Dan Brisebois of Tourne Sol Cooperative Farm , joins me on the show today to talk about one of the most underutilized tools on small farms (hint, it's spreadsheets), how to apply it to a seed growing enterprise, setting limits to improve prioritization and quality of life, and an exciting new endeavor he'll be bringing to everyone's podcast feeds real soon. Mentioned...

Harper Kaufman of  Two Roots Farm in Basalt Colorado joins the show to talk about employee management, farming in an extreme altitude, having a farm store take the CSA overflow (for a very respectable revenue) and more!  Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses  quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get...

Little somethin' different for you this week. Instead of taking the holiday off the podcast, I moderated two separate talks at the EFAO 2021 conference and they offered to let us share them on the feed. The first session is on large scale no-till featuring Ken Laing, former podcast guest Dan Oostenbrink, and Theo Germain-Trudeau and here is where you can learn more about them and this event. Befor...

Mason Kuehn joins the show to discuss his small urban farm set up in Winter Park, Florida. Because his farm is in multiple locations (on various lawns), we discuss a lot of the logistics involved from harvest to spreading compost and beyond. Follow Winter Park Urban Farm on Instagram and wherever else you follow farmers.  Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses  quality greenhouses a...

Seventeen year old Dawson Mehalko of Jubilant Fields Farm joins the show to talk about his small farm in Texas. About managing the heat with greens, soil management, irrigation, compost, and more!  Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses  quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM....

Nazirahk Amen of Purple Mountain Organics is BACK on the show to talk about how he saw the crack epidemic impact farming and food sovereignty in Black communities in the South, some of lesser known histories of how African Americans and shaped the food system, connects soil mineralization with human nutrition, and shares some more technical aspects about small scale dry bean, wheat, and rice produ...

Jeremy Mueller of Commplace Farm --formerly of Excelsior Farm--in Oregon joins the show to talk transitioning farms, scaling up from a market garden to a 10+ acres of not-so-small salad greens farm, mechanization, systems, wholesale head lettuce vs salad production, misadventures with a flail mower collector, and more. Mentioned in the show... Jesse will be at the ACRES Eco Ag Conference ,the Ecol...

This week Gerry Ross of Kupa'a Farms joins the show from the dry side of Maui, who knew?, to talk about tropical farming in an arid climate, growing mulch, 14+ years straight of CSA, boosting organic matter, GINGER, and a whole lot else. Really fascinating conversation, really fascinating farm. Enjoy. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses  quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Grow...

"What if I told you, you could make $10,000 in three days?" Richard Wiswall of Cate Farm , Vermont and author of The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook joins Jesse to make the case for paying as much attention to the business of farming as we do the growing. He talks about having a cooperative mindset, the hidden costs of direct marketing, dropping loss leaders, doing market research, the power of...

Mimi Casteel of Hopewell Wine in Salem, Oregon and Farmer Jesse talk about the place and potential of no-till and cover-crops in viticulture, how her practices have evolved over the years, remineralization, foliar micro-nutrient applications, how truly healthy plants make great wine, the broader societal implications of regenerative viticulture, and genuinely nerd out about wine bit. Mentioned in...

Hayden O'Donnell of Goodie Farm in Cherry Valley, California joins the show to talk about being a first generation farmer, expanding land under cultivation and diversifying crops, running a farm store, integrating animals, pricing food and more. Check out their Farmsite and follow them on Instagram . Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses  quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growe...

Got a little mid-week something for you listeners. JM and the Growers and Co team are launching the third edition of their magazine today! Not only do they make amazing farm tools and gear , they publish a beautiful magazine about small-scale growers and how they're changing the world for the better. AND, they put together a podcast to highlight some of the folks in it. Featured in the podcast, as...

Ag consultant and podcaster Graeme Sait joins Jesse Frost to talk nutrient density, using refractometers, the microbiometer, and other field tools and lab tests, nutrient interactions, biostimulants, foliar applications, deep compost, and So. Much. More! Mentioned in the show... Nutrition Farming , one of our favorite farming podcasts Nutri-Tech Solutions , where you can also find all of the meter...

Robin and Peter of Transition Farm in Victoria, Australia join Mikey Densham to chat about seed production in the market garden, the importance of biodiversity, photosynthesis, biodynamics, and more!  Mentioned in the show... Transition Farm Online Seed Shop Culinary Breeding Network (US) CBN on Collaborative Farming Podcast Special thanks to our sponsors Curly's Ag and Active Vista for helping th...

Introducing SEASON 2 of the WINTER GROWERS PODCAST with Clara Coleman of Four Season Farm. Subscribe to the Winter Growers podcast feed for the rest of the season wherever you listen to yours. Vera Fabian and Gordon Jenkins of Ten Mothers Farm in Cedar Grove, NC join host Clara Coleman to talk about bringing together their experiences from very different but amazing farms, collective land use, the...

Rod Bruin joins Mikey Densham to chat about 40+ years of farming in the sub-tropics, managing consistently heavy rainfall and wind, an innovative compost spreader, and more. Check out Summit Organics farmsite and follow them on Instagram . Mentioned in the show... Check out this amazing ariel of the Summit Organics Special thanks to our sponsors Curly's Ag and Active Vista for helping the series p...

Dan Palmer joins Mikey Densham to chat about the potential for permaculture in the market garden, the psychology of design, principles of holistic management, defining regenerative,  and more! Mentioned in the show... Making Permaculture Stronger Holistic Decision Making Reading Landscape w/ David Holmgren Find full notes, past episodes, and more at No-Till Growers Special thanks to our sponsors C...

Mikey Densham catches up with Erika and Hayden of Epicurean Harvest to talk working with chefs and restaurants––including foraging and pricing––how they started out on leased land, monitoring life and environmental goals, and more!  Find full notes and more shows at No-Till Growers Special thanks to our sponsors Curly's Ag and Active Vista for helping the series possible. If you're in AUS/NZ, defi...

Darren Aitken joins host Mike Densham for a chat about biodynamics, soil health & humus, prep 500+, that biodynamic glow, farmer to farmer exchanges, seeds & cover cropping, and more! Check out Darren and Vortex Veggies Farmsite . Also mentioned in the show... Demeter Bio-Dynamics in Australia Special thanks to our sponsors Curly's Ag and Active Vista for helping the series possible. If you're in...