The Grower & The Economist

Since last summer, Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger have been talking about metrics to evaluate business decisions. Peter likes ROI. Today, they work through a real-life ROI case study with a subscription tool that Michelle is considering for her research project. This situation can be applied on small and medium sized operations as well. Have a situation? Please let us know! 

There's been a lot of talk about peat as regulations in Europe impacts its availability and the definition of sustainability. Peat grows, very slowly, in bogs in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Raising some questions about using this renewable resource and how to maintain healthy bogs. Peat is an important growth medium in greenhouses throughout North American and Europe. However, with...

Michelle and Peter sit down with Andrew Brooks from Priva to discuss global trends that are impacting the small and medium sized grower. Larger growers can manage temperatures to the 1/10 degree but you can only get to 1 degree. What does that mean as you compete in the global market space?

Food systems are complicated. On The Grower & The Economist, we talk to and about small producers and local food systems. However, as many of you know, Michelle has a background in international trade. Today, Michelle and Peter discuss Michelle's research and how global trade allows for cheap food, year-round. Learn how trade keeps people fed while the northeast is snowed in. Check out Mic...

Have you started planning your seed order for the spring? Peter and Michelle are too! We love talking about crop scheduling. This episode starts with some new thoughts about ordering seeds and planning your crop schedule 2024 and also goes back to one of our first episodes on crop scheduling back in 2020.

Here at The Grower & The Economist we are experiencing our first snowstorm in two years. Winter is usually considered the slow season for small to medium vegetable growers but there is still work to be done. Greenhouses allow us to extend our season but they require maintance and planning. Listen to Michelle and Peter discuss the "off season."

We all know there are so many apps and software out there that could help grow our business but are they right for the small and medium size grower? This week's episode interviews Aaron Allison , co-founder of SBI software , to see what his company's software can tell our growers and how they can incorporate into their business. Will you make the transition from pen and paper to digital? 

Happy New Year! We think marketing your business is a really important topic for small growers. Last week we aired an episode with Myrna Greenfield of Good Egg Marketing. We think it was a great episode. Here's a clip. If you missed it, go back to last week and catch the whole episode. Here's the link to Myrna's book.

Are you struggling with your marketing? Are you focusing on tactics but don't have a strategy? Hear from Good Egg Marketing's Myrna Greenfield about ways to focus your marketing efforts and grow your business. Peter and Michelle delve into why this area is a challenge and how farmers can work with consultants to break down the roadblocks! Get your copy of Marketing Your Farm by Myrna Green...

As land grant extension agents have become further and further stretched, private consultants with company affiliations have been on the rise. Andy Peterson was recently interviewed to discuss his role as a consultant that also educates farmers. His career path has put him in contact with many small and medium sized growers that had questions that he answered and/or tried to assist with! 

The Grower & The Economist is officially kicking off Season 2 of our podcast! As we closed in on 100 episodes, we've realized that the show has grown and evolved since 2020. This episode gives a preview of the amazing material we have schedule for 2024! Thanks for listening and Happy New Years. -Peter & Michelle

Dr. Peter Konjoian questions Michelle Klieger on what is ROI (Return on Investment) and why she thinks there are limitations on this model of decision making. Michelle shared her concerns with ROI during prep calls for their #Cultivate2023 workshop. Looking for more tools to enhance your decision making process... this episode has them!

Dr. Peter Konjoian & Michelle Klieger each share two tips for growers this summer. These tips highlight how differently growers and economists think & how different each part of your business is. We hope you find these four midsummer tips helpful!

June 2023 Greenhouse Management Magazine's cover feature Dr. Melinda Knuth joins Economist Michelle Klieger and Grower Dr. Peter Konjoian on this episode to dive into research that Dr. Knuth is doing at NC State's Cognitive Behavioral Laboratory . The three of them met at the Greenhouse Grower's Executive Summitt last December where they were all speakers. Dr. Knuth shares her path. Li...

Michelle Klieger and Dr. Peter Konjoian interview Eileen Mullet, a recent graduate from University of Wisconsin River Falls, on her research involving soils and her time working in a greenhouse. We learn how her experience in a university greenhouse was similar and different to a production operation. This researcher is able to apply her classroom knowledge to her real life experience that is inva...

After being in business 30 years, Dr. Peter Konjoian has gone digital and launched a website for his company. This discussion between Peter and Michelle Klieger delves into the complexity of being a small business owner who wants to do it all. Is it possible to tackle every task on your own as technology evolves? And at what point should you consider contracting out the work? Listen today for thei...

Value added processors have a unique job and perspective in the small- and medium- sized supply chain. Listen to this week’s episode with guest speaker Brian Ruhlmann , founder of Craic Hot Sauce's , to learn about their story, communication strategy, and how they source from 18 farmers last year. That is 100% of peppers and tomatoes sourced locally! We discuss opportunities of vertical integr...

Most technology comes with a steep up-front cost, which will be amortized over a few years. Is this investment worth it for your small farm? Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger discuss the economics of trying to decide if new technology is cost effective. 

Your polyethylene cover on your greenhouse has become more important than ever as technology expands to include anti-condensate and improve the growing environment. Learn from Yannis Lempidakis of Sunmaster Greenhouse Films and Dr. Peter Konjoian how your next polyethylene cover purchase can create a better and healthier environment for your plants for 5 years!

Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger discuss how crop scheduling can benefit local New England farms as early and late season crops usually command the highest value but not the largest volume. The discussion also delves into value-added food products as a potential source of diversified income for the small Northeast grower. 

Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger give a sneak preview of their workshop at Cultivate 2023. Their 90-minute episode is titled: Back2Basics: Small Greenhouse and Farm Technology and will feature previous podcast guest experts: Molly Dishman of Bartlett Instrument Company & Keith Bemerer of Prospiant. Listen to the sneak peek, then register for #cultivate2023 . If you have questions, you w...

This week, we talk with Charles Smith and Dr. Victoria Holden, co-founders of Imio, to learn about their regenerative ag biotech company. Imio develops microbial inoculants that replace chemical inputs in agriculture. They noticed the amount of organic matter left at the end of a season that didn’t have an economic benefit to the farm and set out on a journey to transform the organic “waste” into...

Animal integration is especially fun when we are talking about goats! Learn how John Bennett of Goats of Dover went from a marketing background to goatscaping in this week’s episode. We discuss goat diet preferences, predator and pesticide concerns, timing of a job and life expectancy. There is a lot to understand about the changing environment from poison ivy to deerworm. John hits home by embedd...

Dr. Konjoian and Michelle discuss climate change impact on greenhouses and small to medium sized farms with examples ranging from maple trees to impatiens. They challenge the perspective of crop schedules by asking questions, such as does a grower maintain their current schedule or adjust to the warmer temperatures and get ahead of the market. Another big decision discussed in this week’s episode...

Rene returns as a three-time guest on The Grower and The Economist podcast. His reason for gardening may be different than a small and medium sized grower, but he faces the same challenges and successes! We discuss some of the decisions behind ordering seeds, the importance of logging and taking pictures, fertilizer decisions, and some experiences to look forward to in the upcoming season. One poi...