228. Steven and Christine Bailey on Cultivating Connections

How are you cultivating connections in your community?

On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we are hosting Christine and Steven Bailey, founders of The Kindred Farm, in Santa Fe, TN. Together, Christine, an author and podcast host and Chef Steven a.k.a “The Korean Farmer”, are growing vibrant produce, flowers, and bees in a sustainable way that heals the land and grows into beautiful food. 

They also offer sold-out farm-to-table dinners under the stars at their seasonal Kindred Dinners along with monthly Market Days and hands-on classes like Artisan Pizza for Beginners. 

Shortly after seeing the documentary, Food, Inc. in 2009, Steven and Christine were inspired by farmer and author Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia and began supporting the local farms movement. At the end of 2015, they sold their business, dismantled their lives of over a decade in urban Dallas and decided to move to middle Tennessee, just south of Nashville.

Tune in to hear the fine details about how they do popular farm table dinners that sell out in a day and get the word out to more kindred spirits in their area! 

You’ll hear: How Steven and Christine got started in farming 2:02 The different enterprises on The Kindred Farm 4:26 The staff and management at The Kindred Farm 14.28 Their philosophy on marketing their farm 16:23 The story behind Christine's book The Kindred Life 26:10 How they know when it's time to shift their focus 35:54 The "fun" endeavor they tried that actually turned highly profitable 38:41 Steven and Christine's advice for someone just getting started in farming 46:06 Their favorite farming tool 53:58 
Products mentioned in the show: Tater Tats Christine’s book The Kindred Life The Homi tool About the Guest:

At Kindred Farm, cultivating connection is the heart of everything they do. They are Christine and Steven Bailey - an author/podcaster and a chef. On their 17 acres in Santa Fe, Tennessee, they are raising vibrant produce, flowers, and bees in a sustainable way that heals the land and grows into beautiful food. 

They also gather the community at long farm tables under the stars at their seasonal Kindred Dinners. They believe life is meant to be shared in community, and they create unique, handmade artisan goods for The Kindred Farm Store with that in mind. 

Kindred Farm is a place where you can come and be nourished: find connection in the land, in community, and around the table. Slow down, exhale, and then take some “kindred” home with you, wherever you go.

 

Resources:

Website: https://www.thekindredfarm.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thekindredfarm
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thekindredfarm
Sign up for their newsletter here.

The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor!

 

Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement that provides an add-on certification held by over 1,000 certified organic, family-owned operations across North America. Real Organic Project strives to uplift farms working within the spirit, not just the letter, of organic principles. Real Organic certified farmers use practices that are centered around the foundational organic principles of soil-based crop production and pasture-based livestock agriculture. To remain accessible to all types of farmers, Real Organic Project fundraises year round to keep this certification available at no cost to farmers.

You can apply today at realorganicproject.org/thrivingfarmer.