The Thriving Farmer Podcast
289 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 283 ratingsIf you’re looking to build a profitable farm that works, The Thriving Farmer Podcast is for you. Learn the latest tricks and strategies from successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it’s really like to build a truly profitable, sustainable farm. In the interviews, we focus on building farms that last, setting up your systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and treading that ever-challenging work/family/life balance.
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Episodes
181. Tom Ziglar On How Quality of Life Demands Have Shifted the Worker Mindset
May 24, 2022 14:00 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBToday we’re hosting a special guest: Tom Ziglar, CEO of the Zig Ziglar corporation. Tom is the author of two best selling books, Choose to Win, 10 Leadership Virtues for Disruptive Times and Born to Win. Tom Ziglar is the proud son of Zig Ziglar and the CEO of Ziglar, Inc. He joined the Zig Ziglar Corporation in 1987 and climbed from working in the warehouse to sales, to management, and then on to leadership. Today, he speaks around the world; hosts The Ziglar Show, one of the top-ranked bus...
180. Paul Dorrance on Diving Into Farming and Creating a Successful Multi-Faceted Business
May 17, 2022 14:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBHave you ever left farm life, only to find yourself drawn back to it? Today on the show we’re pleased to be hosting Paul Dorrance, author, public speaker, consultant, and regenerative agriculture advocate. Paul was raised close to the land, growing up on a small self-sufficient homestead in upstate New York. After a career in the Air Force as a pilot, Paul’s journey back to farming started in 2013 when he started Pastured Providence Farmstead - a successful pasture-based livestock ope...
179. Aubrey and Ben Thompson on Operating a Farm for Environmental and Family Sustainability
May 10, 2022 14:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MBToday on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re happy to be hosting Aubrey and Ben Thompson, owners of Fair Curve Farm, a thriving family farm located in Ferndale, California. Ben and Aubrey’s story began amongst standing rows of beets and kale in Ferndale during the summer of 2015. Aubrey had just moved up from the California central coast and found herself on a vegetable farm where she met Ben, a dedicated employee skilled in quick harvesting. It was there that they discovered their love and a...
178. Bobby Klinck on Increasing Farm Customers With Compelling Email Marketing
May 03, 2022 14:00 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MBHave you explored the options offered by email marketing for your farm? Today we’re doing something a little different with our guest, Bobby Klinck, email marketing extraordinaire and author of Email Marketing That Doesn't Suck: Have Fun Writing Emails Your Subscribers Will Want to Read (and That Will Actually Make You Money!). Based in Washington DC., Bobby is not willing to be boring to fit the status quo. The fun readability of his templates comes from his need to reach beyond the ...
177. Juliann Janies on Transitioning from Full Time Employment to Pasture Based Farming
April 26, 2022 14:00 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MBWhat are the benefits and nuances of running a pasture grazed farm? Today on the show we are hosting Juliann Janies, scientist turned sustainable farmer and Co-Founder of Red-Tailed Farm, located in Burgaw, North Carolina. After an extensive search for affordable and usable land, Juliann and her partner Gregory, settled on a 14-acre lot with a nearly 100 year old transplanted beach house. They started the farm business by first producing eggs from hens out on pasture, and began rotating...
176. Blair Thompson on Farming Education and Shaping America’s Food Future
April 19, 2022 14:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBWhere and how did you receive your education as a farmer? Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re joined by Blair Thompson, Farm Manager and agriculture expert at Warren Wilson College, located in Asheville, North Carolina. Blair spent over 15 years in a diversity of agricultural operations around the country before landing at Warren Wilson. He strives to help students become leaders who have an ecosystems-approach to agriculture that focuses on building farming enterprises suited t...
175. Jesse McDougall on Revitalizing Land Health for Organic Growing
April 12, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBWhat is regenerative agriculture, and what are your options to becoming regenerative as a farmer? On today’s episode we’re featuring Jesse McDougall of Studio Hill Farm, located in southern Vermont. Studio Hill Farm’s primary goal is to strengthen the land's natural water, carbon, and nutrient cycles so that they may restore the abundant ecosystem of their 5th-generation family farm. To achieve this goal they: raise livestock on pasture using holistic land management practices, use no...
174. Brad Morgan on Utilizing Compost and Creating Economical Soil Health Amendments
April 05, 2022 14:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBAs a farmer, how much care do you put into making certain your crops have a healthy, bounty-producing foundation? Today we’re joined by Brad Morgan, Founder and Owner of Morgan Composting and Dairy Doo, located in Sears, Michigan. Morgan Composting Inc is a family business that was started in 1996. The Morgans began composting as a solution to a manure problem on their dairy farm. Morgan Composting’s goal is to be a driving force in Agribusiness that promotes sustainable practices, a...
173. Karen Washington on Food Insecurity, Social Justice and How Farming Can Change a Community
March 29, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBWhat has Africa brought to the United States in terms of produce and farming knowledge? Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re proud to be hosting Karen Washington, Founder of Rise & Root Farm, located in The Bronx, New York. Rise & Root Farm is a women owned and collectively run farm. They grow top notch vegetables, flowers, herbs & seedlings. Since 1985 Karen has been a community activist, striving to make New York City a better place to live. As a community gardener and board m...
172. David Haakenson on the Value and Benefits of Bringing Customers to the Farm
March 22, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 69 MBWhat is a pragmatic farming approach in a high precipitation climate? Today on the show we’re hosting David Haakenson, 2nd generation owner of Jubilee Farm, located in Carnation, Washington. Jubilee Farm is proud to provide the greater Seattle area with a diverse selection of nutritious vegetables, fruits, meat, & flour, all of which are cultivated using organic farming practices. Jubilee’s produce is available through its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program, in...
171. Seth Shaffer on Lifelong Learning and Building a Family Farm From the Ground Up
March 15, 2022 15:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBToday on the show we’re joined by Seth Shaffer of Red Clay Farm, located in Cleveland, Tennessee. Red Clay Farm is a 24.5 acre farm dedicated to certified organic farming methods and growing without any traces of GMO seeds. Their crops rotate with luscious strawberries, lovely arugula, mixed salad greens, kale, lettuce, broccoli, swiss chard, potatoes, green beans, a variety of organic micro-greens and more. Join us to learn more about Seth’s journey to becoming a farmer! You’ll hear: ...
170. Nick Ritar on Regenerative Agriculture and Educating on Self Sufficiency
March 08, 2022 15:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBWhere do you turn for the comprehensive permaculture information you need as a farmer? Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re happy to have Nick Ritar, Cofounder of Milkwood, located all the way down in Tasmania, Australia. Milkwood is dedicated to sharing permaculture skills for living like it matters. Online, in print, via their renowned courses, whatever it takes to get you inspired, Milkwood is here to help people learn. They acknowledge that permaculture owes the roots of its the...
169. Margie Paskert on Creating a Flexible Online Business Selling Plants
March 01, 2022 15:00 - 44 minutes - 40.3 MBWhat opportunities does the digital world offer your farming business? Today we’re joined by Margie Paskert, a market gardener, online produce e-commerce specialist, and owner of Lazy Ox Farm, a small family farm operating out of Olathe, Colorado. Margie has been growing and selling sustainably raised plants and veggies for more than 22 years, first in northern Idaho, then for 10 years in southern Missouri. She is now operating on the beautiful west slope of Colorado, and has been since...
Elderberry Workshop Series Part 4 with Andrew Thomas - What 25+ Years of Elderberry Research Has Taught Us
February 28, 2022 16:44 - 33 minutes - 31 MBOn this final episode in the Elderberry Workshop Series, we’re joined by Andrew Thomas, Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from the University of Missouri, Master of Science in Agronomy from Iowa State University, and Director of Ozark Regional Land Trust. Andrew enjoys conducting research on a wide variety of horticultural and agroforestry crops and crop production techniques. His main research interests include the development of overlooked native fruit and nut crops with commercial pote...
Elderberry Workshop Series Part 3 with Terry Durham - Elderberry Varieties and Why American is Better
February 23, 2022 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MBWhat type(s) of elderberries are right for your farm? Today on the third part of our special elderberry-centric miniseries, we’re hosting Terry Durham of River Hills Harvest. Located in the Hills of Hartsburg, Missouri, River Hills Harvest supports local farmers and processors. Their growers have committed to the health and wellbeing of their produce, their farms, and their communities. Every berry that is processed has reached peak ripeness to assure the highest delivery of the health pr...
168. Dax Funderburk on Evolving Goals, an Ever-Changing Market, and Growing Garlic
February 22, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 80.4 MBToday we are joined by Dax Funderburk, owner of Beets Workin’ Farm. Beets Workin’ Farm is a small family farm located in beautiful Northeastern Vermont, where they focus on growing dozens of unique varieties of garlic, available online at HardneckGarlic.com and numerous festivals throughout the Northeast USA. After years of growing garlic and four season produce in Southeastern PA, they purchased 250 acres on the Lamoille River in Greensboro Bend, Vermont in 2017 with the intent of re...
Elderberry Workshop Series Part 2 with Taylor Clark - How to Start Growing Elderberries
February 22, 2022 13:00 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBHave you prepared your land for a bountiful elderberry harvest? What are your elderberry options if you haven’t? For the second installment of our special Elderberry Workshop Series we’re hosting Taylor Clark of Boulder Berry Farms, located in southwest Ohio. Boulder Berry Farms offers USDA Certified Organic elderberries; fresh, frozen, dried, and freeze dried. They also have a herd of purebred KuneKune pigs, a docile grazing farm animal perfect for smaller homesteads. In late 2019, they ...
Elderberry Workshop Series Part 1 with Trisha Jackson - Exploring Elderberry Business Opportunities
February 21, 2022 13:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBWhat opportunities does a farmer have today in the elderberry market? On this first episode of our Elderberry Workshop Series, we’re excited to have with us Trisha Jackson of Trisha’s Elderberries. Hailing from Ohio, Trisha’s Elderberries is an artisanal, upscale online wellness boutique focused on crafting the very best natural wellness remedies. Their elderberry products are handmade and use only the best of organic ingredients. Their elderberry syrup is renowned for it’s Christmas-like...
167. Stephen Smith and Luke Hammond on AgriGro's Prebiotic Technology for Soil and Plant Health
February 15, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 79.4 MBToday we’re lucky to be hosting Stephen Smith, President of AgriGro, and Luke Hammond, VP of small farms and home and garden product lines at AgriGro. The mission of AgriGro is to provide sustainable, environmentally sound technologies that maximize biological performance, return a profit to the user, and improve the world in which we live. For nearly 40 years, AgriGro has established a tradition of excellence, manufacturing an ever-growing line of innovative technologies that offer superior...
166. Andrew Couzens on Biological Diversity within a Market Farm
February 08, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBWhat was your reason for going organic? We’re joined today by Andrew Couzens from Terra Flora Organics, located in Chilliwack, Canada. Terra Flora Organics specializes in producing fungal dominant composts and worm castings and microbial inoculants to growers. They also produce and provide regenerative agricultural educational and consulting services to conventional and organic growers. Starting out as a software engineer, Andrew discovered he had an extreme sensitivity to Roundup, which ki...
165. Tim Livingstone on Building and Operating a Diversified Family Farm
February 01, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBWhat’s it like building a farm from the ground up in a foreign country? Today we’re hosting Tim Livingstone, Owner of Strawberry Hill Farm and President of Atlantic Certified Organic. Strawberry Hill Farm is an organic family farm serving the New Brunswick community with weekly boxes, online orders, and a small store on the farm. Raised in New Hampshire, Tim moved to New Brunswick in 1997, purchased a dilapidated farm in 2011, and has since transformed it into one of the largest organic far...
164. Ian Graham on the Journey to Permaculture and its Value to the Energy Crisis
January 25, 2022 15:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBIs your farming passion so red hot that you would start a farm for the sole purpose of living the farm life? That’s what Ian Graham of Old 99 Farm did. Located in Dunda, Ontario, Old 99 Farm is a small organic farm, a permaculture demonstration site, and market garden. They deal in top notch organic greens and crops: tomatoes, eggplant, peppers. They also raise heritage Canadian Lineback cattle, Tamworth pigs, and commercial breeds of chickens. Ian didn’t start Old 99 to get rich, make a l...
163. Andy Borak on Stewardship, Sustainability, and Small-Scale Success
January 18, 2022 15:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBOn today’s episode we’re hosting Andy Borak, Owner and Operator at Red Fern Farm, situated along the banks of Bold Beaver Creek in Floyd County, Virginia. Red Fern Farm is a small family micro farm - keeping their farm small ensures their ability to use bio-intensive practices and beyond organic methods to manage all of their ventures. As a Certified Naturally Grown producer, Red Fern Farm is dedicated to the use of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices in their efforts to stew...
162. John Dindia on Rapid Farm Expansion with Tunnel Growth
January 11, 2022 15:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBToday on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re speaking with John Dindia from Lakeview Hill Farm, located in Traverse City, MI. Lakeview Hill Farm is a certified organic produce farm specializing in hoophouse and greenhouse production. They grow a variety of vegetables with a focus on greenhouse heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens, and microgreens. Lakeview Hill Farm has made a commitment to utilize renewable energy. With agriculture being one of the largest consumers of fossil fuels, it’...
161. Hannah Eisloeffel on Intentional Inclusivity through Community Supported Agriculture
January 04, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBToday we’ve got Hanna Eisloeffel, Founder and Owner of Table Bluff Farm. Table Bluff Farm is a first-generation, woman-owned microfarm situated on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and nestled between the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the mouth of the Eel River in Loleta, California. Table Bluff Farm follows regenerative agriculture principles to create a farm focused on preserving and enhancing our natural ecosystem while keeping the “low cost/true cost” affordability of biodynamic...
161. Hannah Eisloffel on Intentional Inclusivity through Community Supported Agriculture
January 04, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBToday we’ve got Hanna Eisloeffel, Founder and Owner of Table Bluff Farm. Table Bluff Farm is a first-generation, woman-owned microfarm situated on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and nestled between the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the mouth of the Eel River in Loleta, California. Table Bluff Farm follows regenerative agriculture principles to create a farm focused on preserving and enhancing our natural ecosystem while keeping the “low cost/true cost” affordability of biodynamic...
160. Liz Graznak on Nourishing Community with Community Supported Agriculture
December 28, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBWhat is community-centered agriculture and how does one thrive within this structure? Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re happy to host MOSES Farmer of the Year, Liz Graznak, owner and operator of Happy Hollow Farm located in Jamestown, Missouri, right along the Missouri River. Liz has made farming her primary focus in life. Feeding people in her community healthy nutrient dense food is the reason she gets out of bed every day! The easiest way to describe what she does is Community...
159. Matt Lebon on Perennial Planting and Foodscaping Your Property
December 21, 2021 15:00 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBWhat is foodscaping and is it something you can do with your farm? Today on the show we’re hosting Matt Lebon, Founder and CEO of Custom Foodscaping, a full-service edible landscaping company located in Saint Louis, Missouri. Custom Foodscaping provides consultation, design, and installation services to help you achieve your edible landscaping, farm and garden or permaculture goals. They specialize in raised bed vegetable gardens, food forests, orchards, herb gardens, culinary gardens, and...
158. Michael Kilpatrick’s Great Lakes Expo Keynote on Identifying Your Market for Major Success
December 14, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBWhat options are available to farmers who want to optimize their farmers market presence? Today we’re going with a bit of a different approach to the podcast. I had the honor of presenting at the Great Lakes Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I covered topics revolving around farmers markets and how to thrive in that environment. I take a deep dive into attracting the right customers, crafting an engaging experience that creates long term customer relationships, knowing your numbers, what Mi...
157. Serela Herrada on Creating Food Transparency Across Borders
December 07, 2021 15:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBHow does an international food to table operation actually get food to tables? Today we have Sarela Herrada, co-founder of Simpli, on the show. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Sarela grew up around farmers; her parents ran an organic chicken coop. She moved to the US at the age of 14, and later studied and gained relevant experience in food supply chains. In 2019, she co-founded Simpli. Simpli works directly with international farming communities to streamline the traditionally complicate...
157. Sarela Herrada on Creating Food Transparency Across Borders
December 07, 2021 15:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBHow does an international food to table operation actually get food to tables? Today we have Sarela Herrada, co-founder of Simpli, on the show. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Sarela grew up around farmers; her parents ran an organic chicken coop. She moved to the US at the age of 14, and later studied and gained relevant experience in food supply chains. In 2019, she co-founded Simpli. Simpli works directly with international farming communities to streamline the traditionally complicate...
156. Michael Kilpatrick on Snafus with Local Government & Running for Office to Promote Positive Change
November 30, 2021 15:00 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBMichael discusses how he faced off with the many challenges presented to him within his local government to ensure a positive change for the future and farming. You’ll hear: Why many farmers feel like the government is not our friend 2:17 About the many regulations placed on small farms 4:04 Why we don’t trust the government with the task of preserving the best interests of our farm, human health, and the environment at large 4:46 Why the government can’t be as efficient as pri...
155. Maud Kelley on Creating a Multifaceted Family Farm Business
November 23, 2021 15:00 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBToday we are joined by Maud Kelley, Principal and Owner of Greenlands Farm. Greenlands Farm is a small, three generational sustainable modern homestead farm located in rural Bolivia, NC. The Greenlands team is a true reflection of the homestead farm life: growing organic produce, baking in the farm kitchen with farm grown ingredients, and composting. This farm family certainly lives the sustainable lifestyle they teach others about! They’re open by appointment for educational group tours, as...
154. Katherine Nietmann on Creating Consistent Sales with a Cold Climate Farm
November 16, 2021 15:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBHave you considered making your farm a versatile year-round operation? We’re joined today by Katherine Nietmann of Moose Meadow Farm. Moose Meadow Farm is a CSA, grocery store, and winter online market based near Standpoint, Idaho. The goal of Moose Meadow is to make it easy for consumers to eat well every day, by providing the highest quality organic produce that’s squeaky clean, thoughtfully packaged, and conveniently delivered. Their systems are always evolving to be the most efficien...
153. Dr. Elaine Ingham on Maintaining the Life Within our Soils
November 09, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBDo you know all the ins and outs when it comes to keeping your farm’s foundation primed to thrive? Today, we are delighted to host Dr. Elaine Ingham on the Thriving Farmer Podcast. Dr. Ingham is an American microbiologist and soil biology researcher. She’s also the Founder of Soil Foodweb Inc. The mission of Soil Foodweb Inc is to empower individuals and organizations to regenerate the soils in their communities. Dr. Ingham has advanced our knowledge about the soil food web for over 4 dec...
152. Brian Sanders on Food and Diet Misconceptions
November 02, 2021 14:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBDo you trust the mainstream conception of “healthy”? Today we are proud to host Brian Sanders, health coach, filmmaker and Co-Founder of the health, media and technology company Sapien. Sapien’s mission is to provide information and services to promote healthy living. They are fighting the good fight against the modern norms that lead to chronic disease, weight gain, and poor health. Through education and tools they are helping people to eat better, live better, and thrive instead of just...
151. Liz Dowd on Rooftop Farming for Community Connection
October 26, 2021 14:00 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBWhat kind of farming opportunities exist in The Big Apple? Joining me today is Liz Dowd, Director of Farming Operations at Brooklyn Grange, located in NYC. Founded in 2010, Brooklyn Grange is the leading rooftop farming and intensive green roofing business in the US. Brooklyn Grange operates the world’s largest rooftop soil farms, located on three roofs in New York City. They work to make the city more sustainable by designing, building and maintaining urban green spaces for private resid...
150. Curly on Innovating to Meet the Needs of Modern Farmers
October 19, 2021 14:00 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBFarm life is challenging. Who’s out there innovating, making farm life more practical, modern and convenient? Today on our 150th episode, we’ve got a fun episode featuring Curly of Curly’s Ag, located in Rosevale, Queensland, Australia. Curly’s Ag is an Australian family business that designs, manufactures, and distributes tools and equipment. Their designs aim to solve the daily challenges we face in agriculture to accelerate efficiency and production. Curly and his family run a market g...
149. Jeffrey Smith on Why Eating Organic Is a Critical First Step in Getting Healthy
October 12, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 73.8 MB*Disclaimer* We recognize that our focus on this podcast may or may not align with your personal perspectives on genetic modification and the use of chemical inputs (such as glyphosate and dicamba) in agriculture production. With our mission of building profitable and sustainable farms, we present today's podcast with the hope that we can consider the long-term impact of this technology on the health and productivity of our worldwide community. We encourage folks to do their own research...
148. Danielle Flood on Providing Resources for Food Security Globally
October 05, 2021 14:00 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBToday on the show, we’re deviating from the typical farmer to farmer Q&A formula to focus a bit on the importance of international missionary work in agriculture. We’re joined by Danielle Flood, Public Relations and Communications Manager for ECHO, an international institution which works to find innovative and sustainable ways for small farmers around the world to optimize their farms’ production. Danielle came to ECHO in December 2007 after serving as a missionary in Niger, West Africa fo...
147. Nigel Palmer on Creating Nutrient Dense Foods Without the Damage and Expense of Commercial Chemicals
September 28, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBHow well do you understand the fundamentals of keeping your farm regenerative and healthy? Today we’re joined by Nigel Palmer, life long gardener and Author of The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments. Nigel’s book provides practical, detailed instructions that are accessible to every grower who wants to achieve a truly sustainable garden ecosystem - all while enjoying better results at a fraction of the cost of commercial fertilizer products. These recipes go beyond fertilize...
146. Stacey Bowles on Connecting Farmers to Consumers Across North America
September 21, 2021 14:00 - 18 minutes - 17 MBToday on the show we're joined by Stacey Bowles, born and raised farmer and Founder of Smart Locavore, a classified free-to-use website for people to find local food directly from farmers & growers. Stacey has a thorough understanding of the benefits of sourcing and growing local food. She grew up on her parents' beef cattle farm in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Smart Locavore was created for large producers and the small gardeners alike. Maybe you only have a little extra and can only post ...
145. Michael Kilpatrick on Hiring Amidst the Current Shortage
September 14, 2021 14:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBThe farm is hot but your workforce is dwindling. What now? On today’s episode, I’ll be taking this time to talk to you all about labor. Currently there are lots of folks in the industry struggling with it! Summer crops are coming in, Fall crops are being planted, but labor might be waning due to a variety of factors. In the episode, I’ll be discussing why you need reliable help to fall back on, how you can maximize your production and profits with labor, what you can do to secure the labo...
144. Gerardo Martinez on Creating Multiple Revenue Streams with Community Education
September 07, 2021 14:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBOn today’s episode we’re hosting Gerardo Martinez, founder of Wild Kid Acres located in Edgewater, Maryland. A Chicago native, Gerardo went on to study Engineering at the United States Naval Academy. After graduating, Gerardo served in the Marine Corps and then went on to lead in the corporate world. From leading staff sections in the Marine Corps, building divisions of a construction company, and assisting to create non-profits, Gerardo has a wide range of experiences to assist in building...
143. Mark Ramsay on Agricultural Education to Foster Young Farmers
August 31, 2021 14:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBDid you choose farming, or did farming choose you? Today we’re joined by Mark Ramsay, Founder and Executive Director of Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm (or The LEAF) located in Southington, Connecticut. The LEAF brings classroom subjects to life, incorporating agricultural farming practices that are socially and ecologically beneficial while connecting learning through hands-on education. Mark is the 7th generation of the Lewis family to have continuously farmed the land since the 1700...
142. Andrea McAdow on Marketing, Flower Production, and Success with CSA
August 24, 2021 14:00 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBToday we’re chatting with Andrea McAdow, owner of Rosebird Farms located in Kingman, Arizona. Nestled in the Cerbat Mountains on just over 2 acres, Rosebird is a certified naturally grown farm growing over 20 varieties of produce any given season. They use high density planting with a focus on soil health in order to get the most out of the land. Andrea came into farming after starting her career in civil engineering and construction management. She felt she needed to give back to the Earth ...
141. The Ericksons on Soil Management, Compost Tea, and Farming in New Zealand
August 17, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBHave you ever considered moving your farming operation? Today we’re taking it across the pond with Steve, Jenny, and Sequoia of Chaos Springs Farm, located in Waihi, New Zealand. Originally located in Utah, Chaos Springs makes compost and soil management tools to help growers take control of their soil fertility. They make it a point to pay close attention to all four realms of soil function: soil biology, minerals, energetics, and the plant-soil relationship. Chaos Springs also grows a se...
140. Nicolette Hahn Niman on Regenerative Ranching with Integrity
August 10, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBIs beef ranching bad for the environment? What can ranchers do to make sure their operation is ethical and environmentally healthy? On today’s episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’ve got Nicolette Hahn Niman. She is an esteemed author and former environmental lawyer. Nicolette spends much of her time speaking and writing about the problems of industrialized livestock production. She explores these topics in her books: ‘Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factor...
139. Evan McCommon on Switching from Forestry to Farming
August 03, 2021 14:00 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBHow much history has your family farm built? Today I’m speaking with Evan McCommon of Mahaffey Farms, a very long-running, historical family farm located in Haughton, Louisiana. By combining traditional agricultural practices with modern marketing, including farm-to-table dinners, a farm store, and a bed-and-breakfast, Evan and his family are introducing a new generation to fresh seasonal foods. Mahaffey takes a holistic approach to everything they do. The main principles they operate und...
138. Zachary Couture and Firmin Ntakimazi on Helping Former Refugees Have Thriving Farm Businesses
July 27, 2021 14:00 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBWho makes sure that the refugee farmers thrive too? Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we have with us Zachary Couture and Firmin Ntakimazi of Lutheran Services located in Des Moines, Iowa. Zachary is co-leader and developer of the Global Greens Program which reconnects former refugee farmers with the land as they build their new life in the U.S. Through Global Greens, farmers access space to grow food, learn more about U.S. agriculture, and start their own business by selling produce ...