Carrot Cashflow: Recent Episodes
The Modern Grower Podcast Network
Carrot Cashflow is the first 100% business-focused podcast for small-scale farmers and market gardeners.
Learn how to market your farm products better, increase sales, and get more customers. This show is for anyone who wants to run a farm business profitably.
Each episode explores a farm business topic. Some episodes feature guests where we talk with a beginning or experienced farmer, diving deep into their story to determine what makes their farm successful. I focus on farming challenges and struggles, sales and marketing, social media marketing, farm startup, market selection, and work-life balance.
Hosted and produced by Diego Footer's Modern Grower Podcast Network. Diego is also the co-author of the book Ready Farmer One.
"Every bed here should generate $1,000 of value."
That's Ben Hartman, standing on 15,000 square feet...a third of an acre. Twenty years ago, he started on a 1,000-acre corn and soybean operation, then market gardened on two acres. Today, he farms less land than he ever has, and his profit margin is the highest it's ever been.
Learn more about farmer Ben Hartman and Clay Bottom Farm here.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Ben Hartman wrote The Lean Farm in 2015 and changed how a generation of market gardeners thinks about systems and waste. Twenty growing seasons in, he farms just 15,000 square feet—about a third of an acre—and his margins are the highest they've ever been.
Click here to learn more about Learn Farmer Ben Hartman and Clay Bottom Farm.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
The hardest part of farming isn't starting. It's what happens when things start working: when customers show up, when market days get bigger, when you need more beds, more hands, more of everything. That's when the foundation cracks.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Everyone says the farmers market is the obvious place to start. Low barrier to entry — show up with an easy-up, a table, and a cooler. But low barrier to entry is not the same as low cost.
Click here to learn more about Neil and Garden to Market.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Seven and a half years ago, a farmer wrote down five goals. The last one: use a farm to buy a farm. He just closed on fifty acres for over a million dollars. The farm's financial track record made the purchase possible — not savings, not investors, not inheritance.
Click here to learn more about farmer Shane and Aslan Organics!
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Shane and his wife started with two 8×12 plots as a hobby. Nine years later they own a 50-acre property in Sarnia, Ontario, market garden on 2.5 acres, and crossed $200,000 in revenue last year — up from $173,000 the year before. Minimum 30% year-over-year growth every year since they started in Ontario.
Click here to learn more about farmer Shane and Aslan Organics!
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
$130,000 in farm revenue. $30,000 take-home. Where does the other $100,000 go? That gap is the most useful part of Chef Mikey Russo's story.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
A hundred and thirty thousand (yes, $130,000) in farm revenue sounds great until you see what stays. Chef Mikey Russo took home $30,000 from his farm last year. He paid $40,000 in labor. The rest went to reinvestment: compost, tools, YouTube equipment, coaching, infrastructure. That's not a failure. That's a deliberate strategy.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Michael Russo spent 20 years as a chef working 80-hour weeks, sometimes 100. He walked away at 40 with no farming experience, no degree, and no business background.
First real growing season: $2,100 in his best week ($600 restaurant, $1,500 farmer's market). Even off weeks with groundhog damage, he pushed $1,000. He spent $30,000 on equipment in year one...all cash from his previous career, no debt.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Michael Russo spent 20 years as a chef working 80-hour weeks, sometimes 100. He walked away at 40 with no farming experience, no degree, and no business background.
First real growing season: $2,100 in his best week ($600 restaurant, $1,500 farmer's market). Even off weeks with groundhog damage, he pushed $1,000. He spent $30,000 on equipment in year one...all cash from his previous career, no debt.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Chef Mikey Russo left a 20-year kitchen career to start a market garden in Tennessee. We first talked in 2023 during his first full-time season. Now he's in year four with no job, running $130,000 in annual revenue across 80 fifty-foot beds on two properties, selling to roughly eight restaurants, and paying himself $30,000 after $40,000 in labor costs.
Click here to learn more about Chef Mikey and Chef's Harvest!
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
After 10 years of analyzing crop economics, one crop keeps scoring a perfect five out of five on every profitability metric I track. It's not lettuce. It's not microgreens. It's carrots.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Neil Robinson spent 20 years designing dishwashers and ovens for factory assembly lines. Then he quit and started a market garden. When I asked what transferred, he didn't say growing skills. He said: the way factories think about movement, waste, and process.
Click here to learn more about Neil and Garden to Market.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
35% profit margin. Your accountant says bravo. Your spouse says we're not losing money. But 35% of not enough is not enough. This is the profit margin trap — and it catches more farm businesses than bad weather ever will.
Click here to learn more about Neil and Garden to Market.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
$400 a day. That's where Neil Robinson started his first year at a farmer's market in New Zealand. The vendor two stalls down selling nearly identical product had a line out the front. Neil was standing there, wondering what was wrong with his carrots.
Nothing was wrong with his carrots. The other vendor's carrots were familiar.
Click here to learn more about Neil and Garden to Market.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
He spent 30+ years in product design and manufacturing. Then at 55, Neil Robinson left his desk job in New Zealand and started a market garden from scratch.
This interview covers the unfiltered first-year reality: 15 weeks of showing up to a farmer's market before sales felt consistent. $400 was a good day in those early weeks — now a good week is over $800, pushing past $1,000 with the right product mix. Profit margin around 35% (with his own labor coming out of that 35%, not counted as a cost).
Click here to learn more about Neil and Garden to Market.
Watch the episode here!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Salanova is the most common lettuce crop in market gardening. But how many growers actually know their profit margin on it? Most are guessing. This episode breaks down the real economics using production data from Ray Tyler's book The Farmer's Guide to Growing Organic Lettuce — numbers from a working farm in Tennessee, not theory. The scenario: 100-foot bed, 30 inches wide, landscape fabric, 4×6 inch spacing, labor at $25/hr.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
A parking lot, a tent, a pack of scissors. That's the entire retail infrastructure for a farm that grossed $158,500 last year.
Watch the video on our YouTube Channel!
Click here to check out Megan's book, Pick Your Own Farming by Megan Neubauer (Acres USA). Online course + monthly live calls: purelandorganic.com Click here to learn more about Pure Land Organic Farm. Check out their TikTok, too! Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Twenty-two people spending $45 each. That's $1,000 a week. That's a neighborhood.
Megan Neubauer built a $158,000/year pick-your-own operation at Pure Land Organic in Texas — with no walk-in cooler, no wash station, no farmer's market booth, and no harvest labor. The customers do the picking.
Click here to watch the video version of this episode.
Click here to check out Megan's book, Pick Your Own Farming by Megan Neubauer (Acres USA). Online course + monthly live calls: purelandorganic.com Click here to learn more about Pure Land Organic Farm. Check out their TikTok, too! Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Megan Neubauer runs Pure Land Farm in McKinney, Texas with her dad. They switched from a year-round market garden (peak revenue: under $50K) to a 100% pick-your-own model — and haven't looked back. This is my third interview with Megan...and the numbers have climbed every time. Click here to check out Megan's book, Pick Your Own Farming by Megan Neubauer (Acres USA). Online course + monthly live calls: purelandorganic.com Click here to learn more about Pure Land Organic Farm. Check out their TikTok, too! Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Join Derek as he shares his inspiring journey from cannabis caretaker to DJ to regenerative farmer at Rosemary's Oasis. He shares how he and his wife balance multiple income streams as they lay down the foundations of a sustainable farm focused on microgreens, herbalism, and permaculture principles...all while building a family.
In this episode, Russell Loughmiller of Muirhead Canning Company sheds light on how small-scale farmers can turn excess harvest into premium shelf-stable products that sell for twice the price of commercial alternatives. Learn how value-added processing can create year-round revenue streams and build customer loyalty through a CSA-style pre-order system that eliminates guesswork and stabilizes cash flow.
Click here to learn more about Russell Loughmiller and Muirhead Canning Company.
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Join Dallas Half Acre Farm owner Michael Bell as he shares his practical, low-pressure approach to building a profitable part-time farm business. Michael, a full-time PE teacher with retirement on the horizon, reveals his simplified CSA model that focuses on just 3-4 high-value crops while requiring minimal infrastructure and startup costs. Learn how he serves 35-40 customers weekly with a flexible, bi-weekly delivery system that eliminates upfront payments and traditional CSA stress. Whether you're approaching retirement, looking for supplemental income, or wanting to test the farming waters before diving in full-time, this episode provides a refreshingly realistic roadmap for creating a debt-free farm business that grows at your pace—perfect for beginners and part-timers who want to farm without the financial pressure.
Learn more about Michael Bell and Dallas Half Acre Farm here.
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
In this episode, host Diego welcomes returning guest Jill Duncan as she embarks on the journey of moving her farm a little ways away from an urban center outside the city. She shares how she's moving her farm operations, the challenges of the move, how she's maintaining her customer base, and how she's planning and laying out her new farm given her market garden experience.
Click here to learn more about farmer Jill Duncan and Loving Roots Urban Farm.
Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel!
Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!
Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast
Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon
**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
In this episode, host Diego welcomes Kelly Dafor, a farmer-to-be at the beginning of their farming journey. Kelly is looking to transition out of the oil and gas industry and into agriculture. She shares the reason for the transition, her plans and goals for her farm, the challenges she expects to have, and the gains she looks forward to.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Dustin LaBat of Specklebelly Farms in Weimar, Texas shares their you-pick farming model that includes not only vegetables but also cut flowers and blackberries, which is the biggest draw. He talks about the labor, economics, and marketing strategies that go into running their farm, as well as how blackberries can be an incredibly profitable crop for market farmers. Lastly, he touches on plant sales, farm stand sales, and restaurant sales as complementary income that allows their farm to run all year round.
Check out Specklebelly Farms here!
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Tony Barlow of Barlow Roots Market returns to the show to look back on their 10-year market gardening journey. He shares the practical financial mindset with which he ran Barlow Roots, as well as how they manage their finances both inside and outside the business.
Sign up to Tony's newsletter here!
Click here to learn more about Barlow Roots Market!
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Jay Tracy of CucumberShop.com shares his interesting journey of starting a hobby, which later turned into a business of breeding and selecting the best of over 70 different varieties of cucumbers and selling cucumber seeds online.
Click here to learn more about Jay Tracy and Cucumber Shop!
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Brian Sakurada of Shiwa Green Farm in Iwate, Japan joins host Diego to share his interesting farming journey and how he began selling organic produce not just in his local area but all over Japan. He also talks about the differences between farming in the US and farming in Japan, as well as the reality of organic farming in Japan.
Click here to learn more about Brian Sakurada and Shiwa Green Farm!
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
This is the audio version of my newsletter Seeding Thoughts. Subscribe and read previous issues of the newsletter here.
Time slips away quickly, especially when raising children, leaving parents wishing they could relive precious moments. The key is to proactively manage your present by implementing "Sacred Time" - non-negotiable slots in your schedule dedicated to important relationships and activities. By deliberately planning and prioritizing these moments, you can shape your life around what truly matters, ensuring that when you look back, you'll see a story of love, connection, and time well spent.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
This is the audio version of my newsletter Seeding Thoughts. Subscribe and read previous issues of the newsletter here.
Going to bed on time is a crucial yet often overlooked strategy for boosting productivity and overall well-being. It sets off a positive chain reaction, leading to more energetic mornings, better focus, and improved performance throughout the day. By prioritizing consistent sleep habits, you're not just preparing for a productive day, but creating a foundation for success in various aspects of life, from work to relationships and personal health.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Farmer, business owner, and author Megan Neubauer from Pure Land Farm returns to the show to give us an update of her latest growing season running a Pick-Your-Own Farm. Megan talks about the changes they made with their growing practices and the strategies they use when there's either too much or not enough produce to pick, and she also shares the new season passes that they offer their pickers. You can learn more in Megan's book: Pick-Your-Own-Farming
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
In this episode of 'Carrot Cashflow,' host Diego follows up on a past episode exploring the subject of ADHD and general strategies you can use to improve focus.
Subscribe and read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
In this episode of 'Carrot Cashflow,' host Diego reflects on his 11-year podcasting journey, sharing the key lessons he's learned over the years. He discusses his early love for talk radio and the influence of Howard Stern, his unexpected venture into podcasting, and the formative experiences that have shaped him. Diego highlights the importance of giving freely, recognizing invisible impacts, finding purpose, and being authentic. He emphasizes consistency, content that resonates personally, and vulnerability. The episode also serves as a personal time capsule for his family, expressing gratitude and love while encouraging listeners to pursue meaningful endeavors.
Subscribe and read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, host Diego discusses the pitfalls of chasing 'shiny objects' in business and the importance of properly vetting new opportunities before diving in. He uses examples like the Denver Broncos' acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson and the impulsive decisions of new homesteaders to illustrate how easily attractive but ultimately detrimental ideas can seduce people. Diego emphasizes the value of starting small, testing concepts, and having an exit strategy to avoid long-term damage and wasted resources. The key takeaway is to think clearly, remain cautious, and avoid impulsive decisions that could harm your primary business.
Subscribe and read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, the focus is on managing ADHD and the tendency to chase new and exciting ideas, which are often to the detriment of ongoing projects. Diego touches on how ADHD traits like curiosity, risk-taking, and impulsivity align with entrepreneurial behavior. He discusses how these traits can be both beneficial and detrimental, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus on productive work. Diego outlines several common traps entrepreneurs fall into, such as new business idea syndrome, the grass is greener trap, and being constant pivoters. He urges listeners to balance the thrill of new ideas with the necessity of completing foundational work, providing practical advice on avoiding distractions and emphasizing action over perpetual learning.
Subscribe and read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, host Diego discusses reasons for shutting down a business, including personal and financial factors. Personal reasons include losing interest, stress, and better opportunities elsewhere. Financial reasons include poor product quality, overwhelming debt, and cash flow issues. Diego also outlines weak reasons for keeping a business running, such as fear of failure and altruism. He emphasizes the importance of making informed decisions based on regular reassessment of motives and circumstances.
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Rarely do people come into farming as their first career choice, as told by the countless stories of farmers who came from diverse career backgrounds—from healthcare to IT to sales to education to human resources—you name it.
Farmer Lindsey Hauger's story is not so different: having served in the Marines, he also worked in automotive repair and even ran his own trucking company before getting into farming. He shares his story of how he entered the world of farming and how he found his niche farming small-scale in Watkins, Iowa.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools and microgreen seeds at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Read More
Jackie Hinchey, who has a background in agriculture, transitioned from a mom with a simple veggie garden to establishing Blue Dog Farm, known for its premium 'really fancy salad.' Initially started as a hobby, her farm grew into a successful business.
Jackie discusses growing diverse crops on a small scale, ensuring high product quality, managing the business efficiently, and adapting to challenges, including climatic conditions. They delve into pricing strategies, market targeting, and maintaining ethical and high-quality food production. The conversation concludes with reflections on life choices, the impacts of the podcast on Jackie's journey, and advice for both young and older aspiring farmers.
Blue Dog Farm: https://www.instagram.com/blue_dog_farm
Get time and labor-saving farm tools and microgreen seeds at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Jill Duncan introduces her small-scale urban farm, Loving Roots Urban Farm, located in Ferguson, Missouri. Operating on just an eighth of an acre, Jill discusses the practices she uses, such as no-till farming and focusing on high-value, quick-growing crops like salad mixes and cherry tomatoes.
Despite the limited space, she makes a living wage and shares insights into her methods for efficiency, problem-solving, and building a strong relationship-based customer base.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools and microgreen seeds at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.moderngrower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Read my newsletter, Seeding Thoughts.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Megan Neubauer from Pure Land Farm joins me to discuss her revolutionary you-pick farming model. The model is extremely profitable and gives her a lot of extra time each year to do things off the farm. Megan goes through her strategies for sales, marketing, and crop planning. You can learn more in Megan's book: Pick-Your-Own-Farming
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Alec Smith is a farmer planning to start his own farming business after working on farms. He discusses the details of his past experiences, his motivation to start his farm, and the steps he has taken or plans to embark upon to achieve this.
This includes working part-time on his farm project while still working at his full-time farm job, the financial considerations, the specific goals for the first year and subsequent years, technological advancements he's excited about, and apprehensions about starting his own business.
Get time and labor-saving farm tools at shop.modern grower.co
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
- Farm Small, Farm Smart
- Farm Small, Farm Smart Daily
- The Growing Microgreens Podcast
Check out Diego's book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
(0:00) Scale into a new product slowly. Expand as there is demand.
(0:21:45) Farmer Becky Hume from VRDNT Farm talks about her road to building a successful farm business. https://www.instagram.com/vrdnt.farm/
(1:52:45) Drunk Ideas - Phone blocking technology.
Show feedback: diego@paperpot.co
Check out my book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
(0:00) Pay attention to business analytics and face the numbers—they don't lie.
(08:50) Listener Q&A with a Twist: How do you evaluate yourself as a parent?
(0:19:50) Farmers Amber Broxon and Justin Miller join me to discuss how the evaluate success on their farm. How they balance farm with life, farm budgeting, and more.
(1:51:30) Drunk Ideas - F1 everything.
Broxon Berry Farm: http://instagram.com/broxonberry
Show feedback: diego@paperpot.co
Check out my new book, Sell Everything You Grow, which is only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Paul Dysinger, co-founder of Seedtime, joins me to talk about his journey to build the best farm and garden software ever. He shares lessons that have helped him manage time, prioritize tasks, and balance work and life.
Learn more about Seedtime [Affiliate link]
Shop all of our farm tools and equipment: https://shop.moderngrower.co/
(0:00) Thanksgiving food talk. Is the food better the next day? Top 5 sides. Pumpkin pie is gross.
(0:31:56) Farmer Mark DeRespinis describes how he has built a very successful no-till farm raising high-quality vegetables and selling them to restaurants in the Boulder, CO area.
(2:05:35) Drunk Ideas - The Michelin Star guide for produce.
Mark's farm: https://www.instagram.com/esoterraculinary/
Check out our Black Friday Sale: https://shop.moderngrower.co/
(0:00) Be careful who you take an opinion from.
(0:15:53) Farmer Liz Calvelage talks about running her farm part-time with kids.
(1:11:20) Listener Q&A - Productivity Hack
(1:15:49) Drunk Ideas - Car Siri
Little Bean Farm: https://littlebeanfarm.com/our-story/
Check out my new book, Sell Everything You Grow - only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
(0:00) Be careful who you take an opinion from.
(0:24:00) Farmer Ian Jerolmack talks about how they are crushing it on their farm and will do $500k in sales.
(1:27:15) Listener Q&A - Cut expenses or grow revenue?
(1:39:47) Drunk Ideas - The Auto Warner
Check out my new book, Sell Everything You Grow - only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
(0:30) When life gives you hard times, how do you react - crumble or take it head-on.
(12:35) Farmer Ian Caselli talks about his farming journey. Ian started farming part-time and tries to manage his hours to earn extra income for his family.
(1:08:50) Listener Q&A - Is a $500 farmers market worth it?
(1:16:30) Drunk Ideas - The Foot Tent
Check out my new book, Sell Everything You Grow - only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
(0:30) The purgatory of mediocrity. What happens when you aren't good enough to succeed but not bad enough to fail?
(14:25) Michael Russo a former chef, discusses his transition into farming. How he is making it work while working an off-farm job.
(1:02:22) Listener Q&A
(1:09:58) Drunk Ideas - The "It's OK to say NO" sign.
Check out my brand new book Sell Everything You Grow - only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Mike's Farm - https://www.instagram.com/chefsharvestfarmllc
What makes a farm successful - the farmer or the system? People think it's the tools and other items that make it work, I argue it's the farmer that makes it work.
(10:42) Jennifer Brand joins to discuss transitioning from the software field to farming. Raising unique vegetables and carving out a unique niche in her market.
(1:26:51) The debut of Drunk Ideas. Partially thought out "good" business ideas. The mobile farmers market booth.
Check out my brand new book Sell Everything You Grow - only $0.99 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
Sonaterra Farm - https://www.instagram.com/sonaterrafarm
Broxon Berry Farm- https://www.instagram.com/broxonberry
Want to learn more? Check out my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Sales and Marketing - Get it on Amazon.
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Many people start market gardening in the hopes of becoming an established farm that consistently provides fresh, local food to their community. But what if that niche is already filled and there’s already a lot of other people doing what you want to do? You can certainly try keeping at it. Or you can pivot and lean on your other skills to fill a different niche.
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’ve invited Bruce Young of Blue Gate Farm in Warren, Connecticut to talk about their journey into small-scale farming as well as how they shifted gears from growing vegetables to raising animals, and finally, to successfully selling bread at a booming farmer’s market.
Learn more about Blue Gate Farm on their website and Instagram.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Many farms have different programs to draw people to their location—from tours to workshops to parties. If you’re someone who’s managing your farm’s CSA program while running an on-farm farm stand, what can you do to draw people in and keep them coming back?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to Will Conway of Stone Acres Farm to share some useful tips and tricks on how to run a successful farm stand, what they’re doing to keep customers coming back, and how they’re managing their unique CSA program alongside it.
Learn more about Stone Acres Farm on their website and Instagram.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Tony Barlow of Barlow Roots Market joins me to talk about balancing an off-farm job, homeschool and running a successful farm on the side.
If you are interested in following Tony and learning more about the things we spoke about today he has just started a new channel called Homestead Money. He is looking forward to sharing more on homesteading, market gardening and finance. Specifically, he hopes to help homestead dreamers purchase their homestead, and current homesteaders manage their finances wisely. You can join his email list here: http://eepurl.com/ijcC61.
Or follow him on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/homesteadmoney/
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Learn more about different marketing strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Stephanie Haynes of the Vancouver, Washington Farmer’s Market joins us to talk about why they created an online store for their local farmer’s market, how they pulled it off, and the CSA-type program they have to increase to further increase their vendors’ sales while introducing more unique produce to their market.
Learn more about the Vancouver, Washington Farmer's Market through their website and get updates through their Instagram.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Learn more about different marketing strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Farmer and consultant Ellen Polishuk joins Diego to discuss running a successful farm business. Ellen has over 30 years of experience growing vegetables and cut flowers in the Washington, DC area.
Learn more about Ellen:
https://www.planttoprofit.com/
https://www.instagram.com/planttoprofit_farmerellen
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Learn more about different marketing strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Tom & Marcy Bradley of Pleasant Valley Farms talk about how they took advantage of their adventurous market to sell their livestock products.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Learn more about different marketing strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Microgreens grower Reuven Marriott shares the trials and tribulations of starting and running a microgreens business in Israel.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Learn more about different marketing strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Farmer Noah Poulos shares their profitable business model of selling bulk to wholesale customers at Clem's Organic Gardens in North Carolina.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Learn more about different marketing strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Farmer Trey Johnson of St. Joseph Homestead joins me to discuss how they have optimized home delivery for their market garden.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Learn about other viable farm business models in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
When people are looking to buy something, they often go over their options and see which one is of the best quality. But when all their options are of equal quality, how do they decide then? They look at you and whether or not they resonate with you, your values, and what you’re doing.
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, farmer and farming marketer Corinna Bench talks about how selling more doesn’t always mean finding new customers. Sometimes, it’s urging your current customers to buy more. And urging them to buy more is an easy ask when you’ve taken the time to build meaningful relationships with them.
Learn more about Corinna. https://mydigitalfarmer.com/
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Learn more about branding strategies in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Learn more from Corinna and other farmers in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Learn more from Max and other farmers in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing, available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Learn more from Josh and other farmers in my book Ready Farmer One - The Farmer's Guide to Selling and Marketing available on Amazon or at readyfarmerone.com.
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
Subscribe to Seeding Thoughts - https://modern-grower.ck.page/posts
Reach me on Instagram @diegofooter
When you’re a new farm business selling a niche product, the first place you’ll probably think to sell to would be at a farmer’s market. There’s no doubt that farmer’s markets area great way to network with potential customers and other growers in your area. But if you have a full-time job while raising a family, and you don’t want to sacrifice your weekends for farmer’s markets, where do you sell to then?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to growers Dan and Hilary Papuchis of Hildan Produce to share how they started selling their microgreens outside of the farmer’s market in order to make the business fit into their lifestyle.
Learn more about Hildan Produce.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
If you’re a farmer thinking tacking on an online store to your current farm business model, how do you choose which selling platform to go with? What features do you want to see? What questions should you ask, and what kind of post-purchase customer support do they provide?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, Founder and CEO of Local Line, Cole Jones talks about why he created an online selling platform for small farms and what role he wants it to play in the local food movement.
Learn more about Local Line.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
In recent years, there has been a steady increase of younger people interested in local food. And in this digital age, that same younger demographic is used to purchasing what they need online, straight from the comforts of their home. That said, why should purchasing nutritious, local food be any different?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, Robert Arnold of Pleasant Valley Farm talks about how they were able to take their farm business online after decades of solely relying on farmer’s markets. Robert talks about the process behind how they built the front and back end of their online business to run it more efficiently.
Learn more about Pleasant Valley Farm and Smart Farm Innovations.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
When you’re first building out your customer base, many farmers will tell you to start selling at the farmer’s market to let people know you’re there and to build connections before you consider starting selling online. But no one said you could start by doing just the opposite.
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to Lesley Dennis of Solway Farms in Kentucky to talk about her experience selling their produce online before they considered selling at a farmer’s market.
Learn more about Solway Farms.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
If you’re a farmer who can’t set your own prices, it can be disheartening—especially when you know just how much time, effort, and money it takes to put out those products. As heartbreaking as it sounds, that was the reality that many dairy farmers in the US faced. Because of that reality, many dairy farmers tried to either add or transition their dairy farms into hemp farms. And one of those farmers is Sam Bellavance.
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to farmer Sam Bellavance of South Hero, Vermont to talk about how he and his team created a brand that helped Sunset Lake CBD to stand out as a premium producer in a sea of CBD companies.
Learn more at Sunset Lake CBD.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
When you’re a small farm, what’s a good way to incentivize your local community to support you and what you’re doing? How about tying up a CSA share with a project you want to do on the farm?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to farmer Jeamette Lock of Pack River Farm in Sandpoint, Idaho to talk about how their community showed up to help them build a greenhouse and what they do in return to show their appreciation.
Learn more about Pack River Farm.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
When you’re a new farm struggling to get yourself out there and secure your first few customers, then marketing can be a great tool to broaden your reach, make yourself known, and hopefully get more yourself in front of paying customers. So, what’s a good way to approach marketing?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to marketing strategist John Reinwald of Farmstand Revival to walk us through how to kick a small farm’s marketing game off the ground.
Learn more about Farmstand Revival.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
When farmer’s markets are your only market stream, every week can be a gamble. Some weeks you can sell out every single vegetable you bring, and some weeks—particularly the not-so-sunny ones—you can take more than half of your produce back home, all slated to be given away or to be tossed into the compost pile. What if you can go to the market and be at peace knowing half the produce you’re bringing is already sold and that you only have to focus on selling the other half?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to farmer Hermann Bruns of Wild Flight Farm in Mara, BC to share their experience adding an online selling platform on top of their farmer’s market sales stream.
Learn more about Wild Flight Farm.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Farmer’s markets are a great way to get local food fresh from the farmers, but let’s face it—not everyone can spare the time to go to farmer’s markets every week. Well, what if there was a hub for local produce that’s open and operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, Bill Brinkerhoff of Argus Farmstop talks about their business model that not only stimulates their local food system, but also allows the farmers to set their prices, and also serves as a center for community-building.
Follow Argus Farm Stop.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
When you’re making a good number of sales online, is it still worth going to farmer’s markets all year round? Growers Carrie and Joe Chlebanowski of The Looney Farm in Alex, Oklahoma say yes, it still is.
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we have growers Carrie and Joe Chlebanowski to talk a little bit about increasing online sales through having a farmer’s market presence. They also share some useful tips on improving visuals and descriptions on the online store as well as displays for the farmer’s markets.
Follow The Looney Farm.
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
In this day and age, if you’re a farmer—especially one that’s just starting out—one of the first things you can do to start marketing yourself is establishing an online presence. And what better place to be for a new farm to start than a simple photo-sharing site like Instagram?
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening talks about why and how we can leverage Instagram to build a following that will engage, support, and purchase from us. He also shares some easy, insightful tips on how to be the big, shiny object that people would want to engage with.
Follow Kevin @epicgardening
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
As farmers living in the digital age, most of us are bound to have some sort of online presence, especially if we’re selling what we grow online. And one key element that can boost our marketing and make our product listings a lot more attractive are photos.
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to longtime professional commercial photographer John Spaulding to walk us through what it means to take photos as a medium to tell the stories we want to tell, as well as some considerations when we’re thinking about hiring a professional photographer.
Follow John
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Melissa Ballard joins me to talk about how selling online has helped their business. She also discusses how she tells her farm story to build and deepen the relationship with her customers.
Follow Bluegrass Beef @bluegrassbeef
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Jesse Way and Meghan Brandenberg join me to talk about their farm's evolution. From starting at a farmers' market to later dropping it to sell exclusively online, they have adapted the farm to fit their lifestyle and customer base.
Follow Milky Way Farm
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
In this episode of Carrot Cashflow, we’re talking to farmer Jenny Quiner about how she was able to expand their farm’s operations by adding salad dressing to their product offering. She shares where she got the idea, how she executed it, and how she’s managing to produce enough salad dressings for many big grocery store accounts.
Follow Jenny and Dogpatch
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Farmer Keith Zimmerman talks about how they grew their roadside farm stand into a huge retail operation where they now sell produce, pre-packaged food, ice cream, and hot food. He also shares the Deli Label app they developed along the way.
Follow Plum Creek Farm @plumcreekfarmpa
Want to learn more? My new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store is finally out!!! Get it on Amazon.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
In this episode, Diego talks about the dangers of personal and business debt. With money easier to get than ever you have to be very careful about taking loans. That money is much easier to accept than it is to pay back.
Follow me @diegofooter
Our new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store comes out in April! Learn more at readyfarmerone.com.
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Farmer Ray Tyler talks about how well their self-serve on-farm store has worked for them. He also discusses a modified CSA model called a Season Farm Bag which has been very successful.
Follow Rose Creek Farms @rosecreekfarms
Our new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store comes out in April!
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Farmer Vannah Roddy discusses the benefits of her weekly veggie box. It's a program that has been successful for her as a farmer while also being something that works for customers.
Follow Encompass Farm @encompassfarm
Our new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store comes out in April!
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Farmer Jeremy Tolley discusses why they go above and beyond to service their farm customers. He shares the extra steps he takes to really make customers feel like they are getting something special. He shares how he built his customer base using the website NextDoor. You will also hear his thoughts on why these decided to start aggregating products from other farms.
Follow Red Thread Farm @redthreadfarm
Our new book Ready Farmer One - The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design, and Market an Online Farm Store comes out in April!
Make farming easier with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/
Follow Diego on IG https://instagram.com/diegofooter
Follow PaperpotCo on IG https://instagram.com/paperpot
Carrot Cashflow is the first 100% business-focused podcast for market gardeners and vegetable farmers.
Learn how to market your vegetables better, increase sales, and make customers happier. This show is for anyone who wants to grow vegetables profitably.
Each episode explores a farm business topic. Some episodes feature guests where we talk with a beginning or experienced farmer, diving deep into their story to determine what makes their market farm successful. I focus on farming challenges and struggles, sales and marketing, social media marketing, farm startup, market selection, and work-life balance.
Watch interviews and clips from the show on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/DiegoFooter
Carrot Cashflow is hosted and produced by Diego Footer.
Diego is also the co-author of Ready Farmer One: The Farmers' Guide to Create, Design and Market an Online Farm Store
Follow Diego to give guest suggestions and comment on the show https://www.instagram.com/diegofooter