Growers Daily

Today I, Mimi, am speaking with my good good friend Abby Rose of Vidacycle, a farmer, physicist, and soil health advocate. She is the co-founder of Vidacycle Tech which makes easy to use web applications that support farmers on their regenerative path wherever they are. I've used these apps, spent a lot of time with her, think the world of her, and I feel this episode is part two of where we left off with Jim of Red Shirt Farm where we exposed the tender underbelly of the systems we're all working in and trying very hard to keep our heads above. In this conversation, Abby and I also talk about her other work on an AWESOME award-winning podcast, Farmerama Radio, if you haven't heard of it already go find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Specifically, the LANDED series. Her experience in working with an international cadre of farmers and stewards on their respective regenerative journeys has given her a keen perspective on the lay of the land regarding what we're up against when it comes to making space for holistic systems in a global economy that is working against it. Mentioned in the show... Abby's farm in Chile, Vidacycle Farm The web-based apps from Vidacycle Tech Listen to Farmerama Radio on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts Link to the LANDED series with Col Gordon Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, subscribe our growing YouTube channel, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Buckle up for another NERDY episode of the podcast. For this one, I--Natalie--spoke with Andrea Jilling, an assistant professor of environmental soil chemistry at Oklahoma State University. It's just coincidence that this one follows so soon after Mimi's interview with Dr. Cotrufo, as it's a nice continuation of that conversation about organic matter and carbon, but extending it to nitrogen, Andrea's area of research. Nitrogen is HUGE, it's in the air as both an inert gas and a greenhouse gas, it's in the soil as organic matter and inorganic molecules, it's even in some rocks. It's constantly changing and shifting in ways that are regulated by microbes, plants, humans, even lightning! In other words, it's complicated. There are economic and environmental implications regarding nitrogen management, and not just for farms spreading inorganic fertilizer, but for everyone. I can't promise that this conversation will help you create a fertility plan for you farm... in fact I'm pretty confident it won't. But, I think it provides an important link between thinking about carbon management and nitrogen management. Mentioned in the show... Andrea's Journal Articles Folks who make the show possible... Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, check out our weekly YouTube videos, pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey football fans, it's Mimi. And lest you be confused, today we're speaking with Jim Schultz of Red Shirt Farm--get it?--a 13 acre livestock + no-till veg farm in western Mass. He's been farming for more than a decade and came to farming later than he had originally planned (hence, Red Shirt). It's a long conversation, but the main reason I want you to stick it out is that not only has Jim done some of the coolest things, but when I reached out to him I was also thinking about the idea of the small farm held up as an ideal against scaling-up even regenerative agriculture and how it's difficult for me to talk about those two ideas in the same sentence, not to mention land ownership, and we have a deeply personal conversation about that as well as the behind the scenes version of what we, as farmers, go through. Mentioned in the show... Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web Advancing Eco-Agriculture The Bionutrient Food Association Solawrap Greenhouse Coverings Ecosystems Design Climate Battry Slow Food International Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey everyone, Alex Ball of Old City Acres, and today we sit down with Mat & Nina Ladegaard of Ground Stone Farm and Squash Blossom Local Food, respectively. Mat is a highly skilled high-elevation vegetable grower. Ground Stone Farm is a flourishing farm situated in the high-desert region of Nambe, New Mexico. Over the years, Mathew has developed and refined farming techniques that are specifically tailored to meet the unique demands of growing crops in a high-elevation environment, where weather can be unpredictable and precipitation is scarce. We dig deep into his adaptations for growing veg in a challenging environment, managing water through acequia community governance, and we get the privilege of chatting with Nina about Squash Blossom, the family local food aggregation and distribution subscription service. Check out Ground Stone Farm on Instagram (@groundstonefarm) to learn more about their high-desert farming techniques. Learn more about Squash Blossom Local Food (@squashblossomlocalfood), the family business Nina operates, which supports dozens of local growers and food producers in the New Mexico area. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out our YouTube channel, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Christine Sprunger is a soil scientist and head of the Soil Health and Ecosystem Ecology Lab at Michigan State University. With a deep-rooted passion for soil science, Christine's research doesn't shy away from the complexity of soil health and what it means for both the researcher and the farmer. Soil health is a laborious concept that requires a deep understanding of the ecosystem's overall functioning. To accurately assess soil health, it's crucial to identify relevant indicators that connect ecological processes with the practical management decisions farmers make. Some of Christine's research has revolved around nematodes. Nematodes, as microscopic worm-like organisms, play a critical role in soil ecosystems by feeding on bacteria, fungi, plant roots, and each other! These diverse feeding groups can serve as vital soil health indicators, allowing researchers and farmers to measure the ecological functioning and productivity of their agroecosystems. In addition to nematodes, she has researched the perenniality of roots, especially deep-rooted perennial legumes, and how they can be a crucial component of soil health as they contribute significantly to not only soil carbon sequestration processes, but also nitrogen storage capacity. Ultimately, soil health should be measured from various angles, prioritizing individual management goals and local contexts. Christine highlights the necessity of choosing suitable soil health indicators to link the scientific understanding of ecological function and practical farming approaches. She emphasizes that effective communication between researchers and farmers plays a vital role in selecting appropriate soil health indicators. By continuously collaborating and integrating farmers' concerns, researchers can ensure that these indicators address the desired outcomes and cater to farmers' specific needs. Mentioned in this episode… Reach out to Christine Sprunger's lab at Michigan State University if you are a farmer interested in collaborating on upcoming projects and receiving a free soil health assessment! Learn more about nematodes, their role in soil health, and how to identify them through research and resources provided by the Soil Health and Ecosystem Ecology Lab at Michigan State University. Consider signing up for Real Organic Project Certification to differentiate your farm from mass-marketed corporate organic practices. Visit realorganicproject.org/notill to apply. Browse Johnny's Selected Seeds online for a variety of seeds, tools, and free educational resources. Visit Johnnyseeds.com to explore their offerings. Check out Rimol Greenhouses for your next quality greenhouse or high-tunnel. There are several style and options to choose from, check out rimolgreenhouses.com There's no substitute for a high-quality seed starting mix. Get Sprout—a living-soil, compost-based, seed-starting soil mix—for you farm or garden at tilthsoil.com Get tickets for the Rough Draft Farmstead No-Till Farm Tour for April 25th or May 9th! "Long term implementation of regenerative practices is actually shifting the nematode community, contributing to greater overall ecosystem services like carbon accumulation and nitrogen retention... Understanding the linkages between nematode communities and various soil health indicators is crucial in realizing the actual soil health outcome and overall benefit to the farmer." - Christine Sprunger Folks who make the show possible... As always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out the No-Till Growers YouTube channel where we're posting weekly videos, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Deeply inspired by her work in ecology, Dr. Francesca Cotrufo defied the traditional view on litter decomposition and soil organic matter dynamics. An internationally recognized ecologist, she has made great strides in understanding soil organic matter and its underlying processes. With a diverse research background spanning forests, grasslands, the Arctic, and the Tropics, her work has led to pioneering discoveries in regenerative soil health practices. Francesca's groundbreaking contribution to the field is the Microbial Efficiency Matrix Stabilization (MEMS) framework, which has transformed how scientists view soil formation and carbon sequestration. Mentioned in this episode... Dr. Francesca Cotrufo's MEMS (Microbial Efficiency Matrix Stabilization) framework and its impact on understanding soil formation and carbon sequestration. The two-pathway model of soil formation proposed by Cotrufo to better understand the role of labile compounds and microbial efficiency in soil health. The differences between mineral-associated organic matter and particulate organic matter and their impacts on soil structure and water retention. The role of microbial efficiency in the transformation of plant material and its impact on soil health and nutrient recycling. Host Natalie Lounsbury's Priming for Production The Rough Draft Farmstead No-Till Field Day "We need to think about not just what leads to more persistent carbon, but what makes the soil healthier, retain more water, maintain an active biology, so that we can have the recycling of the nutrients… We can only rebuild our richness by caring about soil… We have consumed our soil's organic matter capital; now we better start working to build it again." - Francesca Cotrufo Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out the No-Till Growers YouTube channel where we're posting weekly videos, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Despite the risk of pivoting their business, Lindsay Steele of Garden Fort in Dexter, Michigan (outside of Ann arbor), chose to switch from farmers markets to direct-to-retail sales and ended up reaping unexpected rewards - from more time with his family to increased profitability. In this episode, Alex Ball of Old City Acres and Lindsay dig deep into successfully shifting from farmers markets to direct-to-retail sales, selecting profitable crops for year-round production, how clever packaging and branding set their products apart, scaling-up and effectively managing farm labor, and how all of those things contributed to a better work/family balance while farming. Also mentioned in this episode... Follow Garden Fort on Instagram. They use Rimol Greenhouses Nor'Easter series for year-round greens production. Consider focusing more on high-profit-margin crops like salad greens for year-round production and potential wholesale opportunities. Evaluate your farm's workflow (i.e. wash/pack) and systems (i.e. tarping, reduced tillage) to increase efficiency for a better work/life balance. Consider the benefits of incentivising well-trained and returning farm workers and how that can contribute to the overall success of your farm. The Rough Draft Farmstead No-Till Farm Tour! Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

We all know how important it is to start with a quality plant. With a degree and experience in applied industrial ecology, Kurstin of Purple Springs Nursery discusses the transition from IPM to regenerative agriculture in the nursery space. Her work at Purple Springs allowed her to explore innovative ways to improve plant health and soil quality. Kurstin's dedication to sustainable practices and her understanding of the intricacies of soil health and plant nutrition make her a great guest on perinneal production. Check out their website where you can download their free guide to regenerative agriculture. Also, garlic? Yes, garlic. In this episode... - Explore Advancing Eco Agriculture's website and learn from John Kemp's core concepts for plant health. - Read the book Science and Agriculture by Arden Anderson to understand the importance of soil health. - Implement the Morgan Extraction Method soil test (developed by Dr. Kerry Reams) to analyze and improve soil conditions. - Apply plant SAP analysis to determine the nutritional needs of plants at different growth stages. - Adopt regenerative principles in managing tree nurseries, including using mulch, living mulch, and cover crops. - Utilize tools and equipment that help manage regenerative practices in tree nurseries without causing soil compaction. - Focus on increasing plant growth efficiency to improve inventory management in tree nurseries. - Read Agriculture and Transition by Donald Schneissman and Albrecht on Calcium to further enhance understanding of soil health and plant growth. Quotes: "Weeds tell you a lot about the condition of your soil. It can be messy when you're transitioning, but you're really challenging the status quo." —Kurstin Barta "A healthy plant will resist pests and disease, so how can we make these plants healthier?" —Kurstin Barta "Redefining what beauty means: does beauty actually mean clean rows or does it mean that rejuvenating your soil and focusing on what plants are actually doing?" —Kurstin Barta Folks who make the show possible... Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hi everyone, it's Natalie again, and I am putting the ecologists back-to-back here on the podcast. This time with microbial ecologist Terry Bell of the Microbiome Manipulation Lab at the University of Toronto. He came highly recommended and did not disappoint. We talk about what is the soil microbiome, how can we manage or change it, whether soil microbial inoculants work, and why microbiome breeding is not analogous to plant breeding. If you one of those people who listen to podcasts to get to sleep I really don't think this one is going to work for you, because there is so much here to get the gears turning in your head! Enjoy. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball, and today we sit down with Bill and Kathy of Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We dig deep into running a consignment-only grocery store, working with farmers in the community, and building food access. Mentioned in the show... The Retail Edge Consignment POS Check out the Argus Farm Stop Website Follow Argus Farm Stop on Instagram Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, check out our YouTube channel, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey fellow passengers, it's Mimi. My most sincere hope is that, by now, I'm growing on you, not unlike a fungus. You know what they say, falling in love is like eating mushrooms, 'you never know if it's the real thing until it's too late.' Today, my guest is Dr. Michael Beug. If you don't know who he is, you may be familiar with some of his proteges, including Paul Stamets, and many others who studied under Dr. Beug. He taught chemistry, mycology, and organic farming at Evergreen State Collage in Olympia, WA, for 32 years, now retired, but that hasn't slowed him down! He's had a very interesting career and I can't wait for you to hear some of those stories from his life. Fungi are so critical to everything that we do in agriculture. They synthesize a truly limitless array of secondary metabolites and have played a role in the great phylogenetic tree of life since it crept out of the ocean. Dr. Beug is very passionate about the intersection between fungi, chemistry, agriculture, and the particular moment in which we all find ourselves in the modern age. Mentioned in the show... Take Podcast Host Natalie's Survey! Mushrooms of Cascadia Ascomycete Fungi of North America Folks who make the show possible... Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hi everyone, it's Natalie. It's hard to believe this is my sixth episode for The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. It felt super intimidating to commit to finding and interviewing ten people, but it turns out to have been a lot of fun to talk with people I've admired from a distance and also some of my friends. For this episode, I talked with my friend and colleague, Sonja Birthisel. She is a weed ecologist and agroecologist by training, but her interests and expertise are wide and varied. We get into some of her research on the effects of tarping and solarizing on soil biology, important traits of weeds, seed predation, and her work in the community. Mentioned in the show... Take Podcast Host Natalie's Survey! Bulletin #1075, Tarping in the Northeast: A Guide for Small Farms Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball, and on today's episode of the podcast we talk to Liana Glass who, along with her partner Duncan, run City Beet Farm on leased yards and lots in urban Vancouver. These first generation farmers are actually the third owners of this farm! We dig deep on buying & valuing their farm business, partnering with local organizations & businesses, & mobile wash/pack solutions. Mentioned in the show... Take Podcast Host Natalie's Survey! The Super Rad City Beet Farm Mobile Wash/Pack Trailer (PDF of the build process, costs, and tons of photos) The City Beet Farm for Sale on Young Agrarians Follow City Beet Farm on Instagram The City Beet Farm Website Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

You can grow seed on your farm. And it's easier than you think... Subscribe to The Seed Growers Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. This is the first of 5 mini-episodes to get ready for the season 2 of The Seed Growers Podcast. Today's episode is about getting into the mindset for your first seed crop. By starting small and taking your time, there is a greater chance that seed growing seems realistic on your farm and that you persist and develop your seed skills. This is how you become a cornerstone in a resilient seed and farming community system. Ask a question for future episodes Dan's list of Seed Grower Resources Follow Dan Brisebois on Instagram The Seed Growers Podcast is produced, in part, by No-Till Growers No-Till Growers is powered by the folks who support it every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can also pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on the brand new growers forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Oh hey, it's Mimi again. Gotcha two for the price of one today, because we're speaking with David Montgomery and Anne Biklé. I'm sure they don't need an introduction, because I know at least some of you all will have at least one of their books in your exhaustive libraries. If you haven't heard of them, David and Anne are married, live in Seattle, and are a pair of writers. To quote them, "Dave is a broad-minded geologist and Anne is a free-range biologist with a bad case of plant lust." If that doesn't make you want to hang out with them, I don't know how much better I'm going to be able to do. The reason I wanted to talk to them is not just because their book, What Your Food Ate, just came out, but also because they have a really great way of going back through the membrane of time and looking at some of the origins of our understanding about the connections between plants, soil microbiology, and our own health. I can't recommend the books highly enough. Dave's mustache is also the mustache to end all mustaches. A list of some of their amazing works... What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health (2022) The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health (2015) Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life (2017) Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations (2008) Folks who make the show possible... Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hi everyone, it's Natalie, and for this episode I talked with Ryan Fitzbeauchamp of Evening Song Farm in Vermont. Ryan and his wife Kara have an incredible story to get where they are today with a thriving year-round CSA (yes, you heard that right, a year-round CSA in Vermont!). They include what is often called rotational no-till on the farm and this is a production system that is near-and-dear to my heart. What I mean by rorational no-till is that, while they haven't eliminated tillage altogether, they have dramatically reduced it across the farm and completely eleminated tillage prior to some crops. This system is sort of a middle way to get many of the benefits of no-till without the herbicides associated with conventional no-till or the heavy reliance on mulch, compost, or other external inputs that many small-scale organic no-till farms rely on to get started. Mentioned in the show... The Evening Song Farmsite Follow Evening Song Farm on Instagram The USDA Climate Adaptation Fellowship (Northeast) Tarping Guidecase Study of Evening Song Farm (w/ photo of toolbar) Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball, and today I'm excited to talk with Doug Wolcik & Kayleigh Boyle of Bread Seed Farm in rural Vermont. We dig deep into using "no-till" to market your farm, building a farm with community at the core, and adding value with ginger and dried flowers. Mentioned in the show... Karl Hammer of Vermont Compost Company (listen to him and Jesse on The No-Till Market Garden here) Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Truth be told, I always wished to be a Jesuit monk, but kind of missed out on that opportunity on account of not being a dude. I wanted to live in a beautiful place and learn things and grow things without anybody asking me to do anything else. I imagine my life being like that of the great Baltasar Gracián, a Catalan jesuit monk. He famously said, "He that has satisfied his thirst turns his back on the well." Let me just say our guest today, Miguel Torres, is very thirsty. Miquel is the fifth generation and manager of Familial Torres. He runs the domain with his sister, Maria, and they have had such a journey, discovering along the way that they thought they were doing things well by the land there was always room to do them better. And given their commitment to not only being the fifth generation, but the entire region, they've started to train other growers, as well. Check out the Familia Torres website Follow Familia Torres on Instagram Folks who make the show possible... Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Natalie here... and for this episode I want to talk farmer research! You may notice that research is a theme for me? SARE is a federally funded program for farmer centered research and innovation. Candice Huber works for SARE and Jennifer Wilhelm runs a no-till market garden near me in New Hampshire, Fat Peach Farm, and has received two SARE grants to pursue some of her ideas. Mentioned in the show... The SARE Projects Database Jennifer's SARE Projects: Exploring the Feasibility of Growing Microgreens in a Modified Cold Storage Room Assessing No-Till Permanent Raised Beds for Mixed Vegetable Production on Marginal Soils The No-Till Growers SARE Project Northeast SARE Farmer Grant Program ChipDrop Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey everyone, it's Alex Ball with another episode of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast! I'm really excited to share a conversation with you all from Adam of Country Valley Farm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the interview we get into building new no-till beds with deep woodchips, animal pressure on the farm, the realities of farming with a full-time job, and producing garlic for the wholesale market. A big thanks to Adam for sitting down to share all the work he and his family are doing at CVF. He has such a love for not only ecological farming, but for feeding his community and sharing the positivity that comes with being in touch with the land. I was really impressed by his deep wood chip compost method for building organic matter and I think i'm going to trial his technique on my own farm. If you want to learn more about their farm or are just looking for organic seed garlic, check out their website and their social media for more information. Thanks so much for listening! Mentioned in the show... Dairy Doo compost & fertilizer pellets from Morgan Composting No-Till Growers will be at the '23 OAK Conference! Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

You know that feeling when you get to hang out with one of your heroes? Well I do, and you guys are going to get to hang out with us, too. Fred Provenza is a retired professor in rangeland science from Utah State University and is also a unicorn mixed with a phoenix. Not only is he an amazing human-being, he also has one of the deepest and most humble experiences working at the intersection between humans and landscapes, plants and animals. He has worked with farmers from all around the world, authored hundreds of papers and several books, and if you're a person who is interested in the integration of animals for the purpose of healing landscapes or bringing health back to your farm, I cannot recommend highly enough that you read and watch as much as you can by Fred. Mentioned in the show... NOVA's Ghost in your Genes (watch for free on Vimeo) BEHAVE (Behavioral Education for Human Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Management) Nourishment, What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom The Art & Science of Shepherding by Michel Meuret Foraging Behavior: Managing to Survive in a World of Change Folks who make the show possible... Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

For this episode, I, Natalie, spoke with Iago Hale about kiwiberries, which I realize is a fruit that a lot of you have probably never heard of, much less tried. In my excitement, I forgot to have him introduce himself! Iago is an associate professor of agriculture, nutrition, and food systems department at the University of New Hampshire. When I first met him, he was in the beginning of his kiwiberry research program and it's really cool to see how far it has come in the last decade. As a researcher myself, I strongly agree with Iago that it's our job to take risks that farmers can't afford to take and I love to see applied research that tries to address what future food systems will look like, including things like perennial plants and things that will work on small farms and things that are resistant to pests and diseases so they don't require a lot of external inputs. Here's Iago... Mentioned in the show... The Nor'east Kiwiberry Website The Hale Lab & Kiwiberry Research Kiwi Korners Farm Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

It's Alex Ball, and I'm excited to bring y'all a conversation with Jordan Scheibel of Middle Way Farm. Jordan and his crew are growing mixed veg for local wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer through a home delivery CSA and online farmers market out there in windy Iowa. We dig deep into selling to local specialty grocers, no-till tunnel production, the importance of consistent labor, and the growth they capitalized on during the pandemic. Jordan is building a community-centric model that is hard to not learn something from! Mentioned in the show... Follow Middle Way Farm on Instagram Middle Way Farm is Certified Naturally Grown GrownBy online cooperative sales platform Purple Cow Organics for compost The Paperpot Transplanter Nolt's Greenhouse Supplies Folks who make the show possible... Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey rebels, if you listen to this podcast you probably know that I, Mimi, am the lone wine person to date. So, since that's what I do, I thought I would poke some of my favorite people in wine and today I've got one of my BIG heroes. Eric Texier is a winegrower in the South of France. He's known for being an early leader in not just better practices in the vineyard, going beyond the adoption of biodynamics, but he went on a journey to figure out how his soils could be improved and how that could improve wine quality and also build in resilience for his family in the future. He's a native to Bordeaux, didn't come from a wine family, which is uncommon because it's really difficult to just buy a vineyard in France, and was a nuclear engineer before wine. Surprise, surprise, he wanted to do something else. A self made wine maker, very opinionated, not afraid to stoke the fire and call out bulls***… It was a super fun conversation, his wines are incredibly expressive, and he has a genuine humility about his process. We get into his vineyards, his wine-making, terriors and regenerative practices, and I just can't wait to share this conversation with you. I highly recommend looking for his wines, they're accessibly priced, and you can check out his website at https://www.eric-texier.com/ Folks who make the show possible... Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Real Organic Project for a whole farm certification program to distinguish crops grown in health soils. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

*Update: The SeedLinked participatory variety trials are LIVE on their website and this year include cherry tomato and colored pepper trials AND a NO-TILL squash trial!* Nicolas of SeedLinked and Julie of University of Madison Wisconsin are leaders in participatory plant breeding. They are helping develop varieties that are regionally adapted to the traits that matter for direct market growers like most of you! They've developed a platform to make it easier to include farmers in variety trials to select for things like taste. I know everyone listening is involved in farming or gardening, largely because you know that not all tomatoes and carrots are created equal. Variety matters. Production practices matter. How long it takes to get the product into the hands of the customer matters. Truth be told, I do not have the personality to be a direct market farmer, so props to all of you out there, but when I WAS farming and someone would tell me they never liked brussels sprouts until they ate MY brussels sprouts, it was one of the most rewarding feelings. So, what Nicolas and Julie are doing in their participatory plant breeding work is trying to spread that feeling by increasing our collective capacity for developing new and amazing varieties. The website for their project is SeedLinked.com Their work is truly inspiring and we hope some of you growers out there can get involved! Mentioned in the show notes... Download the SeedLinked App Follow SeedLink on Instagram and keep up with their work Participate in a Seedlink.com variety trial (sign-ups page) Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Conference Folks who make the show possible... Farmers Friend for caterpillar tunnels, harvest equipment, tarps, & more! Get free shipping through ->> farmersfriend.com/notill RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! University of Wisconsin-Madison and their new certificate in organic agriculture. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Hey everyone, it's Alex, and I'm beyond excited to bring you all a very interesting conversation with Brian Bates of Bear Creek Organic Farm. Brian is one of my favorite farmers in the state of Michigan and I got the privilege to spend a day with him and his crew, learning how they grow food efficiently year-round. In this episode, we dive deep into the philosophy of farm growth, Spring plant sales, experiments in no-till, and investing in the most valuable asset of a farm. Surprise? It's their employees. ~ Alex Ball, Old City Acres Mentioned in the show... Follow Bear Creek Organic Farm on Instagram Morgan Compost Dairy Doo The Bear Creek Look Book Weed the Soil, Not the Crop by Eric & Anne Nordell of Beech Grove Farm Folks who make the show possible... Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Natalie here. When Jesse asked me to be a guest-host, I knew I wanted to dedicate an episodeto the subject of PFAS contamination, but I didn't think it would be a good first episode, because it's really not uplifting. It's one of those topics that makes it hard to keep sitting up straight. But, since I've been behind the ball on getting more episodes going--and Jesse tells me there's a lot of intrest in this topic--I decided to go for it. For the vast majority of growers out there, PFAS contamination on your farms isn't going to be an issue, but it is something farmers may want to be aware of when looking for land or buying inputs like compost or straw mulch, and especially when making compost with various feedstocks. To learn more about PFAS, I spoke with Caleb Goossen, the organic crop and conservation specialist at MOFGA. And I promise there will be more uplifting epsides in the future. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! University of Wisconsin-Madison and their new certificate in organic agriculture. ... and, as always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

It's about to get real nerdy, folks. We at No-Till Growers have always wanted to bring in more of the research and science from someone who really understands it. Natalie Lounsbury, herself, is a no-till and cover crop RESEARCHER at the University of New Hampshire, a legitimate scientist, and you may remember her from the Priming for Production Podcast series on soil organic matter. Go back and listen to it if you haven't already, it's one of our favorite things on the internet. Ever. In this mini-interview, she and I get into how the Serial podcast series changed her approach, her experience/research background, and how I should probably apologize to diakon radish. Her first contribution to the series will be next Monday. You don't want to miss it, it's a heavy subject, but one we as growers could all use a little science lesson on. As always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, as well as a No-Till Growers hat (yep, back in stock and shipping now), and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Tell Dr. Mimi where it hurts, because I've got the cure. Be it bread or beer, it all starts with grain. Today, we get to do all of my favorite things, which is to combine bread, beer, and rock stars. Andy Cato, half of the band Groove Armada, is the co-founder of a super-rad farm project, Wildfarmed, growing no-till regenerative grains. It's taken a lot of trail and error, and we get into his systems and how he makes it all work: rotations, equipment, producer groups, etc. for facilitating the change he wants to see on the land. In short, Andy is "an award-winning mixed arable and livestock farmer. Once a successful Grammy nominated musician, Andy gave that up after reading about the dire state of modern food production. He went on to spend over a decade trying to find a more restorative and sustainable way of growing food. Whilst farming in France, Andy was awarded the Chevalier l'Order Merit de Agricole - the equivalent of a knighthood for services to agriculture. Now back on British soil, Andy is on a mission to help other farmers adopt the Wildfarmed system." If you've ever thought about how to grow grains on a small scale regeneratively, this one's for you. Because we've got to figure that part out. The sourdough and beer are what's keeping me going. Follow Andy & Wildfarmed Follow Mimi & Hope Well Wine Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. and You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or check out No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook and join the conversation at our new and improved growers forum.

Super excited to have Josh and Kelsey of Wild Prairie Flower Farm on The No-Till Market Garden Podcast! They're two super hard-working urban farmers in Columbus, OH, who grow about a quarter of an acre of cut-flowers and market them through a home-delivery CSA. Big thanks to Jesse and the No-Till Growers team for having me, Alex Ball, as a host. ~ Alex Ball, Old City Acres Mentioned in the show... Follow Wild Prarie on Instagram Check out the Wild Prarie GoFundMe Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Orisha for wireless greenhouse+ automation, get 15% off with code "No Till Grower" BCS America for two wheel tractors + implements, on sale through the end of the year! University of Wisconsin-Madison and their new certificate in organic agriculture. ... and You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or check out No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook and join the conversation at our new and improved growers forum.

Welcome BACK to yet another exciting season of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. As mentioned at the end of last season, I--Jesse--will not be hosting this year. My role now is more of a producer for the suite of podcasts and work we publish at No-Till Growers. I'm excited to introduce the second host, Alex Ball of Old City Acres! We are big fans of Alex's work and in this mini-interview we muse on the progression and evolution of our respective farms. He's gong to bring a lot to the host seat because of his interest in the details surrounding what it takes to run a successful farm business, which is something I felt was lacking in my own approach. Alex is someone you can listen to and talk to for hours, he's a lot of fun, and we can't wait for his contribution to the podcast. Alex's first interview will be coming out next Monday. As always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you don't have one already, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Benina Montez, of Burroughs Family Farms, is a badass FOURTH generation farmer in the Central Valley of California. She has been farming alongside her family and made the shift to regenerative organic certification for their almonds, walnuts, and olives. They also produce pastured chickens and lamb through silvopasture. It's really cool to hear from someone like Benina who has experienced the journey from not only something conventional to something regenerative, but also what it means to BE a fourth generation farmer and how you have to continuously move the bar to remain a relevant family farm. Benina is super awesome, honest, and has a lot to offer people who are curious about how it can all be done regeneratively in tree systems with silvopasture. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Johnny's Selected Seeds vegetable, flower, and cover crop seeds. Certified Naturally Grown grassroots, peer-to-peer, holistic certification. and You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or check out No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook and join the conversation at our new and improved growers forum.

Welcome BACK to yet another exciting season of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. As mentioned at the end of last season, I--Jesse--will not be hosting this year. My role now is more of a producer for the suite of podcasts we publish at No-Till Growers. It's been super fun and I've greatly enjoyed listening behind the scenes to these first interviews with our new hosts. Speaking of new hosts, we want to start introducing them to you one by one over the next few weeks, beginning with the one and only Mimi Casteel of Hope Well Vineyard. Mimi's first interview will be coming out next Monday, officially kicking off season FIVE. As always, our work is powered by the folks who support us every month over at patreon.com/notillgrowers, you can pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook if you haven't already, and you can ask you questions or share your insights into ecological market gardening on our brand new forum at notillgrowers.community.chat

Welcome to The Composter! In our first episode, Jayne Merner Senecal had the pleasure of speaking with Carla Castegnero, co-founder and president of AgRecycle, Penn's largest composting operation headquartered in Pittsburg. AgRecycle was one of the pioneers in the composting industry founded in 1991. Carla has a wealth of knowledge on making high-quality compost with a wide variety of feedstocks. She's a seasoned composter and was the recipient of Rodale's Organic Pioneer Award in 2013. You can find Jayne Merner Senecal and Earth Care Farm on Instagram The Composter is brought to you by... BioCycle is the leading resource on composting, organics recycling, biogas, end-product markets, policy and regulation, and community outreach and education. Sign up for the bi-monthly free newsletter here. For 25+ years, Komptech has worked with scientists, agriculturalists, and consumers to develop a four-step process that produces healthly, contaminant-free compost while optimizing efficiency. Learn more about shred, turn, screen, seperate here and get a complimentary consultation to see if it's right for your commercial operation.

So excited to share the first episode of the latest season of The Winter Growers Podcast with y'all so it can be on your radar in the Summer as you prepare for... well... your Winter production. Clara has a great lineup ahead, growers from the South as well as the Northern US and Canada, even some international growers. Subscribe to Winter Growers wherever you're hearing this one. Here is. Clara Coleman. Kelli and Mike of Roots Farm, a certified-organic, diversified vegetable farm in Tiverton, RI, grow year-round on 1.5 acres using no-till, intensive farming methods and six moveable high-tunnels, each 30' x 48' in size. The use of moveable tunnels maximizes both time and space, utilizing three moves each year to optimize production, especially in the shoulder seasons. The biggest challenge of Winter growing for them is the management of humidity with row-covers in an unheated protected space. Although they've been farming full-time since 2014, they did not find financial stability until 2020, and now support their family and a crew of six. Winter Growers is made possible by... Growing for Market Magazine, enter code "winter" at checkout to get 25% off a new subscription. Rimol Greenhouses, for high-tunnels and greenhouses. Johnny's Selected Seeds, check out their seriously amazing Growers Library. Tunnel Vision Hoops, for your Winter infrastructure needs. And you, our Patreons and supporters. You can support our creators for as little as $2/month on Patreon or Notillgrowers.com/support. Y'all are the best!

Here's our latest collaboration with Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Cooperative-Farm, The Seed Growers Podcast! Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you're listening to this podcast today. Joelene and Adrianna of Empowered Flowers grow certified organic veg in Oregon City, OR where they sell through farmers markets and a Winter CSA. They ALSO grow a variety of seeds on seed contracts for seed companies. Adrianna and Joelene explain how they've integrated commercial seed saving into the market garden, how they got started with their first contract, and why they like contracts for selling seeds. Follow Empowered Flowers on Instagram Check out the Empowered Flowers website Mentioned in the show... Wild Garden Seeds, where they learned how to save seeds The Winnow Wizard, the machine they use to process seeds Follow Dan Brisebois on Instagram Check out Dan's blog Going to Seed See where Dan farms cooperatively at Tourne-Sol Cooperative Farm The Seed Growers Podcast is made possible by... The Organic Seed Alliance, a US-based nonprofit that advances ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world. Join the community at organicseedcommons.org The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, producers of the Seed Heads Podcast, works in partnership with organic and agro-ecological seed producers and farmers to advance agricultural biodiversity across Canada. and No-Till Growers. Check out some of our other podcasts and the No-Till Growers YouTube channel with over 400 videos, order a copy of The Living Soil Handbook, and sustain our mission of keeping our work free for growers everywhere by supporting it on Patreon.

The seed for The No-Till Market Garden Podcast began with Pual and Elizabeth Kaiser on The Farmer to Farmer Podcast with Chris Blanchard several years ago. It's only fitting that Farmer Jesse's final episode as host be a return to where it all began, Singing Frogs Farm. Mentioned in the show... The NEW Singing Frogs Farm Website The Climate Farm School The CAFF Study Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. BCS America two-wheel tractors and implements. Farmers Web farm marketing managment software. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

A few thoughts from the co-founder of No-Till Growers, departing host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast, & author of The Living Soil Handbook... "We've just been germinating these last four years. Now we grow."

Six approaches, one garden. Today on the podcast, Jesse talks with Bruce Darrel of Red Gardens in Ireland about his six distinct approaches to growing veg and his experiences, a bit about the ecovillage he's a part of, and his awesome and prolific YouTube channel teaching folks to grow their own food. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. BCS America two-wheel tractors and implements. Farmers Web farm marketing managment software. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

Today, we get into something a little off the beaten path of the podcast with small-scale fruit production in the market garden with Blake Cothron of Peaful Heritage Nursery in good ol' KY. We also talk about foliar feeding, the nursury biz, and specific perennial crops. #KYrepresent Paw Paws, the Complete Growing and Marketing Guide The Berry Grower, Small-Scale Organic Fruit Production in the 21st Century (PRE-ORDER NOW) Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

Welcome BACK Brooke, and for the first time Dan, from a farm that holds a dear place in our hearts, Urbavore Farm in Kansas City, Missouri. They and Jesse talk about evolving practices and very measured compromises in the face of climate extremes, their brilliant Compost Collective partnership, and some profound insight into balancing our ideals with what is practical. Wonderful interview, wonderful folks, enjoy. Mentioned in the show... Their amazing website and social media The Compost Collective of KS Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. BCS America two-wheel tractors and implements. Farmers Web farm marketing managment software. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

A little off the beaten path today with fellow Kentuckian Sarah Barney of Among the Oaks in Appalachia. We talk about her background in ecology, HERB production and marketing, and making farms welcoming for folks with disabilities, herself included. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

What. A. Guest. Tevin Allen of Tevin's Farm from Jamaica joins the show to talk about how he has adapted market gardening techniques for his climate, adopting a simplified approach because the tools and infrastructure are not available, dealing with a clay-loam soil and flood season, his atypical marketing style, how the country has moved away from organic growing, and how he is bringing it back. All the while expressing nothing but love and joy for the act of farming on a small scale. So much love for this one. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. BCS America two-wheel tractors and implements. Farmers Web farm marketing managment software. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

COMPOST CONTENTS... Each season, we have a professional composter on to talk about well-made compost because it's so essential to the market garden. Today, we have Zach Brooks of Arizona Worm Farm on to talk about his high-quality compost, vermicast, and veggie operation (among other things). The conversation ranges from the microbiology of healthy compost to the profitability of the many enterprises they have going on there. The AZ Worm Farm is so awesome we had to record the conversation twice. Warning, if you don't have worms already, you're going to want to get some after listening. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

Fellow Kentuckian Zach Selby of DreamTime Market Gardens joins the show to talk about his Lexington KY no-till market garden, a creative land-access partnership, how being a chef for over a decade has informed his growing, what to and not to do when working with chefs, and how herbs can increase your value proposition when selling to restaurants. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. BCS America two-wheel tractors and implements. Farmers Web farm marketing managment software. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

What a joy, we're so happy to bring you this conversation with Cheyenne Sundance of Sundance Harvest in Toronto, Canada. She and Jesse talk about constructed raised bed greenhouse production/growing, expanding to 1.5 acres, collaborating on Winter CSA, being real about you and your farm (it ain't all salad greens), being accessible as an urban farm, self-care early in your farm career, and looking forward to 2022. We hope you love this one as much as we did producing it. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

The Farm Spreadsheet Master, Dan Brisebois of Tourne Sol Cooperative Farm, joins me on the show today to talk about one of the most underutilized tools on small farms (hint, it's spreadsheets), how to apply it to a seed growing enterprise, setting limits to improve prioritization and quality of life, and an exciting new endeavor he'll be bringing to everyone's podcast feeds real soon. Mentioned on the show... Dan's awesome blog Going to Seed The Farmer Spreadsheet Academy Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers (our favorite book on crop planning he co-authored) Spreadsheet Maniac Instagram Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. BCS America two-wheel tractors and implements. Farmers Web farm marketing managment software. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

Harper Kaufman of Two Roots Farm in Basalt Colorado joins the show to talk about employee management, farming in an extreme altitude, having a farm store take the CSA overflow (for a very respectable revenue) and more! Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

Little somethin' different for you this week. Instead of taking the holiday off the podcast, I moderated two separate talks at the EFAO 2021 conference and they offered to let us share them on the feed. The first session is on large scale no-till featuring Ken Laing, former podcast guest Dan Oostenbrink, and Theo Germain-Trudeau and here is where you can learn more about them and this event. Before the session, we suggest you learn more about Ken Laing's Living-Lab Ontario No-Till Trials through this video! The second session is with Daniel Mays, Kristine Hammel, Ryan Spence, and Isabelle Spence-Legault. Learn more about our speakers and the session here. Watch the videos at the No-Till Growers YouTube channel. Learn more about the EFAO at EFAO.CA. This podcast was brought to you by... You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.

Mason Kuehn joins the show to discuss his small urban farm set up in Winter Park, Florida. Because his farm is in multiple locations (on various lawns), we discuss a lot of the logistics involved from harvest to spreading compost and beyond. Follow Winter Park Urban Farm on Instagram and wherever else you follow farmers. Folks who make the show possible... RIMOL Greenhouses quality greenhouses and high-tunnels. Growing for Market monthly publication about the business of small-scale farming. Get 25% off with code WORM. Tilth Soil amazing compost-based living potting soils and soil blends. You, our listeners. Help us keep our work free for everyone by supporting our work on Patreon or No-Till Growers and pick up a copy of The Living Soil Handbook or a sweet hat if you haven't already. And a grant from Southern SARE. Here's the obligatory... This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-38640-31521 through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number LS21-348. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. The goal of this grant is to provide context and technique to the four primary principles of soil health.