Farm Small Farm Smart
Insights for vegetable farmers and market gardeners who earn, or want to earn, a living growing vegetables profitably.
In each episode, I talk with a beginning or experienced farmer, diving deep into their story to find out what makes their market farm successful. I focus on in-the-field farming. Soil preparation, weed management, post-harvest processing, appropriate technology, farm tools and equipment, and growing crops.
Hosted and produced by Diego Footer's Modern Grower Podcast Network.
- Update frequency
- every 4 days
- Average duration
- 49 minutes
- Episodes
- 478
- Years Active
- 2015 - 2025
Continuous Improvement - Lessons Learned on Farm and on Other Farms with Brian Bates of Bear Creek Organics (FSFS116)
In this episode Brian Bates of Bear Creek Organics joins me to talk about greens production, employees, and learning from big farms.
View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, …
Knowing and Growing What Chef's Want and What's Profitable with chef and farmer, The Culinary Gardener Evan Chender (FSFS115)
Utilizing his experience as a chef Evan Chender has set out to produce niche crops for chefs such as edible flowers and more exotic cultivars and types of vegetables. It's this niche approach which h…
Start with What You Can and Grow - Season Extension, Farm Tools, and Improving Processes with Ray Tyler (FSFS114)
In this episode Ray Tyler of Rose Creek Farms will talk about how his farm has dealt changes on the farm as it evolved. He’ll also talk about how they tackle farm problems and deal with season exten…
Increasing Farm Productivity and Efficiency with Michael Kilpatrick (FSFS113)
Farmer and consultant Michael Kilpatrick joins me to talk about improving farm productivity and profitability through better processes.
View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Smal…
The Lean Farm with Ben Hartman (FSFS112)
Author and farmer Ben Hartman talks about his farm and his book, The Lean Farm.
View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, Farm Smart episodes.
Learn how to start a microgreens…
Buying, Growing, and Improving a Microgreens Business with Max Beecher and Chris Thoreau (FSFS111)
The benefits of building a microgreens business, and how to keep improving it.
View the show notes for this episode and all previous Farm Small, Farm Smart episodes.
Learn how to start a microgreens …
Starting Your Own Farm by Selling Someone Else's Vegetables First with Max Beecher (FSFS110)
Today we are going to Ojai California to talk to a farmer who's more than just a farmer. Max Beecher was inspired into farming by Joel Salatin and Joel's entrepreneurial spirit inspired Max to get c…
The Struggles and Successes of Microgreen Startup with Eddy Gilmore (FSFS109)
Today's episode is a different type of episode. It's a consult style episode with new grower Eddy Gilmore and long-time microgreen grower Chris Thoreau. The first part of this episode will be E…
Mastering Summer Greens - How 4 Farmers are Effectively and Productively Growing Salad Greens in the Heat (FSFS108)
Given summer heat growing certain crops can be really tough, especially greens. Given the tendency of the normally cool weather lettuces to bolt quickly, turn bitter, and have their foliage burn, m…
The Challenges and Successes of CSA Farming on 2 Acres with Sam McLemore of Bountiful Harvest Farms (FSFS107)
Sam's taken a perspective that he gained on hiking the Appalachian trail and he has used it to help navigate the equally hard journey into being a full-time vegetable farmer. Like the trail, Sam's c…
No-Till Farming in Rural Arkansas with farmer Brandon Gordon of 5 Acre Farms (FSFS106)
For today’s show we are going down to the State of Arkansas to talk to Brandon Lyons of 5 Acre Farms.
Brandon is someone who transitioned into farming from the nursery trade way back in 2010. Since…
The Long Journey of Slowly Scaling a Farm on the Side with farmer Travis Schulert (FSFS105)
Everyone enters the world of farming for different reasons. Reasons spanning from environmental concerns to bringing high quality food to their local market to creating a path to a more independ…
Bigger or Better - The Next Step for Market Gardening with farmer Jean-Martin Fortier (FSFS104)
When it comes to this world of farming small, what is this world? Is it a bunch of small farms each operating independently? For the most part, I think the answer is yes. Given that, wha…
Inside the Organic Inspection Process with Organic Inspector Laura Murray (FSFS103)
What’s the organic inspection process really like? It’s probably a big hassle, right? Let’s find out straight from the source, in this episode with independent organic inspector Laura Murray …
Is ORGANIC CERTIFICATION worth it with organic pioneer and farmer Scott Murray (FSFS102)
Organic certification. We all know what that is, seeing that green stamp on products in the grocery store and on signs at the farmers market. But, is it worth it? Is it only for large fa…
How to Grow Microgreens Consistently All Year with farmer Chris Thoreau (FSFS101)
When you are only growing a 10 day crop, how much of an affect does light quality and temperature have on the crop? A lot. Chris is in Vancouver where he sees day lengths change from 8 hours…
The Future is Now – Celebrating 100 Episodes of The Urban Farmer & Farm Small, Farm Smart (FSFS100)
To celebrate episode 100 I take a look back at the 100 combined episodes of The Urban Farmer and what is now Farm Small, Farm Smart focusing on the highlights, some backstory, and where the show is …
Farming When the Game Changes - Balancing Being a New Parent and the Farm with Curtis Stone (FSFS99)
There's one event that happens in many people's lives which instantly changes their life forever. Overnight, instantly, everything is different. Your life, your approach to life, how you vie…
Profitable Market Farming in The Middle of Nowhere with Blake Cothron of Peaceful Heritage Farm (FSFS98)
While the prospects of starting a small market farm that grosses over $100,000 is lucrative and attractive, it's not for everyone or possible in every location. And that's the topic of today's …
Growing a $100,000 Farm - Elliot Seldner of Fair Share Farm on No-Till, Farm Efficiency, and Balancing Life (FSFS97)
Today I'm talking to a grower who's admittedly "I'm a little bit obsessive about growing high quality produce." It's an obsession that's fueled his farms growth, and an obsession which is a bit …