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.
5 Questions that Predict Farm Success (MFB 32)
Starting a farm business demands more than agricultural knowledge: it requires a solid personal foundation most aspiring farmers overlook. In this episode, Diego shares crucial questions about your financial, emotional, and relationship stability that determine whether your farm business will enhance your life or destroy it.
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The Role of Fungi in Agriculture - Gardening Beyond Basics 58
In this episode, author and educator Peter McCoy of Mycologos sheds light on the myriad roles that fungi play when it comes to agriculture.
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Is the Paperpot Transplanter Worth the Investment? (MBF 31)
After selling thousands of paper pot transplanters and working with farmers across America for over 7 years, Diego gives us the unfiltered truth about whether this popular tool is right for YOUR farm.
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Avoiding Composting Mistakes - Gardening Beyond Basics 57
In this episode, compost specialist and owner of Living Roots Compost Tea Troy Hinke sheds light on the most common mistakes of making your own compost and how to avoid them.
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Raised Beds: A Must or Mistake? (MBF 30)
Raised beds: a market farming must-have or an overrated hassle? When do raised beds truly boost profits, and when do they create needless work?
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Compost for Improving the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 56
In this episode, microbiologist and co-creator of the Johnson-Su bioreactor, Dr. David Johnson, talks about the kind of compost that can improve soil health.
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Debt-Free Farming: Smart Spending for New Farmers (MFB 30)
Financial mistakes kill farm dreams fast. In this episode, Diego talks about why avoiding debt in your first farming year is essential for long-term success and how smart financial decisions create the foundation for a thriving business.
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How Cover Crops Can Break Up Soil Compaction - Gardening Beyond Basics 55
In this episode, soil specialist and consultant Dr. Jim Hoorman of Hoorman Soil Health discusses exactly how cover crops can help mitigate and resolve soil compaction.
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First Year Focus: Build Solid Foundations (MBF 28)
Most aspiring farmers rush headlong into starting a farm business and figure things out as they go...an instant recipe for disappointment and costly mistakes. Begin with the end in mind by laying down the groundwork for long-term success.
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When Nature Builds Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 54
In this episode, soil microbiologist and founder of The Soil Food Web Dr. Elaine Ingham describes the processeses that happen when nature is left to its own devices as it builds soil.
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The #1 Focus for Beginner Farmers: Get Experience (MFB 27)
In this episode, Diego talks about why gaining diverse experience should be your top priority over quick profits in your first year of farming and how understanding the key basic skills of growing is the secret to avoiding burnout and expensive mistakes.
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Biochar and Its Action in the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 62
In this episode, biochar scientist and citizen scientist advocate Francesco Tortorici sheds light on what biochar is and how it can affect productivity in soils.
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Expanding Research with Citizen Scientists - Gardening Beyond Basics 53
In this episode, biochar scientist and citizen scientist advocate Francesco Tortorici talks about the advancements in research thanks to the information and observations gathered from citizen scientists.
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Starting Seeds: Transplant vs. Direct Seed (MBF 26)
Want to plant faster, easier & smarter? Discover exactly when to use transplants vs. direct seeding for maximum efficiency & profits on your farm.
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What Goes into Good Quality Compost - Gardening Beyond Basics 52
In this episode, Malibu Compost Founder Randy Ritchie sheds light on the feedstock and process that make good-quality compost.
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5 Factors for Choosing Profitable Crops (MBF 25)
Discover the secret to choosing the most profitable crops for your market garden using the Crop Value Rating (CVR) system, ensuring your farming business thrives.
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Carbon Sequestration and Saturation in the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 51
In this episode, Dr. Bruno Basso of CIBO Technologies sheds light on how soil sequesters carbon and what happens when soil becomes saturated with carbon.
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5 Reasons Microgreens are Perfect for New Farmers (MFB 24)
We go through 5 reasons why microgreens are an excellent gateway crop for new and aspiring growers.
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Micronutrients in Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 50
In this episode, Research Associate Professor Dr. Buz Kloot of Soil Health Labs sheds light on the underestimated role of micronutrients in maintaining soil health and biology.
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Pros and Cons of Direct Seeding and Transplanting (MFB 23)
Which is better: direct seeding or transplanting? It might be frustrating an answer, but: it depends! Learning which one works best for you and your context can drastically increase your market garden's productivity and profitability!
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The Resiliency of Fungal Systems - Gardening Beyond Basics 49
In this episode, author and educator Peter McCoy of Mycologos discusses what science knows about fungi so far, and their ability to proliferate even under dire circumstances.
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Where Your Business Lies Between Ideology & Profitability (MFB 22)
What's the secret to building a thriving farm business that aligns with your values and makes a real impact? We explore the delicate balance between ideology and profitability, and why a sustainable business must be a profitable one.
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Evaluating Compost Quality - Gardening Beyond Basics 48
In this episode, compost specialist and owner of Living Roots Compost Tea Troy Hinke gives us tips on how to tell if the compost we have is of good quality.
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Radishes: The Market Gardener's 30-Day Cash Crop (MBF 21)
We break down what makes radish a popular (and profitable!) market garden crop: fast growth, high yields, and good selling price.
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Defining Biochar - Gardening Beyond Basics E47
Biochar expert Kelpie Wilson of Wilson Biochar talks about what inspired the study of biochar, what it is, what comprises good quality biochar, and what one can expect from applying good quality biochar to soils.
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7 Essential Questions to Ask Before Buying New Tools (MFB 20)
Before jumping the gun on that big tool investment, check out this checklist to see if you'll really make the most out of that tool...or if it's just an expensive impulse buy.
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Different Degrees of Tillage - Gardening Beyond Basics E46
Soil specialist and consultant Dr. Jim Hoorman of Hoorman Soil Health talks about the different types and depths of tillage and how some tillage can be beneficial for certain soils.
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Fungi-Dominated Soils - Gardening Beyond Basics E45
Soil microbiologist and founder of The Soil Food Web Dr. Elaine Ingham describes fungally-dominated soils and how to deal with them based on what you need from your soils.
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Degrading Impact of Agriculture on Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics E44
Microbiologist and co-creator of the Johnson-Su bioreactor, Dr. David Johnson, talks about the various ways traditional agricultural practices degrade our soils.
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DIY Good Quality Biochar - Gardening Beyond Basics E43
Biochar expert Kelpie Wilson of Wilson Biochar talks about how we can get started on our creating our own good quality biochar and the potential benefits we can reap from it.
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Soil Compaction: What & Why - Gardening Beyond Basics E42
Soil specialist and consultant Dr. Jim Hoorman of Hoorman Soil Health defines what soil compaction is and the leading causes of compacted soils.
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Soil Microarthropods Gardening Beyond Basics E40
Soil microbiologist and founder of The Soil Food Web Dr. Elaine Ingham goes macro as she discusses the different roles of soil macroarthropods in maintaining soil health.
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Seed Storage & Shelf Life - Gardening Beyond Basics E41
Seed farmer Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-Operative Farm discusses how to properly store seed for maximum longevity.
Check out Dan's new book: The Seed Farmer: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Selling Your Own Seeds
Click here to learn more about Dan Brisebois and his work.
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From Poor Soil to Good Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics E39
Microbiologist and co-creator of the Johnson-Su bioreactor, Dr. David Johnson, talks about agricultural management practices that can bring poor soil back to life.
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How Much Work Does It Actually Take to Save Seed? - Gardening Beyond Basics E38
Seed farmer Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-Operative Farm breaks down the actual time and labor that goes into seed saving.
Check out Dan's new book: The Seed Farmer: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Selling Your Own Seeds
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Healing Plants and Trees with Copper Electroculture Antennae - Gardening Beyond Basics E37
Farmer and Qigong practitioner Chris Winters of The Fertile Current discusses how copper electroculture antennae can help invigorate and revitalize plants and trees.
Click here to learn more about Chris and The Fertile Current here.
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Healthy Soils Don't Need Supplementing - Gardening Beyond Basics E36
Russell Taylor of Live Earth Products, Inc. talks about how healthy soils might not need help from their humic and fulvic acid products.
Learn more about Live Earth Products, Inc. here.
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Spice Up Your Farm Profits with Signature Greens Mixes (MFB 19)
Growing spicy greens mixes can be a highly profitable crop for your farm thanks to their short time to harvest (21-40 days), high yield potential (up to 45 lbs per 30x100 ft bed), and good selling price at most markets (around $10/lb).
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How Much Crops to Set Aside for Seed Saving - Gardening Beyond Basics E35
Seed farmer Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-Operative Farm sheds light on just how much crops we really need to save enough seed for on-farm use.
Check out Dan's new book: The Seed Farmer: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Selling Your Own Seeds
Click here to learn more about Dan Brisebois and his work.
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Salad Mix Success: Economics of Baby Greens (MFB 18)
In this episode, we dive into the economics of growing and selling salad mix. We talk about how to maximize yields while minimizing costs, as well as which varieties to grow with what spacing, and how to package and price your greens to boost your bottom line.
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