Are you looking for more community and education on homesteading? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Amy Fewell, who is the visionary behind Homesteaders of America. As a published author, herbalist, and modern-day milkmaid, Amy nurtures her passion for self-sufficiency on her family’s farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  Tune in to hear more about herbalism and community cultivation from this inspiring homesteader.  You’ll hear:  When Amy got into homesteading 1:24 Some of Amy’s suggestions for getting kids to eat healthier 4:59 How Homesteaders of America creates a sense of community 15:39 About Amy’s favorite herbs 20:33 What Amy’s advice is for someone just getting into homesteading 25:45 More on the future plan for Homesteaders of America 42:07 What Amy’s favorite homesteading tool is 44:24  About the Guest: Amy Fewell is the author of two published books, and runs a homestead alongside her husband and three children in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She is an herbalist, avid gardener, and modern day milkmaid as well as the founder of Homesteaders of America.    Resources: Website - https://thefewellhomestead.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amy.fewell Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thefewellhomestead   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor!   Explore new revenue opportunities with Harvest Hosts! List your farm and connect with a community of more than 250,000 RVers eager to support small businesses! You only need to provide space for at least one RVer to stay overnight. In exchange, the RVers will patronize your farm. No hook-ups or RV services required! Ready to add 15K+ in extra revenue with minimal time investment? Visit us at HarvestHosts.com today!

271. Amy Fewell on Herbalism, Health and Homesteading

If you’re looking to build a profitable farm that works, The Thriving Farmer Podcast is for you. Learn the latest tricks and strategies from successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you.  With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it’s really like to build a truly profitable, sustainable farm. In the interviews, we focus on building farms that last, setting up your systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and treading that ever-challenging work/family/life balance.

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 How can suburban spaces transform into sustainable farming hubs? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Bri Bosch who runs Blossom & Branch Farm in Colorado. On 1.7 acres in the suburbs of Denver, Briana and her husband have been blending budget-friendly farming with environmental stewardship, and offering educational classes and sustainable wedding florals. Listen in to hear how Bri incorporates cover crops, plastic-free practices, and holistic animal grazing to produce healthy soil and beautiful flowers.   You’ll hear:  What it’s like to farm in the suburbs 1:39 Why and how Bri’s farm has gone plastic-free 14:34 About the mulch they use on their garden 17:23 More about their unique seed starting process using wool 21:44 What the current main focuses are on the farm right now 29:53 About the types of classes they offer 32:22 More about how Briana manages the farm’s social media 58:04    About the Guest: Briana is a fifth generation farmer running her own regenerative flower farm Blossom and Branch Farm near Denver, Colorado. She emphasizes cost saving practices that also consider the health of the planet and soil as top priorities.  Resources: Website - www.blossomandbranchfarm.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blossomandbranchfarm  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@blossomandbranch  TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/discover/blossom-and-branch-farm   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor, FarmHand! When it comes to buying a truck, you don't look for parts and try to build it yourself. You want something ready to ride. So why settle for parts when it comes to your farm management? In a world filled with parts vendors, Farmhand is the only all-in-one virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. With one single platform, Farmhand helps ensure that even small, local farms can access the same level of support and technology typically reserved for larger factory farms. The best part? Farmhand’s ready-to-ride platform comes with zero startup costs or long-term commitments. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/podcast.

281. Briana Bosch on Sustainability, Sheep, and Suburban Farming

Does a farm run by its workers affect its success and how it operates?  In this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael talks with Hannah Breckbill, who helped start Humble Hands Harvest. This organic farm in Northeast Iowa is run by its workers. Now in her 12th year, Hannah and her team practice no-till farming, showing their dedication to sustainable food and supporting the local community.   Listen in to find out how Hannah runs this community-focused, worker-owned farm.   You’ll hear:  How Hannah got started in sustainable agriculture 1:00 About Humble Hands’ journey to owning land  5:01 What Certified Organic means to Hannah 8:51 About what the help on the farm is like as a worker-owned farm 11:06 More about the biggest challenges Humble Hands faces with their business model 18:37 About what kind of education/encouragement they offer the queer farming community 29:38 What Hannah’s advice is for beginning farmers 31:43    About the Guest: Hannah is starting her 12th season with Humble Hands Harvest, a worker-owned vegetable farm growing food for the people of Decorah, Iowa. She holds a vision of a cooperative food web that regenerates rural livelihood as well as soil and ecosystems. She launched the Queer Farmer Convergence in 2018 and loves to be gathered on the land with fellow farmers and land stewards. Resources: Website - https://humblehandsharvest.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/humblehandsharvest  Facebook - facebook.com/humblehandsharvest   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! At our Growing Farmers store, planting season is in full swing! A treasure trove of plant starts and cuttings await. Our team is shipping everything from elderberry and willow cuttings to strawberry starts and potato slips.  So if you’ve been eyeing that sunny spot by the fence or considering how to fill that quiet corner of your yard, look not further. Visit shop.growingfarmers.com today for the first step towards a greener, more fruitful farmstead or garden.

280. Hannah Breckbill on Collaborative Farm Ownership

What are the key benefits of integrating advanced technology into greenhouse construction? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Josh Holleb who is the Systems Integration Specialist at Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. Josh combines his construction and farming expertise to help create sustainable growing spaces that blend technology with smart design. Tune in to hear about sustainable greenhouses that blend technology with smart design.  You’ll hear:  How Josh got into greenhouses 0:51 More about the types of greenhouses they build 2:29 About the estimated costs for Ceres’ greenhouse designs 13:07 What are the biggest principles Josh has learned while working with Ceres 17:44 About the new markets Ceres has been exploring 22:17 More about The Vesta 23:46 How Ceres’ practices integrate with permaculture 30:12    About the Guest: Josh Holleb has been working at the intersection of construction and agriculture for over 15 years. From running organic farms to building permaculture sites to growing Ceres greenhouse Solutions as a business, he tries to combine good design with smart farming techniques to help people and businesses succeed in creating efficient growing environments. Resources: Website -  www.ceresgs.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/CerescannGreenhouse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CeresgreenhousesFacebook - Ceres Greenhouse Solutions   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! At our Growing Farmers store, planting season is in full swing! A treasure trove of plant starts and cuttings await. Our team is shipping everything from elderberry and willow cuttings to strawberry starts and potato slips.  So if you’ve been eyeing that sunny spot by the fence or considering how to fill that quiet corner of your yard, look not further. Visit shop.growingfarmers.com today for the first step towards a greener, more fruitful farmstead or garden.

279. Josh Holleb on Advancing Efficient Greenhouse Design

 What are the biggest challenges in fruit farming? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Bryce Loewen of Blossom Bluff Orchards as he shares his journey in agriculture and the challenges of organic fruit farming in California's Central Valley. He discusses the life cycle of orchards, the yield per acre of stone fruits, and the importance of diversity in fruit varieties.  Tune in to hear about this inspirational, multigenerational farm.  You’ll hear:  About Bryce’s journey into agriculture 0:56 More on Blossom Bluff’s average stone fruit yield per acre 9:06 What some of the growing challenges are 13:19 About how the seasons go on the farm 15:22 More about Blossom Bluff’s sales venues 21:06 What Bryce’s intentions are for the farm’s future 33:37 Bryce’s advice for people thinking of starting a farm 39:24    About the Guest: Bryce is a fourth generation farmer at Blossom Bluff Orchards. He and his sister Renata grew up in a house on the bluff of the Kings River that their parents (Fran and Ted) still live in today. Bryce and Renata also live on the farm in houses that were acquired from neighbors as the farm grew, and all four work together in various roles and share ownership of Blossom Bluff Orchards. Their farming strategy involves finding niches to fill, developing a brand and a reputation for quality, and selling directly to stores, restaurants and consumers.  Resources: Website -  https://blossombluff.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blossomblufforchardsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/blossombluff   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! At our Growing Farmers store, planting season is in full swing! A treasure trove of plant starts and cuttings await. Our team is shipping everything from elderberry and willow cuttings to strawberry starts and potato slips.  So if you’ve been eyeing that sunny spot by the fence or considering how to fill that quiet corner of your yard, look not further. Visit shop.growingfarmers.com today for the first step towards a greener, more fruitful farmstead or garden.

278. Bryce Loewen on the Sweet Success of Stone Fruits

How has organic farming evolved over the years and what might the future hold? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Paul Muller who is a part of the pioneering force at Full Belly Farm, a 450-acre certified organic farm in North Central California. For over four decades, the farm has championed economic stability, year-round employment, and a strong community connection, ensuring nourishment for this generation and those to come. Tune in to hear all about how Paul ensures that this large organic farm continues to thrive!  You’ll hear:  How Paul got started in farming 0:59 About the Full Belly team 10:20 More on the history of organic farming and the Real Organic Project 15:48 About Paul’s take about soil science 22:28 How Full Belly uses cover crops 34:39 What Paul is doing to bring up the next generation of farmers at Full Belly 46:15 About Paul’s advice for new farmers 56:15    About the Guest: Paul Muller farms with family and partners at Full Belly farm, a diversified 450 acre organic farm in North Central California's Capay Valley. For more than 40 years, Full Belly has been seeking to evolve a model farm that is economically stable, honors employees with a business design that creates year round employment, strives to grow more layers of life on a farm for environmental complexity, and seeks to connect with a community of farm supporters for a broader social impact.  Resources: Website - fullbellyfarm.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/full_belly_farm/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FullBellyFarm   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! At our Growing Farmers store, planting season is in full swing! A treasure trove of plant starts and cuttings await. Our team is shipping everything from elderberry and willow cuttings to strawberry starts and potato slips.  So if you’ve been eyeing that sunny spot by the fence or considering how to fill that quiet corner of your yard, look not further. Visit shop.growingfarmers.com today for the first step towards a greener, more fruitful farmstead or garden.

271. Amy Fewell on Herbalism, Health and Homesteading

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