Eric McClam likes tractors. He also likes building things such as chicken coops and flame weeders (really, check out that gas-fueled homemade contraption in the picture!). Farm manager and co-owner of City Roots Farm in Columbia, SC, Eric gave up a life in architecture to transform a plot of land in the Historic Rosewood neighborhood with his father.

To listen to him tell it, though, he didn’t “give up” much of anything, but is learning and living the farm life and transforming a community in the process. Listen to him explain microgreens, hear me giggle like a school girl when he says the phrase “fish poop,” and generally go down to the urban farm with us!