Growers Daily

Welcome to episode 16 of Growers Daily!

We cover: Alex Ball of Old City Acres and Co-Host of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast joins the show today to chat with me about how to move a farm, what size is a good scale for part time farming, and what questions he has going into the next season of podcasting and farming.

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Follow Alex: https://www.instagram.com/oldcityacres/

MY BOOK!

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

French copy of The Living Soil Handbook: https://amzn.to/4h2bYot

Italian Copy https://www.terranuovalibri.it/libro/dettaglio/jesse-frost/il-manuale-del-suolo-vivente-9788866819967-236828.html

German Copy: https://www.oekom.de/buch/das-grosse-boden-handbuch-9783987261374

Links Mentioned:

-Holistic management worksheet: http://www.purplepitchfork.com/uploads/4/2/5/9/42595701/doc_goal_formation_packet.pdf

-Silvohorticulture PREORDER https://amzn.to/3UhzFzr

-Link to Sunday Video: https://youtu.be/JrPUtKsCBdo

- The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook: https://amzn.to/3Y728Je

Evansville Event: https://www.events.humanitix.com/farm-vitality-soil-health-andagricultural-

networking-workshop

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMS

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Welcome to episode 15 of Growers Daily!

We cover: What the heck is silvohorticulture, how to make decisions on a farm (decision making frameworks) and it's messy monday!

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

MY BOOK!

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

French copy of The Living Soil Handbook: https://amzn.to/4h2bYot

Italian Copy https://www.terranuovalibri.it/libro/dettaglio/jesse-frost/il-manuale-del-suolo-vivente-9788866819967-236828.html

German Copy: https://www.oekom.de/buch/das-grosse-boden-handbuch-9783987261374

Links Mentioned:

-Holistic management worksheet: http://www.purplepitchfork.com/uploads/4/2/5/9/42595701/doc_goal_formation_packet.pdf

-Silvohorticulture PREORDER https://amzn.to/3UhzFzr

-Link to Sunday Video: https://youtu.be/JrPUtKsCBdo

Evansville Event: https://www.events.humanitix.com/farm-vitality-soil-health-andagricultural-

networking-workshop

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMS

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Today's episode is with two of our compost pioneers, Karl Hammer from Vermont Compost and Mike Merner from Earth Care Farm. They share advice, stories from the early days, wishes for the future, and so much more. Both of these wonderful humans have always been generous talking about their experiences and helping the compost industry grow. It seems fitting as we head into the season of gratitude to tap into these two dedicated composters. As an aside, I'm super blessed to also have Mike Merner as my dad. Thanks, dad. I'm very proud to follow in your big old footsteps. Welcome to The Composter, a podcast for compost lovers...

Follow Jayne & Earth Care Farm on Instagram

Support the folks who support The Composter

You can learn more about Viably, formerly Komptech, and their portfolio of compost solutions at thinkviably.com. While there, request a complimentary consultative meeting to discover how Viably can help your compost operation deliver what is possible.

Compost use and selection decisions involve many factors and are not one-size-fits-all. The U .S. Composting Council's Seal of testing assurance, STA program helps you make the best decisions for your application. Learn about the three Cs of the STA program, clarity, consistency, and confidence and enroll at compostingcounsel.org

Farmhand enables you to offload your administrative tasks, send and manage communications, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and book a free test drive at farmhand.partners/notill

High Mowing Organic Seeds has the professional quality seeds and supportive grower reps to get you from seed to harvest. Visit highmowingseeds.com to request a catalog and use code NOTILL25 for 10% off your order of $100 or more!

Welcome to episode 14 of Growers Daily!

We cover: Microplastics and are farmers to blame, the importance of neighbors, what to undersow with tomatoes, and what you should grow if you can grow anything.

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Citations:

Wirecutter article: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/how-to-avoid-eating-microplastics/

Nature Editorial: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02968-x

Biosolids info: https://www.epa.gov/biosolids/basic-information-about-biosolids

Microplastics on farm fields: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/growing-concern-microplastic-pollution-farm-fields

Microplastics on farm fields in China: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749123002373#:~:text=As%20for%20biosolids%2C%20MPs%20entering,the%20sources%20of%20MPs%20identified.

Tuna and Plastics: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35305437/#:~:text=A%20significant%20presence%20of%20MPs,case%20of%20oil%2Dcontaining%20samples.

Tires and microplastics:: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5664766/

BOOK!

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

French copy of The Living Soil Handbook: https://amzn.to/4h2bYot

Italian Copy https://www.terranuovalibri.it/libro/dettaglio/jesse-frost/il-manuale-del-suolo-vivente-9788866819967-236828.html

German Copy: https://www.oekom.de/buch/das-grosse-boden-handbuch-9783987261374

Evansville Event: https://www.events.humanitix.com/farm-vitality-soil-health-andagricultural-

networking-workshop

Kentucky Composting Conference: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-composting-conference-registration-1022817694257

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMSCarolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Welcome to episode 13 of Growers Daily!

We cover: what to harvest when, should farms have positions like sports, and how farm names are born.

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

French copy of The Living Soil Handbook: https://amzn.to/4h2bYot

Italian Copy https://www.terranuovalibri.it/libro/dettaglio/jesse-frost/il-manuale-del-suolo-vivente-9788866819967-236828.html

German Copy: https://www.oekom.de/buch/das-grosse-boden-handbuch-9783987261374

Evansville Event: https://www.events.humanitix.com/farm-vitality-soil-health-andagricultural-

networking-workshop

Kentucky Composting Conference: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-composting-conference-registration-1022817694257

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMSCarolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Ellen Rignell has many years experience growing seed from her time at Trill Farms and as a program coordinator for the Gaia Foundation seed sovereignty program. But in this interview we catch Ellen at a new part of her seed journey as she's finishing the first growing season of her Winnow Farm Seeds, her very own seed company based in Dorset in the UK. In this episode, we discuss what Ellen wants from this new business and we discuss all the things other than growing seed that you need to know when launching a seed business.

Ellen talks about her collaboration with Lucy and Emma of Meadowsweet Flowers and Floristry. These are flower growers she shares the site with. How this helps share infrastructure, rent and labour in addition to amazing camaraderie and having tea breaks together. This collaboration also creates an opportunity to grow flower seeds especially adapted to the wet UK climate.

In the deep dive Ellen and I talk about growing parsnips for seed. The importance of sloping shoulders to drive rain away, whether to stake flowering parsnips or not, and do parsnip seeds live up to their reputation as bad germinators with limited storage life? We also discuss working with biennials other than parsnip.

At the end of the conversation Ellen goes into the opportunities to grow seed in a market growing context to take advantage of gaps in your crop plan and to better use farm labour.

Mentioned in the show...

Visit Winnow Farm Seeds website & follow on Instagram

To make your Season Review a little more manageable, I've got a 5 video series that will walk you through all the steps you need to do. There is also a checklist to help you keep track of what you've done. If you want to watch the Season Review Challenges videos and get your annual farm review started you can find them at www.seasonreview.farm/

Follow Dan on Instagram, get his newsletter, & follow Tourne-Sol Cooperative Farm

PRE-ORDER Dan's new book, The Seed Farmer, from notillgrowers.com to further support our work!

Folks who support The Seed Farmer Podcast

The goal of the Culinary Breeding Network is to improve communication between plant breeders, seed growers, farmers, chefs, produce buyers and others to improve quality in vegetables, fruits and grains. Learn more and check out upcoming events!

Are you a farmer looking for educational resources in Canada? Check out Young Agrarians! They are a farmer-to-farmer educational resource network for new and young ecological, organic, and regenerative farmers.

This February, join thousands of farmers like you from across the U.S. for three days of community building and farmer-led learning at the 36th annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Truelove Seeds is a farm-based seed company offering culturally important and open pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Check out their podcast, Seeds & Their People, wherever you're listening to The Seed Farmer Podcast!

Welcome to episode 12 of Growers Daily!

We cover: PFAS in compost, keeping lists, what to plant in october, and deer fencing

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Texas A:&M deer fencing https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2016/05/12/four-wire-electric-fence-system-best-control-of-deer-access-to-food-plots/

Composter Pod about PFAS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-composter-podcast/id1639905999?i=1000672994274

French copy of The Living Soil Handbook: https://amzn.to/4h2bYot

Italian Copy https://www.terranuovalibri.it/libro/dettaglio/jesse-frost/il-manuale-del-suolo-vivente-9788866819967-236828.html

German Copy: https://www.oekom.de/buch/das-grosse-boden-handbuch-9783987261374

Evansville Event: https://www.events.humanitix.com/farm-vitality-soil-health-andagricultural-

networking-workshop

Kentucky Composting Conference: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-composting-conference-registration-1022817694257

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMSCarolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Welcome to episode 11 of Growers Daily!

We cover: does stress cause gray hair, the problem with fixating on wins as a soccer coach, balancing ecology and profit, and it's Messy Monday.

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

Interplanting Video: https://youtu.be/otkDHiZ-O4Q

Evansville Event: https://www.events.humanitix.com/farm-vitality-soil-health-andagricultural-

networking-workshop

Kentucky Composting Conference: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-composting-conference-registration-1022817694257

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMSCarolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers

I recently took a road trip to eastern Massachusetts. Most people visiting this classic New England area in October are either leaf peeping or visiting the witchy town of Salem, but you listeners know me better than that. I am much more excited about the brown leaves about to get into my compost pile and meeting composters like Andrew Brousseau, operations manager at Black Earth Compost. On my way in, winding through the historic streets of Gloucester, my anticipation grew as I saw so many little green food scrap collection buckets in front of the homes. I followed those buckets all the way to Black Earth's new two-acre ASP compost facility where the contents of those little green buckets end up. This is Black Earth's fourth facility in Massachusetts. It's located on top of the town's old landfill. After the tour of the tight site that has been thoughtfully designed with the help of Green Mountain Technology, we went to Andrew's home where we sat down in his children's kindergarten chairs and spoke a little bit about his operations and a lot about the hot topic of PFAS. In fact, as I walked into his home, an NPR news story was on about PFAS and Andrew was trying to call in. We delve into how Black Earth is handling customer questions, how and why we should test for PFAS and more.

Mentioned in the show...

TIME// Now We Need to Worry About Harmful Forever Chemicals in Our Toilet Paper, Too?

Check out the Black Earth Compost website & follow them on Instagram

Follow Jayne & Earth Care Farm on Instagram

Support the folks who support The Composter

You can learn more about Viably, formerly Komptech, and their portfolio of compost solutions at thinkviably.com. While there, request a complimentary consultative meeting to discover how Viably can help your compost operation deliver what is possible.

Compost use and selection decisions involve many factors and are not one-size-fits-all. The U .S. Composting Council's Seal of testing assurance, STA program helps you make the best decisions for your application. Learn about the three Cs of the STA program, clarity, consistency, and confidence and enroll at compostingcounsel.org

Farmhand enables you to offload your administrative tasks, send and manage communications, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and book a free test drive at farmhand.partners/notill

High Mowing Organic Seeds has the professional quality seeds and supportive grower reps to get you from seed to harvest. Visit highmowingseeds.com to request a catalog and use code NOTILL25 for 10% off your order of $100 or more!

Welcome to episode 10 of Growers Daily!

We cover: Advice from farmers, using the word how, starting small + where to put your gardens, and is growing garlic in a high tunnel worth it?

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers seeding paper pot trays vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut7rsMIuvio&t=17s

Mountain Roots Video: https://youtu.be/u3KoaRHV1I4

Sage Hill Ranch Video: https://youtu.be/53KKV4paafo

Overwintered Alliums: https://youtu.be/nkkDniFLshU

Show Sponsor: Rimol Greenhouses: https://rimol.com

RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HURRICANE VICTIMSCarolina Farm Stewardship Association CSFA (numerous resources) https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/cfsa-helene-resources/

Organic Growers School OGS ( list of farmers in need ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YC235Gbq6YwWbC9mQe8Lh9iMsNp4Lpub9oZIP66Qye0/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) donate: https://asapconnections.org/about-us/

Other stuff and ways to support stuff like this 👇

5% off Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizers and More (offer Code: NOTILL)

👀: https://store.turbify.com/cgi-bin/clink?yhst-20803342241356+tt4W2F+shop.html+NOTILL🚨

Preorder Dan's Brisebois' Seed Book! 👉https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

The Living Soil Handbook 📕 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Hats 🧢 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Forum 💬 👉 https://notillgrowers.community.chat

Music 🎵 👉 via empidemicsound.com

👕 MERCH 👉 https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook

Support our work (👊) at www.notillgrowers.com/support or www.Patreon.com/notillgrowers