The Rookie Farmer Podcast

Think you've got a short growing season?

Meet Ellinor, a part-time market gardener in Sweden who grows on a third of an acre at 58° north, with no farmers markets, a rainwater-only watering system, and a full-time IT job. She shares how she sells direct through a self-serve farm stand and REKO rings, why she'd rather reinvest in labor than infrastructure, and how she makes a limited season and a narrow sales window work.

You might just be surprised how similar market gardeners' challenges are no matter where they're farming.

Click here to check out farmer Ellinor and Askö Grönsaker.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

In this farm blog episode, Alec and Richard talk about successes (and failures!) when it comes to carrot germination, what they do to their unsold produce, and some learning opportunities in the near future.

Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

In this episode of The Rookie Farmer Podcast, host Alec sits down with Kyle Beaver of Ten Mile Mushrooms to talk about the real, unfiltered story of building a mushroom business from a $300 investment in an old pig barn to an 8,000-square-foot warehouse supplying growers nationwide. They also touch on practical lessons on scaling smart, when to invest in better infrastructure versus more space, and how to shift from "operator" to true business owner.

Click here to learn more about Kyle and Ten Mile Mushrooms!

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

In this episode, Alec welcomes back farmer Jen from Pig & Leaf Farm for round two to dig deep into the flower side of their farming operation...including the big decision to phase out vegetables entirely and go all-in on flowers! She breaks down a practical veg-to-flower ratio, which crops are beginner-friendly versus which ones are advanced, and how to choose market streams between farmers markets, wholesale, and weddings.

Click here to learn more about Pig & Leaf Farm.

Click here to learn more about Jen and Agrofloristry.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Alec and Richard are back for a blog episode, and they get real about surviving the hottest, driest August they've ever farmed through while somehow posting record-breaking sales.

Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

In this episode, Alec sits down with Cliff and Jen of Pig & Leaf in Tennessee as they share how two permaculture teachers became thriving market farmers running three enterprises at once: heritage pork, cut flowers, and market vegetables.

Click here to learn more about Pig & Leaf Farm.

Click here to learn more about Cliff and hog farming.

Click here to learn more about Jen and Agrofloristry.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

In episode 52, Dana DiPrima of For Farmers Movement joins the Rookie Farmer Podcast to break down how her organization is flipping the script on farm funding: through nomination-based micro-grants, community wishlists, and zero-jargon applications.

Click here to learn more about Dana DiPima.

Click here to learn more about For Farmers Movement.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

In this episode of the Rookie Farmer Podcast, Alec and Richard get real about the brutal back half of summer: crashing sales, a wild squash bug and leaf-footed bug infestation, and the emotional toll of farm life colliding with family stress.

Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Ever wondered what it actually takes to start a dairy from scratch, with rented land and 275 rented cows? 🤔

In this episode, Jennifer Glover of Mountain Fresh Creamery shares how she and her husband built a vertically integrated dairy and creamery business over 26 years, from tight beginnings to selling direct to consumers all over Atlanta!

Click here to learn more about farmer Jennifer and Mountain Fresh Creamery.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

This week, rookie farmer Alec sits down with farmer Mike Hedge of Hedge Family Farm in Happy Valley, NC, as he shares how he and his wife Sara put in the work to turn raw, undeveloped land into a thriving market garden operation, growing everything from sweet potatoes and watermelons to rare Fioretto cauliflower. Before the episode ends, farmer Mike might also even convert you into incorporating longer-season crops into your crop plan!

Click here to learn more about farmer Mike and Hedge Family Farm.

Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.

Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link.

Click here to watch the video version!

Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!

Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.

Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram

Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast

Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon

**** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to prov