Farm Small Farm Smart

The Modern Grower Podcast Network

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.

Listen in PodNod RSS feed Show website

20 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes20

Newest first

Thursday · 15 min
Build a Plan that Fits Your Farm (MFB 54)
What does your farm have to do for you? Does it need to net you a livable income? Or does it just need to supplement your current income? Plan out your farm based on what you need to do lest you overreach and stretch yourself too thin. 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.
Monday · 16 min
Why Trying to Sell to Everyone Is Killing Your Business
When you try to be everything to everyone, you become nothing to anyone. The farm selling "fresh local vegetables" to whoever walks by is invisible. The farm known for the best salad mix in the county, or the only source of specialty greens for high-end restaurants, is the one people seek out and pay more for. Watch the episode here! Interested in watching the series? Hop on over to our YouTube Channel! 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.
July 26 · 20 min
Tillage and Carbon in the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 80
In this episode, Dr. Bruno Basso of CIBO Technologies discusses the effects of tillage on the carbon in the soil. 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.
July 23 · 14 min
Making a Living Farming (MFB 53)
Is small-scale farming a viable source of income? It definitely could be! But there's no free lunch: it's something you're going to have to put work into. 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.
July 19 · 13 min
Potential Cons to Cover Cropping - Gardening Beyond Basics 79
In this episode, Research Associate Professor Dr. Buz Kloot of Soil Health Labs talks about the potential reasons why farmers would choose not to cover crop. 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.
July 16 · 43 min
Farmers Markets vs CSAs (MFB 52)
Which should you sell to, farmer's markets, or CSAs? The answer: it depends. Can you grow consistently? Can you deliver on your weekly orders? Have you already built a solid customer base? 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.
July 13 · 13 min
5 Variables That Turn an Underperforming Crop Into a Top Earner
Jodi Robuck's first beet harvest: one bunch. Maybe $3. Twelve months later, the same bed produces over $850. Not luck — he changed one variable at a time until the math worked. Click here to watch the full episode on our YouTube Channel! 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.
July 12 · 25 min
Plant-Fungi Relationships - Gardening Beyond Basics 78
In this episode, author and educator Peter McCoy of Mycologos sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi. 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.
July 9 · 20 min
DIY Costs More Than You Think (MFB 51)
Sometimes, you can cheap out and MacGyver your way to get your farm business going...but not always. 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.
July 5 · 13 min
Mature Compost is Better Quality - Gardening Beyond Basics 77
In this episode, compost specialist and owner of Living Roots Compost Tea Troy Hinke explains the importance of allowing compost to take its time maturing before application. 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.
July 2 · 25 min
Farms that Fail, Farms that Thrive (MFB 50)
In this episode, Diego talks about the small differences that make up the difference between farms that make it...and farms that don't. 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.
June 29 · 23 min
5 Common Farm Purchases vs. the $10,000 Question
5 purchases, one filter. Every year farmers spend thousands on equipment they're told they need. Almost nobody asks one question before swiping the card: Will this generate or save me $10,000 in the next 12 months? Click here to watch the full episode on our YouTube Channel! 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.
June 28 · 9 min
Assessing Soil Health and Quality - Gardening Beyond Basics 76
In this episode, microbiologist and co-creator of the Johnson-Su bioreactor, Dr. David Johnson, schools us on how to tell if a soil is healthy and of good quality. 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.
June 25 · 27 min
The Real Reason Why Farmers Quit (MFB 49)
Diego has identified what breaks farm business owners. It's not the physical work: it's everything else. And the difference between farmers who barely survive and those who thrive? Systems. 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.
June 22 · 17 min
The Most Profitable Crops for a Market Garden
Search "most profitable crops" on YouTube and you'll get saffron, ginseng, cannabis. After interviewing 200+ small-scale farmers over a decade and running a farm supply company, I can tell you almost nobody is making real money on anything from those lists. Click here to watch the full episode on our YouTube Channel! 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.
June 21 · 15 min
Cover Crops, Biomass, and Nutrient Cycling - Gardening Beyond Basics 75
In this episode, soil specialist and consultant Dr. Jim Hoorman of Hoorman Soil discusses how increasing above-soil biomass plays a role in nutrient cycling. 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.
June 18 · 14 min
Year-Round Farming on 1.5 Acres (MFB 48)
When Taylor Mendell moved from California to Vermont, she made every mistake possible: spent their entire budget on irrigation during the wettest year on record. By year three, everything felt out of control. Then they built something remarkable: a year-round CSA grossing over $200,000 on just 1.5 acres of growing space. 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.
June 15 · 14 min
The Exact Math Behind $250 of Lettuce a Week
How many beds of lettuce do you actually need to hit $250, $500, or $1,000 a week? Using production data from Ray Tyler's Rose Creek Farms in Tennessee — a farm that's done over $400,000 in sales on ¾ acre — here's the exact math. Click here to watch the full episode on our YouTube Channel. 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.
June 14 · 7 min
Replacing Lost Nutrients in the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 74
In this episode, soil microbiologist and founder of The Soil Food Web Dr. Elaine Ingham talks about how farmers can go about replenishing soil nutrients for future growing. 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.
June 11 · 6 min
The Planning Habits that Turned a Farm Profitable (MFB 47)
Taylor Mendell was drowning. Nothing was working on Footprint Farm until she discovered something unexpected: brain science and habit formation could fix her farming chaos. What started as a desperate loan application turned into an annual planning system that transformed their operation. 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.

Farm Small Farm Smart

Build a Plan that Fits Your Farm (MFB 54)

Why Trying to Sell to Everyone Is Killing Your Business

Tillage and Carbon in the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 80

Making a Living Farming (MFB 53)

Potential Cons to Cover Cropping - Gardening Beyond Basics 79

Farmers Markets vs CSAs (MFB 52)

5 Variables That Turn an Underperforming Crop Into a Top Earner

Plant-Fungi Relationships - Gardening Beyond Basics 78

DIY Costs More Than You Think (MFB 51)

Mature Compost is Better Quality - Gardening Beyond Basics 77

Farms that Fail, Farms that Thrive (MFB 50)

5 Common Farm Purchases vs. the $10,000 Question

Assessing Soil Health and Quality - Gardening Beyond Basics 76

The Real Reason Why Farmers Quit (MFB 49)

The Most Profitable Crops for a Market Garden

Cover Crops, Biomass, and Nutrient Cycling - Gardening Beyond Basics 75

Year-Round Farming on 1.5 Acres (MFB 48)

The Exact Math Behind $250 of Lettuce a Week

Replacing Lost Nutrients in the Soil - Gardening Beyond Basics 74

The Planning Habits that Turned a Farm Profitable (MFB 47)