Suburban farming on a small footprint with a full-time job with Michael Bell of Dallas Half Acre Farm in Dallas, Texas

Talk about leveraging constraints, Michael Bell runs Dallas Half Acre Farm without running water or electricity, with a full-time job, on about half an acre. On this week’s podcast, we talk about how he makes it all work. We discuss why almost all his crops are grown under cover, and how he makes that work with the intense summer heat in Texas. We also talk about why he harvests and delivers produce almost every day of the week, and how that works with his job as a teacher.We also discuss some of the difficulties of farming in a neighborhood where the authorities don’t always understand agriculture, and how Michael has worked with local officials to keep growing. His modified CSA is a great model for those looking to get a lot out of a small space or start farming in an urban/suburban area. Michael is also a big advocate for urban farming- hear his advice for aspiring urban farmers, and how he helps them get started. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @dallashalfacrefarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:  Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse kits, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full spectrum of colors. For all that plus experienced support for everything they sell, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial