Farm Small Farm Smart Daily
by The Modern Grower Podcast Network
Daily farm and garden talk. All about growing vegetables profitably and efficiently on small farms and in gardens.Each episode focuses on one specific topic - growing practices, how-to, farming challenges and struggles, sales and marketing, soil preparation, weed management, farm startup, market selection, and work-life balance. Hosted and produced by Diego Footer's Modern Grower Podcast Network.
Episodes
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Experiment, But Don't Lose Focus
In this episode, the Lean Farmer Ben Hartman talks about making space to experiment on new things but not to lose focus on the crops that cashflow the farm. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies...
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Choosing Microgreen Varieties
In this episode, farmer James Clarke of Clarke's Greens talks about how he chooses which microgreen varieties to grow. 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…
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Fancy Trays Aren't as Important as You Think
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego Footer talks about how spending on expensive trays just as you start a farm business might not be the best use of your capital budget. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get…
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Margins & Scaling on a Hog Operation
In this episode, farmer Cliff Davis of Pig and Leaf Farm talks about the realistic margins behind a hog operation and what it means to scale a hog raising business. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and...
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Flowers for Pest Control
In this episode, rookie farmer Alec Smith talks about growing flowers to keep pests away from crops. 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...
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Non-Monetary Gains from the Business
In this episode, farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck and businessowner Diego Footer talk about the myriad of wealth a business can gain outside of profit. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at...
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Fostering Farmer-to-Farmer Relationships
In this episode, former Johnny's seedsman-turned-farm manager Wesley Palmer talks about how farmers building relationships with other farmers improves the local growing community. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming...
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To Farm Sustainably is to Take Breaks
In this episode, rookie farmers Alec and Richard talk about the importance of taking breaks if you plan on farming for the long term. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.…
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Where to Find Your Customers
In this episode, Lean Farmer Ben Hartman of Clay Bottom Farm shares his experiences of where they found their first customers. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow…
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Not Competing on Price
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego Footer talks about all the good things that happen when farmers stop competing on price. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern...
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How Far to Drive for Good Hog Stock
In this episode, farmer Cliff of Pig and Leaf Farm talks about the reasonable distance a farmer could drive to get good hog stock to raise. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern…
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The Cost of a New Farmers Market
In this episode, Alec and Richard talk about the often unforeseen costs of selling at a new farmer's market. 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…
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Why Grow a LOT of Different Microgreens
In this episode, farmer James Clarke of Clarke's Greens shares the rationale behind growing many different microgreens varieties. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow...
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Handling Bookkeeping and Finances
In this episode, Chett Clayton of Hillside Harvest asks farmer Alec Smith of Crop Culture Farm how a vegetable growing operation handles its bookkeeping and finances. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds…
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Volume Over Premium Pricing
In this episode, farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck and businessowner Diego Footer talk about the benefits of putting volume sales over individual premium pricing. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and...
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Supporting Farmers Where They Are
In this episode, For Farmers Movement Founder Dana DiPrima talks about extending help to farms by meeting them where they are in their farming business. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at...
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Summer Tomato Diseases
In this episode, rookie farmers Alec and Richard talk about the diseases their tomatoes are having and what they're doing to cope with them. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern…
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Are You Maximizing the Land You Have
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego Footer talks about making sure you maximize your square footage before expanding the land you farm. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and…
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Fungi in Agricultural Relationships
In this episode, mycologist Dennis Desjardin talks about fungi and the roles they play in agriculture. 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...
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Integrating a Spouse into the Business
In this episode, rookie farmers Alec and Richard talk about their experiences bringing on their spouses to farm with them full-time. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.…
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The Best Seller Fancy Salad
In this episode, rookie farmer Alec shares his fancy salad sales with farmers Cliff and Jen of Pig and Leaf Farm. 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:...
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Farming on 3 Plots of Land
In this episode, farmer James Clarke of Clarke's Greens shares his experience growing on 3 separate pieces of land while running the entire farming operation. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and…
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Getting Customers to Try New Things
In this episode, seed rep-turned-farm manager Wesley Palmer of Quercus talks with rookie farmer Alec Smith about getting customers to try new products. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at...
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The Cost of Learning
In this episode, part-time farmer, part-time truck driver Jared Sapach of Reuben's Roots talks about how the mistakes made when running a farm and business is the cost of learning. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming...
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Invest in Yourself
In this episode, chef-turned-farmer Mikey Russo talks about the importance of investing not just in the business but also in yourself as a business owner and a person. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds…
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Small-Scale Farming is Human-Scale
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego Footer talks about the small-scale farming model is more accessible and affordable to get into than others may think. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools,...
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Growing Potatoes with Carrots
In this episode, farmer Richard of Sun and Soil Farm shares how they're able to grow potatoes and carrots on their beds side by side. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.…
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Building Your Farm to Your Context
In this episode, Lean Farmer Ben Hartman talks about being intentional about how you build a farm around your context. 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…
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Nominating Farms for Grants
In this episode, founder of the For Farmers Movement Dana DiPrima shares how individuals can nominate farms they want to support for their grants. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern...
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Holding Onto Your Best Employees
In this episode, farmer Jennifer Glover of Mountain Fresh Creamery talks about valuing her best employees and how she keeps them on the team for years. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at...
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People are Going to Buy Flowers Anyway
In this episode, farmers Cliff and Jen of Pig and Leaf Farm talk about growing flowers locally. 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...
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Focusing Tasks that Pay
In this episode, farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck joins content creator Diego Footer as they talk about making the business more efficient by focusing on tasks that actually pay. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming…
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Growing Less Common Market Garden Crops
In this episode, farmer Mike Hedge of Hedge Family Farm talks about how they make the logistics and economics work growing less common market garden crops. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies…
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Adapt the Business When the Market Sends Signals
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego Footer talks about clocking when the market's sending signals on what it wants and how to pivot to meet the changing demand. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming...
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Studs & Duds of the Summer
In this episode, rookie farmers Alec and Richard talk about their respective summer crop winners (and losers) this 2026 season. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow...
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Seed Reps are Your Best Friend
In this episode, former Johnny's Seeds seed rep-turned-garden manager Wesley Palmer doubles down on why seed reps are a small farm owner's untapped resource. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and…
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The Flexibility of Microgreens
In this episode, farmer James Clarke of Clarke's Greens talks about how microgreens can play many roles on the farm! 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:...
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Set Benchmarks On Your Farm
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego Footer drills the importance of setting benchmarks on the farm (and not just sales benchmarks, either). Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and...
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Is Permaculture Just a Fad?
In this episode, permaculture pioneers Cliff and Jenn of Pig & Leaf Farm talk about how, yes, permaculture is just a fad. 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...
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Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes on Small Acreages
In this episode, rookie farmers Alec and Richard talk about how potatoes and sweet potatoes can actually be profitable on small acreage. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower....
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How You Present Your Produce
In this episode, farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck and business owner and content creator Diego Footer talk about the impact of how a product's presentation can directly impact its sales. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market...
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The Push for Regenerative
In this episode, entomologist and agroecologist Dr. Jacob Pecenka talks about how agriculture in general is moving towards a holistic, regenerative approach. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and…
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Getting Rid of Waste on the Farm
In this episode, the Lean Farmer Ben Hartman talks about how to double down on getting rid of wastage on the farm. 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:...
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From Small Farm to 50 Acres
In this episode, farmer Shane Aslan of Aslan Organics shares how they grew their business from a small acreage farm to moving to a 50-acre plot. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern...
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Getting Acquainted with Grants
In this episode, For Farmers Movement founder Dana DiPrima shares what to do to start getting more familiar with writing for grants. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.…
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Valuing Time Over Money
In this episode, rookie farmers Richard and Alec talk about saying no to the business so they could say yes to life and living. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow...
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Community Support Helps Local Businesses
In this episode, farmer and educator Jodi Roebuck and content creator and business owner Diego Footer talk about how building relationships with the immediate community can help a small, local business thrive. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business...
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The Joys of Parenting While Farming
In this episode, farmer Mike Hedge of Hedge Family Farm opens up about the joys (and challenges) of parenting while running a farm. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow...
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Farmers and Building Relationships
In this episode, Johnny's seed rep-turned-garden manager Wesley Palmer talks about all the good things that happen when farmers build relationships and communities with other farmers. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming...
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Weed Prevention Techniques
In this episode, business owner and content creator Diego shares some simple, doable weed prevention techniques to save you time on the farm. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern...
About this show
Daily farm and garden talk. All about growing vegetables profitably and efficiently on small farms and in gardens.Each episode focuses on one specific topic - growing practices, how-to, farming challenges and struggles, sales and marketing, soil preparation, weed management, farm startup, market selection, and work-life balance. Hosted and produced by Diego Footer's Modern Grower Podcast Network.
Hosted by
The Modern Grower Podcast Network