The Thriving Farmer Podcast

In what ways can transforming our front yards into edible landscapes impact our local food systems and communities?   On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Laura Fernandez who is the visionary behind Front Yard Foods in South Carolina. Laura's journey began with a simple garden at the age of 12 and has blossomed into a mission to reconnect people with their food through personalized garden designs, educational courses, and a passion for community-driven sustainability. Tune in to hear all about how Laura built this thriving garden operation from the ground up! You’ll hear: How Laura started getting interested in plants 0:59 How Front Yard Foods got started 5:09 About Laura’s biggest surprise in how the business has grown 7:54 What Laura does for marketing 13:25 How Laura runs the books 19:30 About what Laura would change if she could start again 29:06 What Laura’s advice is for new gardeners 36:09   About the Guest: Laura Fernandez founded Front Yard Foods in 2022 in order to

Ever thought about shifting your farm to a U-Pick model?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is diving into the world of agritourism with Megan Neubauer of Pure Land Farm located in McKinney, Texas. Megan literally wrote the book on pick-your-own farming and her farming journey offers invaluable insights into transforming local agriculture into a profitable, community-driven experience. Tune in to hear about Megan’s thriving U-Pick operation and her new book!   You’ll hear: How Megan got into farming 0:52 What led Megan to shift her farm to Upick 4:52 What the average customer expects when participating in U-pick 10:37 How their crops are priced 11:42 About how they package their berries for U-Pick customers 15:08 What software Megan uses for booking 21:23 About how they deal with “problem people” 25:00 About their marketing focus 30:19 What Megan’s advice is for newer farmers or farmers looking to change things up 38:04   About the Guest: Megan Neubauer is a farmer in North Texas. She

How does the concept of value-added thinking apply to both farming and our daily lives?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Billy Bond, owner of Perma Pastures Farm, located in North Carolina. From hands-on workshops to online education, Billy and his family share their knowledge and love for permaculture. When he’s not on their farm, he is helping transform damaged and destroyed landscapes into abundant permaculture farms.  Tune in to hear about permaculture and value-added thinking for your farm! You’ll hear: How Billy got started in farming 0:50 About the kind of property Perma Pastures Farm is 7:29 What new homesteaders should focus on first 12:01 About what Billy’s Bone Sauce is 25:10 What Billy would do differently given the ability to start from the beginning 31:14   About the Guest: Billy was a city kid. He went to college for a short while before joining the US Army to become an Airborne Sapper. After military service, Billy became an IBEW electrician and complete

What challenges and opportunities arise when starting a farm and retail venture from scratch? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Jacob Towe of Jubilee Farms in Pauline, South Carolina. After helping with his family’s Christmas tree farm from an early age, Jacob launched his own regenerative farm as well as a local grocery store focused on real food and farm-to-table connections.   Tune in to hear how Jacob boot-strapped his way into a successful farm life!   In this episode, you’ll hear… How Jacob got started in regenerative farming 0:55 What his biggest takeaways were from his time at Polyface Farm 3:11 What kind of farmland Jubilee Farm has 9:16 More about the farm’s grocery store 10:45 What Jacob would do differently given the opportunity to start over 24:21 About their store’s customers and what they purchase most 31:08 What Jacob’s advice is for newer farmers 32:45   About the Guest: Jacob Towe is the owner of Jubilee Farms and co-owner of Farmfare Grocery in Spartanbu

Is it the grass or the genetics that helps most with grass-fed dairy farming? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Suzanne Karreman of Reverence Farms in North Carolina.  Along with her veterinarian husband, Dr. Hubert, they run a 400-acre, 80-cow grass-fed dairy. Their farm is a thriving polyculture where animals are ‘passionately pastured’ and the land benefits from careful, healing stewardship. Tune in today to hear about Suzanne’s passion and knowledge about grass-fed dairy cows.  In this episode, you’ll hear… How Suzanne got into farming 0:59 How long it took for Suzanne and her husband to go commercial 8:20 What Suzanne’s stance is on whether or not going grass-fed is worth it 15:42 About where the milk from the current herd is going 26:48 What the Reverence Farm team looks like 33:02 What a typical year looks like at Reverence Farms 39:12 About the other enterprises they work on 46:45 What Suzanne’s advice for newer farmers is 49:32   About the Guest: Suzanne and her

Do you know what all goes into garlic growing? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Julie Olberding of Rustic Roots Farm in Alexandria, Minnesota. Their farm balances natural resources with a blend of innovative techniques and traditional methods to produce the highest quality products for their customers.  They specialize in hardneck garlic, maple syrup, asparagus and more using these natural and regenerative methods.  Tune in to hear about Julie’s award-winning garlic and her advice for new farmers.    You’ll hear: How Julie and Chad got started in farming 1:35 Why Rustic Roots choose garlic to start with 5:07 Why Rustic Roots does farmers markets 9:35 About Rustic Roots’ marketing 14:03 More on the other garlic products they offer 16:57 How many varieties of garlic they grow 20:30 What Rustic Roots offers in terms of education 27:01 About their fertility program 33:53 What other enterprises and products their farm offers 42:41 What Julie’s advice is for newer farmers 45:03

What are ways you can get involved in your local community? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Tim and Sophia Eng who are both first-generation Asian American farmers who left their Silicon Valley careers to start a 5-acre micro farm in northeast Tennessee. Tim is a homestead-focused realtor and Sophia is the author of The Nourishing Asian Kitchen cookbook.  Tune in to hear how they are cultivating a community and the next generation. In this episode, you’ll hear… About Tim and Sophia got started in their real food journey 1:41 What is typical of Asian American food offerings 4:03 More on Sophia’s biggest learning experiences while writing her cookbook 8:31 About their move from California to Tennessee 11:20 What the word “community” means to Tim and Sophia and what kind of community they aim to build in Tennessee 21:29 All about the different enterprises that Sophia and Tim are involved in 27:02 How the cookbook has become a lead qualifier for their real estate business 30:

Can going back to more sustainable ways be the key to modern beekeeping success? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Adam Martin of Bee Kept Farm in middle Tennessee. Along with his wife, Leslie, Adam got into beekeeping using commonly taught methods. After an unsuccessful first year, they decided to think “outside the bee box” and shifted their beekeeping to more natural and sustainable methods.  Tune in to hear how Adam has gone back to more traditional methods to allow the bees to be bees.  In this episode, you’ll hear… About how Adam got started in beekeeping 1:33 How feral swarms tend to behave 7:35 What Adam does to ensure that his bees thrive 10:38 How Adam harvests honey in a horizontal hive 14:36 What they do to handle pests 18:51 How Adam makes money with his Bee Kept Farm 23:25 What other animals Adam has on his farm 30:52 About the biggest question people have during Bee Kept classes 41:17 What bee species Adam recommends for late crops 44:17 About the Guest: Ada

Can “regenerative filmmaking” help with our current agricultural challenges? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Josh and Rebecca Tickell who are the filmmakers of the recently released documentary Common Ground. This highly anticipated follow-up to their first film Kiss the Ground is an urgent call to action and offers a plan for how we can save the future, heal our climate, and fix our broken food system – all through regenerative agriculture. Tune in to hear about their journey with “regenerative filmmaking”.  In this episode, you’ll hear… What got Rebecca and Josh into “regenerative filmmaking” 1:14 How they realized Kiss the Ground had become such a hit 3:22 About the impacts conventional farming has made on the earth and our health 14:35 How they refused to have the movie censored in any way 21:15 About the project called 100 Million Acres 27:46 What did they learn the most from the making of Common Ground 31:42   About the Guest: Josh and Rebecca Tickell a

How do you keep productivity up on your farm? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by John Arbuckle of Singing Pastures Farm. Along with a network of farm partners, John and his family raise heritage breed pigs in the grassy fields of coastal Maine. Hear more about the day-to-day operations and decisions behind this sustainable farm and the uniqueness of their Roam Sticks.. Tune in as we explore their shift from traditional pork production to a product-centric system.   In this episode, you’ll hear… What John’s farming journey was like growing up 2:34 About the transition from pork to snack sticks 9:26 How they set their farm up to be a product-centric system 13:26 About the big system farm changes to help alleviate John’s workload 17:26 More on where the pork get processed 23:23 What a typical day on the farm is like for John 25:15 John’s advice for new farmers 34:24 About the farm’s distribution 41:43 What makes Singing Pastures’ Roam Sticks different from other meat sticks 42

What are the challenges and rewards of transitioning a hobby into a thriving business? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Craig Odem who runs a retail nursery in northwest Alabama. Starting with just a few dozen plants six years ago, Craig and his family have taken their business to a full-scale production and propagation nursery without any background in the industry. He also shares about their nursery growth on YouTube as the Savvy Dirt Farmer. Tune in to hear how Craig documents their growth and teaches others how to start their own thriving nurseries.  In this episode, you’ll hear… How Craig got interested in plants 1:43 About the process of taking cuttings and making new plants with them 9:13 Why Craig recently moved 18:44 What a typical year in a nursery looks like 20:10 How Craig runs his clearance sales 28:32 What specific nursery mix does Craig prefer, if any 40:29 Where Craig expects his business to look like in 2 years 43:08 About his nursery’s checkout system on

Could you embrace the "Reverse Pioneer" Lifestyle? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Jill Winger, The Homestead Mentor of The Prairie Homestead. Jill has taught thousands of people how to cook nourishing homemade meals, grow food in their backyards, and find joy in a simpler, slower life. Her new book Old Fashioned on Purpose releases today and is a rallying cry for a less industrial, more intentional life. Tune in to hear how Jill sees herself as a Reverse Pioneer and how you also could start to return to your roots.  In this episode, you’ll hear… Why Jill sees herself as a “Reverse Pioneer” 1:32 About what the homesteading movement is like right now 2:55 What it looks like to “return to our roots” 5:04 How consumer culture is harming society 10:18 About what the human zoo is 14:36 How the Chugwater Soda Fountain got started 17:03 What the biggest lessons and takeaways were from starting that business 19:48 About their beef business 25:25 More about her blog and new book 2

Has the quality of food you’ve consumed ever affected your health?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’re joined by Taylor Ayers, co-owner of Ayers Valley Farm located in Russellville, OH. After experiencing health issues that no doctor could pinpoint, Taylor, and her husband Josh, started digging deeper into how their food was raised. Seven years later, they are running their own regenerative farm offering a range of high quality meats to loyal customers all around the country.  Tune in to hear how this health scare prompted a return to the farm and how they manage a thriving operation.    You’ll hear: What Taylor and Josh’s course of action was when their health issues got out of control 1:45 What they feed to their pigs and chickens 6:42 How they process their animals 11:45 What Taylor expects the future of the farm to look like 21:36 How does Ayers Valley communicate the necessary cost of good food to their customers 28:08 What Taylor’s favorite farming tool is 38:26 About the Guest: Tay

Want more access to local meat? We need your help! On this special time-sensitive episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Pete Kennedy of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Pete is sharing about the Prime Act which is an important piece of legislation that will empower states to decide their meat inspection protocols. The ultimate aim? Making local meat procurement simpler and cost-effective.  Tune in today to hear how you can help small farmers to push this PRIME Act through with this year's Farm Bill. We’re encouraging all of our US listeners to make three calls - one to your Representative and a call to each of your Senators. Mention your support for H.R. 2814 and Senate bill is S.907 respectively.  In this episode, you’ll hear… About Pete’s background with Weston A Price Foundation 1:23 What the state of meat processing is like right now in the US 2:12 More about what the Prime Act is 10:38 How you can help make this Prime Act pass 12:45 Resources: Call today! The deadline to add this

Is there really a way to make sourdough simple? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by his wife, Savannah, to talk all about sourdough at The Farm on Central. The Farm on Central is a small family farm located in Carlisle, Ohio and provides the community with a wide array of vegetables, meats, and horticultural products.  Join us today to hear how Michael and Savannah incorporate sourdough bread into their home life and as an income stream for their farm.   In this episode, you’ll hear… About Savannah’s main roles on the Farm 1:59 Why they love sourdough 3:56 About Savannah's sourdough-making process 4:43 About the advantages of a stiff sourdough starter 11:25 How long should a sourdough loaf rest between making and baking 16:29 Why Savannah decided to offer Sourdough classes 26:33 On why sourdough can be a grounding experience 32:01   About the Guests: Michael & Savannah Kilpatrick are farmers and educators in Carlisle, Ohio. Together they run the Farm

How can land trusts support the next generation of farmers?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’re joined by Susan Koehler and Nathan Boone. Susan is the Farmland Preservation Program Manager for the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust. She is working alongside Nathan who is a seasoned organic farmer and agricultural consultant. Together, with the help of the NWA Food System Initiative,  they are providing support to new and beginner farmers through the preservation and enhancement of wild and farmed land. Tune in to hear about their mission to preserve and enhance the land and farming community in Northwest Arkansas through the permanent protection of land.  You’ll hear: What the NWA Land Trust does 1:52 About Nathan’s background and more about his involvement in the project 5:12 What their long-term intentions for the property are 9:58 About the types of farmers they are looking for 18:10 About the Guests: Susan Koehler is the Farmland Preservation Program Manager for the Northwest Arkansas Land

How much do you know about mechanical weeding?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’re joined by Sam Oschwald Tilton who is the organizer of the upcoming Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day in Ohio. After earning his Master’s degree in Horticulture from Michigan State, Sam has worked many roles in vegetable farming from tool development to teaching on sustainable horticulture. He currently serves as a Direct Market Vegetable Educator offering education and support to Milwaukee-area vegetable growers.  Tune in to hear all about the latest in weeds and cultivation.   You’ll hear: About Sam’s inspiration to get started in farming 1:40 How a farmer would get started in mechanizing their farm work 4:03 What is in Sam’s weed seed bank 8:56 About the roles of extension offices in farming 23:24 All about the upcoming Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day 30:22 About the many different weed control vendors that are attending the Field Day 35:09 About the Guest: Sam Oschwald Tilton serves in

How do business acumen and regenerative farming practices shape tomorrow's agriculture?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’re joined by Alex Miller who is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Lick Skillet Farm in East Tennessee. Alex is a seventh-generation farmer and a chaired professor of Business at the University of Tennessee. Along with his children and grandchildren, he farms a 104-year old family farm using regenerative practices and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of farmers on business and sustainable agriculture.  Tune in to hear how Alex merges business lessons and his farming experience to mentor tomorrow's farmers. You’ll hear: About how their family farm got the name Lick Skillet 1:39 Alex’s unique farming journey 4:00 Why there is such a sustained loss of farms in the USA 6:23 About the products Lick Skillet Farm sells 16:07 How Alex sets up the different enterprises and crews on the farm 18:43 What Alex thinks are the most important parts of farming 33:47 If

What layers of history unfurled in the restoration of Monticello's gardens? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’re joined by Peter Hatch who has served as the Director of Gardens and Grounds at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. During his 35 years there, he managed 2,500 acres and the restoration of Jefferson's Grove and Monticello's 8 acre fruit and vegetable garden.  He also developed many educational programs on the practice of historic garden preservation and has written four books, including A Rich Spot of Earth: Thomas Jefferson's Revolutionary Garden at Monticello. Tune in today to hear about Peter’s dedication to Monticello and the history of Thomas Jefferson’s love for gardening. You’ll hear: About what work Peter did that led to his role at Monticello 1:47 What the condition of Monticello was when Peter first arrived 5:40 How extensive was the garden restoration Peter undertook 13:57 About Jefferson’s process of restoring the soil 21:53 How Peter’s book was researched 27:52 About Thomas

What does it take to run a successful flower farm?  On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, we’re joined by Jessica Hall who is the Owner, Visionary, and Weeder-in-Chief at Harmony Harvest Farm. Located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, her farm is known for pioneering nationwide direct-to-consumer bouquet shipping. With over 15 years in the industry, Jessica is driven by the belief that #FreshFlowersRule and everyone can live a better life through flowers.  Tune in today to hear all about the evolution of Harmony Harvest Farm and how they enhance their community and thrive as a result!   You’ll hear: How Jessica discovered her calling to be a flower farmer  2:20 When Jessica knew she wanted to switch gears from weddings 13:06 About the Harmony Harvest Victory Garden and how it’s doing today 27:30 More about The Mum Project  49:55 How Jessica keeps track of all their inventory and production 58:44 How Harmony Harvest keeps their mother plants in their greenhouse 1:05:40 What gives their