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The Thriving Farmer Podcast

Science Podcasts

If you’re looking to build a profitable farm that works, The Thriving Farmer Podcast is for you. Learn the latest tricks and strategies from successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it’s really like to build a truly profitable, sustainable farm. In the interviews, we focus on building farms that last, setting up your systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and treading that ever-challenging work/family/life balance.

If you’re looking to build a profitable farm that works, The Thriving Farmer Podcast is for you. Learn the latest tricks and strategies from successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it’s really like to build a truly profitable, sustainable farm. In the interviews, we focus on building farms that last, setting up your systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and treading that ever-challenging work/family/life balance.

Location:

United States

Description:

If you’re looking to build a profitable farm that works, The Thriving Farmer Podcast is for you. Learn the latest tricks and strategies from successful farmers, strategize with in-depth interviews with leaders in the industry, and connect with stories of farmers just like you. With over 15 years of farming background, your host Michael Kilpatrick has the experience and authority to bring you practical advice, ask the hard questions, tease out the gold nuggets, and help share what it’s really like to build a truly profitable, sustainable farm. In the interviews, we focus on building farms that last, setting up your systems, knowing your customers, building your team, and treading that ever-challenging work/family/life balance.

Language:

English

Episodes

163. Andy Borak on Stewardship, Sustainability, and Small-Scale Success

1/18/2022
On today’s episode we’re hosting Andy Borak, Owner and Operator at Red Fern Farm, situated along the banks of Bold Beaver Creek in Floyd County, Virginia. Red Fern Farm is a small family micro farm - keeping their farm small ensures their ability to use bio-intensive practices and beyond organic methods to manage all of their ventures. As a Certified Naturally Grown producer, Red Fern Farm is dedicated to the use of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices in their efforts to...

Duration:00:34:13

162. John Dindia on Rapid Farm Expansion with Tunnel Growth

1/11/2022
Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re speaking with John Dindia from Lakeview Hill Farm, located in Traverse City, MI. Lakeview Hill Farm is a certified organic produce farm specializing in hoophouse and greenhouse production. They grow a variety of vegetables with a focus on greenhouse heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens, and microgreens. Lakeview Hill Farm has made a commitment to utilize renewable energy. With agriculture being one of the largest consumers of fossil fuels,...

Duration:00:55:21

161. Hannah Eisloeffel on Intentional Inclusivity through Community Supported Agriculture

1/4/2022
Today we’ve got Hanna Eisloeffel, Founder and Owner of Table Bluff Farm. Table Bluff Farm is a first-generation, woman-owned microfarm situated on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and nestled between the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the mouth of the Eel River in Loleta, California. Table Bluff Farm follows regenerative agriculture principles to create a farm focused on preserving and enhancing our natural ecosystem while keeping the “low cost/true cost” affordability of...

Duration:01:11:07

160. Liz Graznak on Nourishing Community with Community Supported Agriculture

12/28/2021
What is community-centered agriculture and how does one thrive within this structure? Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re happy to host MOSES Farmer of the Year, Liz Graznak, owner and operator of Happy Hollow Farm located in Jamestown, Missouri, right along the Missouri River. Liz has made farming her primary focus in life. Feeding people in her community healthy nutrient dense food is the reason she gets out of bed every day! The easiest way to describe what she does is Community...

Duration:01:18:44

159. Matt Lebon on Perennial Planting and Foodscaping Your Property

12/21/2021
What is foodscaping and is it something you can do with your farm? Today on the show we’re hosting Matt Lebon, Founder and CEO of Custom Foodscaping, a full-service edible landscaping company located in Saint Louis, Missouri. Custom Foodscaping provides consultation, design, and installation services to help you achieve your edible landscaping, farm and garden or permaculture goals. They specialize in raised bed vegetable gardens, food forests, orchards, herb gardens, culinary gardens, and...

Duration:00:42:46

158. Michael Kilpatrick’s Great Lakes Expo Keynote on Identifying Your Market for Major Success

12/14/2021
What options are available to farmers who want to optimize their farmers market presence? Today we’re going with a bit of a different approach to the podcast. I had the honor of presenting at the Great Lakes Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I covered topics revolving around farmers markets and how to thrive in that environment. I take a deep dive into attracting the right customers, crafting an engaging experience that creates long term customer relationships, knowing your numbers, what...

Duration:01:03:09

157. Sarela Herrada on Creating Food Transparency Across Borders

12/7/2021
How does an international food to table operation actually get food to tables? Today we have Sarela Herrada, co-founder of Simpli, on the show. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Sarela grew up around farmers; her parents ran an organic chicken coop. She moved to the US at the age of 14, and later studied and gained relevant experience in food supply chains. In 2019, she co-founded Simpli. Simpli works directly with international farming communities to streamline the traditionally complicated...

Duration:00:29:27

156. Michael Kilpatrick on Snafus with Local Government & Running for Office to Promote Positive Change

11/30/2021
Michael discusses how he faced off with the many challenges presented to him within his local government to ensure a positive change for the future and farming. You’ll hear: Why many farmers feel like the government is not our friend 2:17 About the many regulations placed on small farms 4:04 Why we don’t trust the government with the task of preserving the best interests of our farm, human health, and the environment at large 4:46 Why the government can’t be as efficient as private...

Duration:00:15:48

155. Maud Kelley on Creating a Multifaceted Family Farm Business

11/23/2021
Today we are joined by Maud Kelley, Principal and Owner of Greenlands Farm. Greenlands Farm is a small, three generational sustainable modern homestead farm located in rural Bolivia, NC. The Greenlands team is a true reflection of the homestead farm life: growing organic produce, baking in the farm kitchen with farm grown ingredients, and composting. This farm family certainly lives the sustainable lifestyle they teach others about! They’re open by appointment for educational group tours, as...

Duration:00:38:11

154. Katherine Nietmann on Creating Consistent Sales with a Cold Climate Farm

11/16/2021
Have you considered making your farm a versatile year-round operation? We’re joined today by Katherine Nietmann of Moose Meadow Farm. Moose Meadow Farm is a CSA, grocery store, and winter online market based near Standpoint, Idaho. The goal of Moose Meadow is to make it easy for consumers to eat well every day, by providing the highest quality organic produce that’s squeaky clean, thoughtfully packaged, and conveniently delivered. Their systems are always evolving to be the most efficient...

Duration:00:33:05

153. Dr. Elaine Ingham on Maintaining the Life Within our Soils

11/9/2021
Do you know all the ins and outs when it comes to keeping your farm’s foundation primed to thrive? Today, we are delighted to host Dr. Elaine Ingham on the Thriving Farmer Podcast. Dr. Ingham is an American microbiologist and soil biology researcher. She’s also the Founder of Soil Foodweb Inc. The mission of Soil Foodweb Inc is to empower individuals and organizations to regenerate the soils in their communities. Dr. Ingham has advanced our knowledge about the soil food web for over 4...

Duration:01:24:40

152. Brian Sanders on Food and Diet Misconceptions

11/2/2021
Do you trust the mainstream conception of “healthy”? Today we are proud to host Brian Sanders, health coach, filmmaker and Co-Founder of the health, media and technology company Sapien. Sapien’s mission is to provide information and services to promote healthy living. They are fighting the good fight against the modern norms that lead to chronic disease, weight gain, and poor health. Through education and tools they are helping people to eat better, live better, and thrive instead of just...

Duration:00:34:06

151. Liz Dowd on Rooftop Farming for Community Connection

10/26/2021
What kind of farming opportunities exist in The Big Apple? Joining me today is Liz Dowd, Director of Farming Operations at Brooklyn Grange, located in NYC. Founded in 2010, Brooklyn Grange is the leading rooftop farming and intensive green roofing business in the US. Brooklyn Grange operates the world’s largest rooftop soil farms, located on three roofs in New York City. They work to make the city more sustainable by designing, building and maintaining urban green spaces for private...

Duration:00:51:14

150. Curly on Innovating to Meet the Needs of Modern Farmers

10/19/2021
Farm life is challenging. Who’s out there innovating, making farm life more practical, modern and convenient? Today on our 150th episode, we’ve got a fun episode featuring Curly of Curly’s Ag, located in Rosevale, Queensland, Australia. Curly’s Ag is an Australian family business that designs, manufactures, and distributes tools and equipment. Their designs aim to solve the daily challenges we face in agriculture to accelerate efficiency and production. Curly and his family run a market...

Duration:00:56:33

149. Jeffrey Smith on Why Eating Organic Is a Critical First Step in Getting Healthy

10/12/2021
*Disclaimer* We recognize that our focus on this podcast may or may not align with your personal perspectives on genetic modification and the use of chemical inputs (such as glyphosate and dicamba) in agriculture production. With our mission of building profitable and sustainable farms, we present today's podcast with the hope that we can consider the long-term impact of this technology on the health and productivity of our worldwide community. We encourage folks to do their own research...

Duration:01:20:39

148. Danielle Flood on Providing Resources for Food Security Globally

10/5/2021
Today on the show, we’re deviating from the typical farmer to farmer Q&A formula to focus a bit on the importance of international missionary work in agriculture. We’re joined by Danielle Flood, Public Relations and Communications Manager for ECHO, an international institution which works to find innovative and sustainable ways for small farmers around the world to optimize their farms’ production. Danielle came to ECHO in December 2007 after serving as a missionary in Niger, West Africa for...

Duration:00:35:03

147. Nigel Palmer on Creating Nutrient Dense Foods Without the Damage and Expense of Commercial Chemicals

9/28/2021
How well do you understand the fundamentals of keeping your farm regenerative and healthy? Today we’re joined by Nigel Palmer, life long gardener and Author of The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments. Nigel’s book provides practical, detailed instructions that are accessible to every grower who wants to achieve a truly sustainable garden ecosystem - all while enjoying better results at a fraction of the cost of commercial fertilizer products. These recipes go beyond fertilizer...

Duration:01:05:49

146. Stacey Bowles on Connecting Farmers to Consumers Across North America

9/21/2021
Today on the show we're joined by Stacey Bowles, born and raised farmer and Founder of Smart Locavore, a classified free-to-use website for people to find local food directly from farmers & growers. Stacey has a thorough understanding of the benefits of sourcing and growing local food. She grew up on her parents' beef cattle farm in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Smart Locavore was created for large producers and the small gardeners alike. Maybe you only have a little extra and can only post...

Duration:00:18:30

145. Michael Kilpatrick on Hiring Amidst the Current Shortage

9/14/2021
The farm is hot but your workforce is dwindling. What now? On today’s episode, I’ll be taking this time to talk to you all about labor. Currently there are lots of folks in the industry struggling with it! Summer crops are coming in, Fall crops are being planted, but labor might be waning due to a variety of factors. In the episode, I’ll be discussing why you need reliable help to fall back on, how you can maximize your production and profits with labor, what you can do to secure the labor...

Duration:00:42:32

144. Gerardo Martinez on Creating Multiple Revenue Streams with Community Education

9/7/2021
On today’s episode we’re hosting Gerardo Martinez, founder of Wild Kid Acres located in Edgewater, Maryland. A Chicago native, Gerardo went on to study Engineering at the United States Naval Academy. After graduating, Gerardo served in the Marine Corps and then went on to lead in the corporate world. From leading staff sections in the Marine Corps, building divisions of a construction company, and assisting to create non-profits, Gerardo has a wide range of experiences to assist in building...

Duration:00:53:24

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