Farming From the Heart: Rediscovering Indigenous Roots (TRFP 04)
Release Date: 02/07/2025
Farming While Disabled: How Two Rural Farmers Beat the Odds in a Food Desert (TRFP 19)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this episode, Alec sits down with Cyndi and Savannah of Love Equals Farm in his hometown of Tennessee to talk about how they turned their disabilities and neurodivergence into advantages in building a profitable small farm business in a food desert. They share practical strategies for farming with physical limitations, managing neurodivergence while running an agricultural enterprise, and building a premium brand that commands top dollar even in small markets. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern...
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No-Till Farmer Goes Rogue: Why Dogma Doesn't Pay Bills (TRFP 18)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this farm blog episode, Alex shares the unfiltered truth about small-scale as he puts his no-till dogma in his back pocket and starts using tillage to boost crop yields. He talks about his costly pest management mistakes, the daily harvest strategy that's differentiating his produce at market, and the work that goes into doubling farm their income from $700 to $1300+ per week. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower: Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:...
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Wholesome Wave Georgia: Feeding Families AND Supporting Local Farmers (TRFP 17)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this sobering episode of The Rookie Farmer Podcast, Alec talks to Abigail Darwin of Wholesome Wave Georgia, one of the many organizations revolutionizing food access while supporting local farmers through SNAP benefit doubling. Their eye-opening conversation reveals the realities faced by food-insecure families and how farmer's markets and food assistance programs are playing a vital role in bridging the gap between those families and food security. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower:...
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Cannabis Grower Turns Market Gardener: Lessons from Two Plant Worlds (TRFP 16)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
Derek of Rosemary's Oasis shares how his background in medicinal cannabis cultivation equipped him with unexpected advantages in market gardening. He shares practical insights on transitioning between plant industries, building multiple revenue streams, and applying precise growing techniques to organic vegetable production. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower: Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: ...
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Spreadsheet Secrets: Mapping Out a Solid Crop Plan for Your Farm (TRFP 15)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
Brittany Peters of Sun and Soil Farm returns to the show to share her proven methods for deciding which crops to grow, when to plant, and how to maintain consistent harvests throughout the season with her spreadsheet-based system. She talks about practical approaches to succession planting, and even shares access to her free, fully customizable crop planning template that is sure to transform your farm's productivity! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower: Listen to other...
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The Sumi Soaker: Could This Japanese Irrigation Tool Transform Your Farm? (TRFP 14)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this packed Farm Vlog episode, farmer and podcast host Alec Smith reveals his long-awaited Sumi Soaker verdict: does it work for him and his farm? Afterwards, he answers a listener ask about what a typical farmer's market day looks like for him. He also shares interesting and practical ways he gets customers to stop at his farm booth. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower: Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: ...
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Pay Premium, Get Premium: The Real Cost of Quality Farm Tools (TRFP 13)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this episode of The Rookie Farmer podcast, the tables are turned as host Alec welcomes podcast host Diego Footer as he shares his journey from finance professional to farm tool innovator and reveals the inside story behind Modern Grower. He breaks down the logistics behind sourcing and supplying tools, the costs that come with it, and the quality associated with different product price points. He also talks about tools and equipment that may or may not be a fit for your farming context. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business...
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Changes We Made to Double Farm Sales (TRFP 12)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this episode, host Alec welcomes his farm mentors Nicolas and Jeni of Cryistal Organic Farm in Newborn, Georgia as they talk about their 30-year farming journey: the differences in small-scale farming landscape, the changing market, and the growing amount of farming resources becoming more and more accessible. They also share practical steps about diversifying with high-value herbs that can be sold to retail either fresh, dried, or to wholesale buyers across the country. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! ...
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Honest Talk: Managing Farm Growth, Employees & Market Competition - Farm Vlog (TRFP 11)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
In this episode, Alec looks back at his first year of growing food and selling them. He shares how much they made the past year, talks about some practical advice for navigating farmers markets with established competition, and drops some emotional wisdom that keeps him grounded through the ups and downs of farming. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower: Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Check out Diego's...
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From Backyard to Profit: Scaling a 2500 sq ft. Market Garden in One Year (TRFP 10)
The Rookie Farmer Podcast
Breaking into market gardening isn't just a dream—it's a tangible reality for those willing to learn and adapt. In this episode, host Alec is joined by fellow rookie farmer Colton Simpson of Simpson's Market Garden in White Plains, Maryland. Colton shares his journey going from a 2,500 square foot plot to a 1.5-acre operation, nailing down how strategic planning and market insight can transform a small backyard garden into a thriving business. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Follow Modern Grower: ...
info_outlineJoin rookie farmer Gabby Fultz on her inspiring journey to build a regenerative farm from scratch in Durango, Colorado. Gabby shares her triumphs and challenges as a young Native American woman reconnecting with her Navajo farming heritage while juggling the demands of school, starting a business, and greening the desert.
From rotational goat grazing to growing specialty crops for the local co-op, Gabby openly discusses the realities of getting a diverse, sustainable farm operation off the ground as a beginning farmer. Tune in for an honest look at rookie farming, insights on marketing streams, practical how-to's, and wisdom from indigenous traditions. Gabby's story will resonate with aspiring farmers, market gardeners, and anyone passionate about local food, regenerative agriculture, and farming with heart.
Check out Gabby Fults and Dusty Dog Gardens here.
Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm.
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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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.