329. Collaboration Over Competition: How Two Farmers Built Urban Roots Collective

What happens when two first-generation farmers decide to team up instead of compete?

Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Jody Prosser and Mady Hastings, co-owners of Urban Roots Collective in Simpsonville, South Carolina. These first-generation female farmers each started out with their own small farms and no prior ag experience—but when they met, they quickly realized they could grow more and serve more together.

Now operating as a team, they’re cultivating vegetables, flowers, and animals on regenerative principles and selling through a unique farmstand model that’s as much about community as it is about food.

Tune in to hear how they built Urban Roots from the ground up, the lessons they’ve learned in soil health, collaboration, and customer engagement, and what’s next for this dynamic duo. 

Episode Highlights:

• The Origin Story: How did Mady and Jody move from running competing farms to joining forces? [1:45]
• Soil Strategies: How they approach soil fertility and composting in a tough growing region [9:00]
• Animals on the Farm: The breeds they raise and how they find niche markets for their products [14:21]
• Floral Focus: How flowers play into their farm’s identity and offerings [17:11]
• Selling Plants: What they’ve learned about marketing and moving plant starts [26:16]
• Sales Strategy: Their approach to encouraging customer loyalty and repeat visits [31:52]
• The Trading Post: How this farmstand supports both their business and local makers [36:58]
• Future Goals: What they’re dreaming up next for Urban Roots Collective [38:50]
  
  

Don't miss Mady and Jody’s inspiring story of how teamwork, tenacity, and a shared vision transformed two solo farms into a thriving collaborative rooted in regenerative practices and deep community connection.

About the Guests:

Urban Roots Collective is a regenerative farm offering top notch, "beyond organic" flowers, produce, heritage meats, eggs and more. Jody and Mady are competitors turned business partners after a friendship blossomed through shared interests and their "same person, different font" energy. Once their separate businesses collided, Urban Roots Collective was born; expanding their reach, impact, and mission ten fold.

 

📲 Connect with Urban Roots Collective:

🌍 Website: Urban Roots Collective
📸 Instagram: Follow Urban Roots Collective
👍🏼 Facebook: Like Urban Roots Collective

 

The Thriving Farmer Podcast would like to thank our sponsor, GRIPP. 

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