Loading...

PODCAST

The Rookie Farmer Podcast

The Rookie Farmer Podcast is the go-to resource for aspiring market gardeners and small-scale farmers. Hosted by Alec Smith, farmer at Crop Culture Farm in New Bern, Georgia, this podcast provides wisdom, knowledge and real-world experience to support the rising movement of small-scale agriculture. Each episode features discussions with veteran growers, industry experts, and fellow "rookie" farmers who share lessons learned in starting up and running profitable, sustainable farms. Alec dives into

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

01:15:27

10% Left from the Farmers Market (TRFP 57)

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/10/10

In this farm blog episode, Alec and Richard talk about successes (and failures!) when it comes to carrot germination, what they do to their unsold produce, and some learning opportunities in the near future. Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link. Click here to watch the video version! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market

en

01:11:45

Ten Mile Mushrooms: Turning $300 Into a Real Business...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/09/26

In this episode of The Rookie Farmer Podcast, host Alec sits down with Kyle Beaver of Ten Mile Mushrooms to talk about the real, unfiltered story of building a mushroom business from a $300 investment in an old pig barn to an 8,000-square-foot warehouse supplying growers nationwide. They also touch on practical lessons on scaling smart, when to invest in better infrastructure versus more space, and how to shift from "operator" to true business owner. Click here to learn more about Kyle and Ten Mile

en

01:22:57

From Veggies to Full-Time Flowers: Why Ditching...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/09/19

In this episode, Alec welcomes back farmer Jen from Pig & Leaf Farm for round two to dig deep into the flower side of their farming operation...including the big decision to phase out vegetables entirely and go all-in on flowers! She breaks down a practical veg-to-flower ratio, which crops are beginner-friendly versus which ones are advanced, and how to choose market streams between farmers markets, wholesale, and weddings. Click here to learn more about Pig & Leaf Farm. Click here to learn more

en

01:25:14

Farming (and Selling Out!) Through the Hottest,...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/09/05

Alec and Richard are back for a blog episode, and they get real about surviving the hottest, driest August they've ever farmed through while somehow posting record-breaking sales. Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link. Click here to watch the video version! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business

en

01:35:55

Permaculture to Profit: Running 3 Businesses At Once...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/08/29

In this episode, Alec sits down with Cliff and Jen of Pig & Leaf in Tennessee as they share how two permaculture teachers became thriving market farmers running three enterprises at once: heritage pork, cut flowers, and market vegetables. Click here to learn more about Pig & Leaf Farm. Click here to learn more about Cliff and hog farming. Click here to learn more about Jen and Agrofloristry. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's

en

01:13:32

Small Grants, Big Impact: How $500 Can Change a Farm...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/08/15

In episode 52, Dana DiPrima of For Farmers Movement joins the Rookie Farmer Podcast to break down how her organization is flipping the script on farm funding: through nomination-based micro-grants, community wishlists, and zero-jargon applications. Click here to learn more about Dana DiPima. Click here to learn more about For Farmers Movement. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link. Click here to watch the video

en

01:25:57

My Wife Quit Her Job to Farm with Me (TRFP 51)

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/08/01

In this episode of the Rookie Farmer Podcast, Alec and Richard get real about the brutal back half of summer: crashing sales, a wild squash bug and leaf-footed bug infestation, and the emotional toll of farm life colliding with family stress. Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link. Click here to watch the video version! Subscribe for more content

en

59:31

How Mountain Fresh Creamery Ditched the Middleman &...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/07/25

Ever wondered what it actually takes to start a dairy from scratch, with rented land and 275 rented cows? 🤔 In this episode, Jennifer Glover of Mountain Fresh Creamery shares how she and her husband built a vertically integrated dairy and creamery business over 26 years, from tight beginnings to selling direct to consumers all over Atlanta! Click here to learn more about farmer Jennifer and Mountain Fresh Creamery. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on

en

01:21:09

Building a Thriving Farm Business From Zero...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/07/18

This week, rookie farmer Alec sits down with farmer Mike Hedge of Hedge Family Farm in Happy Valley, NC, as he shares how he and his wife Sara put in the work to turn raw, undeveloped land into a thriving market garden operation, growing everything from sweet potatoes and watermelons to rare Fioretto cauliflower. Before the episode ends, farmer Mike might also even convert you into incorporating longer-season crops into your crop plan! Click here to learn more about farmer Mike and Hedge Family

en

01:26:08

How Two Small Farms Avoid Summer Burnout (TRFP 48)

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/07/04

In this episode of the Rookie Farmer Podcast, Alec and Richard get real about the highs and lows of peak summer farming: from hitting a $3,000 sales milestone at the farmers market to a van breakdown that forced a last-minute scramble to getting better with farming techniques enough to squeeze in a yearly beach trip. Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's

en

02:06:29

From $47 to Full-Time Farmer: The Real Truth About...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/06/27

In this episode, host Alec sits down with James Clarke of Clarke's Greens in San Antonio, Texas for the longest conversation in Rookie Farmer Podcast history...and it's packed with gold. James breaks down his journey from restaurant manager to full-time urban market farmer, sharing the real numbers, hard-won strategies, and honest advice that most courses won't tell you. Click here to learn more about farmer James Clarke and Clarke's Greens. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm

en

01:36:49

From Hurricanes to Luxury Farms: How a Seed Rep...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/06/20

Alec Smith sits down with Wesley Palmer, former seed rep at Johnny's Selected Seeds turned farm manager at Quercus, a stunning 3,800-acre ranch resort in Gay, Georgia. Wesley and Alec talk about a "root-to-petal" approach to farming and eating and how it can unlock surprising new revenue streams, and why building deeper relationships with chefs, customers, and your farming community might be the most important thing you do this season. Click here to learn more about farmer Wesley Palmer. Click here

en

01:30:45

Going $1,000 Over Budget for a Second Farmers Market...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/06/06

Join Alec and Richard for another blog episode as the season shifts into full summer mode and a major new chapter begins. Alec breaks down the real numbers and unexpected chaos of launching a second farmers market, from doubling his harvest load to scrambling for containers, tables, and even a delivery van. Richard shares how the Jang seeder transformed his carrot game, why growing potatoes alongside carrots turned into a surprise win, and how their spring/fall-focused strategy gives them space to

en

01:14:36

She Said No to Everyone's Advice & Her Farm Thanked...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/05/23

In this episode, host Alec reconnects with previous guest Gabby Fultz of Dusty Dog Gardens in Durango, Colorado, for a raw, honest look at what her year 2 of farming actually looked like. Click here to learn more about farmer Gabby and Dusty Dog Gardens. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools,

en

01:06:54

The Rookie Farmer Confessions: Mistakes, Numbers,...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/05/16

This episode, the tables are turned as Alec sits in the hot seat as guest Chett Clayton of Hillside Harvest Farm takes over the interview ahead of his upcoming agricultural conference talk on bootstrapping a farm from the ground up. Together, they pull back the curtain on the raw realities of small-scale market gardening: from leasing land with existing infrastructure and managing startup expenses, to identifying the most profitable crops, setting realistic farmer's market revenue targets,

en

01:29:37

When Your Farm Grows TOO Fast (TRFP 42)

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/05/09

In this episode, Alec and Richard from Sun and Soil Farm catch you up on everything happening at their small-scale market gardens this spring: from navigating one of the driest seasons in recent memory, to discovering they're now growing way more food than one farmers market can handle. They dole out some real talk about pricing produce confidently, building financial resilience as a small farm business, and why diversifying your sales channels might be the key to staying anti-fragile when the

en

01:34:57

Bootstrapping While Trucking: Making 100 Days of...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/04/25

In this episode, we sit down with Jared Sapach of Ruben's Roots in Northwest Saskatchewan, where the frost-free growing window is just 100 days and large-scale grain farms stretch for thousands of acres. Jared breaks down the real numbers behind his operation, including how his quarter-acre market garden can realistically target $50,000+ per acre in gross revenue — dwarfing the returns of conventional commodity farming. You'll also get an inside look at an innovative consignment-style market model

en

01:22:17

Sculpting Your Retailers to Sell More Product (TRFP 40)

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/04/11

In this lookback episode of the Rookie Farmer Podcast, host Alec welcomes a returning guest, Colton Simpson of Simpson's Market Garden in White Plains, Maryland. Colton shares the contrast between his optimism and the harsh challenges of running a farm business while breaking new ground and starting a new farm location. He also shares his strategies on how he approaches retailers and how he nudges them in a direction that benefits his business. Click here to learn more about farmer Colton and

en

01:05:47

Safe Spring Bets, New Summer Experiements (TRFP 39)

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/04/04

In this farm blog episode, Alec of Crop Culture Farm and Richard of Sun and Soil Farm talk about how they fared growing their crops in spring and how they're preparing for the summer growing season. Click here to learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm. Click here to check out farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm. Click here to shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market

en

01:23:11

Chef Turned Farmer: Value-Added Products, No-Till...

The Rookie Farmer Podcast ·

2026/03/21

In this episode, rookie farmer Alec Smith sits down with chef-turned-farmer Cory Babb of Firelight Farm in Arkansas, who built a thriving market garden business after 15 years in the restaurant industry. Cory shares how he scaled from a handful of caterpillar tunnels to over an acre of no-till production, diversified his income through value-added products like pickled carrots and cowboy candy, and strategically balanced farmers market and restaurant sales. Click here to learn more about farmer Cory

en

57 results

Similar Podcasts

TaxTalent.com The Golden Rule Podcast

Adam Golden

TaxTalent.com Podcast

Tony Santiago

SoldiOnline

Mondadori Digital

Inside the ICE House

Intercontinental Exchange

36氪·有识芝士

36氪音频频道