The Rookie Farmer Podcast

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 Simpson's Market Garden.
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, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower:
 Instagram
 Instagram
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.

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 farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower:
 Instagram
 Instagram
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.

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 and Firelight 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 farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower:
 Instagram
 Instagram
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.

Ever feel like land ownership is such a far-fetched goal that most of the time feels a little too impossible? Four Georgia farmers have an answer: running a cooperative farm. In this episode, Alec sits down with Monica Ponce, greenhouse manager and one of four worker-owners at Love Is Love Cooperative Farm in Georgia, to unpack how their worker-owned cooperative went from breaking ground in 2021 to generating over $200K annually in plant sales alone.
Click here to learn more about farmer Monica Ponce and Love is Love Cooperative 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 farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower:
 Instagram
 Instagram
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.

In this episode of the Rookie Farmer Podcast, rookie farmers Alec and Richard pull back the curtain on their real farm financials for 2025: their gross sales, net profit, biggest expenses, and what they plan on doing differently this coming season. Tune in to learn how two small farms are using data, crop planning, and the right tools (including an honest review of the Jang seeder!) to set themselves up for their best year yet.
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 farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower.
Follow Modern Grower:
 Instagram
 Instagram
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.