Expansion and investments add to the farm over time In 2003, one year out of college, my partner David and I drove across the country, from Alabama to Washington State, to spend the summer interning on Full Circle Farm in Carnation, WA. Fortunately for us, Brady Hatch and Brendan McQuillen were doing the same that […]
Morning Dew Farm profile Read More »
Preparing for the worst can avoid full-blown disasters Before I quit my job to farm full-time, I had a career in cybersecurity and risk management. At first glance, this might sound like it has nothing to do with farming. But farming might involve more risk management than almost any other profession. A large part of
Creating a farm risk register Read More »
#toolsforgrowingformarket I’m a bit of a reluctant tarp and insect netting user, largely because I hate handling the stuff. Back in March of 2021 Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm wrote an article on his folding method for tarps, with nice details on little tricks to really make that system work for them. I have
Better insect netting and how to fold it Read More »
Excerpt from The Farmer’s Office, Second Edition When starting out, many farmers look at what other farmers charge and copy their pricing. It’s quite common. Others want to keep prices in line with the local supermarket. Maybe you did the same? If you’ve done a cost of production analysis or even a bigger picture profitability
Profitable pricing strategies Read More »
Florista Lina farm is a family owned company started more than 20 years ago. It is situated in Barcelos, in the northern region of Portugal. Of the l50 acres, only a bit over 4 acres are being used now for flower production. In the greenhouses at Florista Lina farm in Barcelos, Portugal. All photos
Improving soil quality and treating root pathogens with biofumigation Read More »
Sometimes it feels like my flower farm, Moonshot Farm in East Windsor, New Jersey, is an entomologist’s dream and a farmer’s nightmare. Surrounded on all sides by conventionally sprayed farms, our property is an oasis for all kinds of cut flower pests. We grow the majority of our highest value stems under cover — both
Year-round flower farm pest management Read More »
Tips for getting it right from the start Does it make any sense for a market vegetable or flower grower to plant an apple orchard? It’s a question I’ve asked myself a fair bit over the last eight years of both growing for a 100-plus member CSA and managing a small, 500-tree certified organic orchard.
Small-scale orcharding on your vegetable or flower farm Read More »
I met Yoko Takemura in the fall of 2019 when I was no-till curious and searching for successful models. For several years, I had been experimenting with no-till methods here and there on our three acres of organic vegetables in northwest Connecticut. I had done some tarping between successions where it was convenient and hand
Assawaga Farm profile Read More »
#toolsforgrowingformarket The farm I apprenticed on in the 1990’s had two electric utility carts. They were two of the every-day drivers and material movers around the ranch. These were what most people would recognize as a golf cart, but with a small dump truck bed instead of holders for golf clubs. Carts like these versatile
Low speed electric vehicles on the farm Read More »
Tips and techniques for working with the next generation Youth team members aged 12-17 are a valuable and ready supply of labor on our farm. We developed this labor model over the course of eight years as we went from part-time to full-time farmers in 2019. We have fun working together and doing tasks
Developing youth farm team members Read More »
