Growing For Market Podcast Andrew Mefferd, Katie Kulla

REKO rings gained popularity during the pandemic as a way to keep selling direct to the public when markets were shut down. One of the obstacles to more widespread adoption of the REKO system- reliance on closed Facebook groups to communicate with customers- has been eliminated by Tyler Taggart and REKO Hub. They have developed software to facilitate REKO rings without using Facebook, plus the software is free for producers to use. Instead of charging producers, a small fee is charged to customers when they place an order through REKO Hub.

This week we talk with Hannah Rose Weber and Nate Lada, two of the owners at Green Things Farm Collective in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Green Things is a majority women-owned farm business that has evolved out of several businesses. Nate and his wife Jill first started Green Things farm in 2011 at a local farm incubator program. Then they purchased 64 acres where the farm is now settled. In 2020, Green Things joined with Ann Arbor Seed Company and the Land Loom to expand production, share management of running a diverse farm business and develop a model of sustainable, cooperative, and responsible farming. They offer seasonal vegetables and flowers to their local markets through various channels as well as beef.

We step back and look at the big picture in this wide-ranging conversation with Jean-Martin Fortier, talking about the systemic barriers to local food and farmers and strategies to overcome them. We also talk about Jean-Martin’s many projects, including the recently-released Heirloom farm planning software, and his forthcoming podcast.

On this week’s pod we talk with Brian Campbell and Crystine Goldberg. They own Uprising Seeds, the Certified Organic, farm-based seed business in Bellingham, WA. Brian and Crystine started as fresh market growers in 2004, growing specialty produce for local restaurants, food coops, and farmers markets. During that time they also started one of the country's first food-stamp based CSA programs.

Erin Benzakein pioneered connecting with people who want to support local farms through social media. In this podcast we talk about how to use your own story to connect with potential customers. Read more in an article she wrote for Growing for Market Magazine called “Become the face of your farm,” linked in the show notes.

We also talk about the years of work that went into breeding the first round of seeds for Floret Originals that were released this winter, including dahlias, celosia and zinnias. We discuss the mechanics of breeding, including converting many of Erin’s hoophouses to net houses, and filling the net houses with flies for pollination. In addition to details about how you can breed and save your own seeds, Erin will be releasing a free seed saving mini-course this summer!

Fish fertilizer is one of the oldest natural fertilizers out there. On this week’s podcast, hear how it’s made, and what sets hydrolyzed fish fertilizer apart from fish emulsion. Ann Molloy of Neptune’s Harvest in Gloucester, Massachusetts, tells us how her dad realized waste from the fishing industry that was being thrown away could be made into natural fertilizer.