Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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.
Learn more about farmer Cory & Firelight Farm here: instagram.com/thefirelightfarm
Learn more about farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm here:
instagram.com/cropculturefarm
Shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link:
https://shop.moderngrower.co?sca_ref=9551856.eplsLKegQSh7n
🎥 Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! 🌿
Follow Modern Grower:
➡️ Instagram: instagram.com/moderngrowerpro
➡️ Instagram: instagram.com/moderngrowerco
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
🔊 Carrot Cashflow: bit.ly/carrotcashflow
🔊 Farm Small Farm Smart: bit.ly/farmsmallfarmsmart
🔊 Farm Small Farm Smart Daily: bit.ly/farmsmallfarmsmartdaily
🔊The Growing Microgreens Podcast: bit.ly/thegrowingmicrogreenspodcast
📖 Check out Diego's book Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon: amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
00:00 Welcome to Rookie Farmer
01:29 Meet Cory Babb
03:22 Why Arkansas Farming
04:57 Markets and Restaurant Demand
09:12 Culinary Career Origins
15:40 Sustainable Ag Degree Reality
21:22 Firelight Farm Setup
23:52 Scaling Up the Farm
29:32 Soil Health and Cover Crops
32:45 Compost and Equipment Upgrades
37:10 Tractor vs BCS Systems
42:27 Smarter Tarps and Bed Turns
43:02 Right Size Your Tarps
44:52 Retail Versus Wholesale Mix
48:02 Serving Restaurants Strategically
50:22 Value Added Origins
54:18 Systems Freezers Labor
57:48 Cottage Food Rules Arkansas
01:04:41 Local Processing Collaboration
01:10:58 Rapid Fire Crop Picks
01:16:00 Farm Heroes
#RookieFarmerPodcast #MarketGardening #SmallFarmBigDreams #FirelightFarm #ValueAddedProducts #NoTillFarming #FarmToTable #MarketGarden #FarmLife #SustainableAgriculture #FarmersMarket #CottageFood #ChefTurnedFarmer #ScalingYourFarm #PaperPotTransplanter #ArkansasFarm #GrowYourOwnFood #LocalFood #FarmBusiness #BeginnerFarmer #CropCultureFarm #ModernGrower #PickledVeggies #FarmEntrepreneur #CoverCrops
**** 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.
Learn more about farmer Cory & Firelight Farm here: instagram.com/thefirelightfarm
Learn more about farmer Alec and Crop Culture Farm here:
instagram.com/cropculturefarm
Shop on Modern Grower with Alec's affiliate link:
https://shop.moderngrower.co?sca_ref=9551856.eplsLKegQSh7n
🎥 Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! 🌿
Follow Modern Grower:
➡️ Instagram: instagram.com/moderngrowerpro
➡️ Instagram: instagram.com/moderngrowerco
Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network:
🔊 Carrot Cashflow: bit.ly/carrotcashflow
🔊 Farm Small Farm Smart: bit.ly/farmsmallfarmsmart
🔊 Farm Small Farm Smart Daily: bit.ly/farmsmallfarmsmartdaily
🔊The Growing Microgreens Podcast: bit.ly/thegrowingmicrogreenspodcast
📖 Check out Diego's book Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon: amazon.com/Sell-Everything-You-Grow-Homestead-ebook/dp/B0CJC9NTZF
00:00 Welcome to Rookie Farmer
01:29 Meet Cory Babb
03:22 Why Arkansas Farming
04:57 Markets and Restaurant Demand
09:12 Culinary Career Origins
15:40 Sustainable Ag Degree Reality
21:22 Firelight Farm Setup
23:52 Scaling Up the Farm
29:32 Soil Health and Cover Crops
32:45 Compost and Equipment Upgrades
37:10 Tractor vs BCS Systems
42:27 Smarter Tarps and Bed Turns
43:02 Right Size Your Tarps
44:52 Retail Versus Wholesale Mix
48:02 Serving Restaurants Strategically
50:22 Value Added Origins
54:18 Systems Freezers Labor
57:48 Cottage Food Rules Arkansas
01:04:41 Local Processing Collaboration
01:10:58 Rapid Fire Crop Picks
01:16:00 Farm Heroes
#RookieFarmerPodcast #MarketGardening #SmallFarmBigDreams #FirelightFarm #ValueAddedProducts #NoTillFarming #FarmToTable #MarketGarden #FarmLife #SustainableAgriculture #FarmersMarket #CottageFood #ChefTurnedFarmer #ScalingYourFarm #PaperPotTransplanter #ArkansasFarm #GrowYourOwnFood #LocalFood #FarmBusiness #BeginnerFarmer #CropCultureFarm #ModernGrower #PickledVeggies #FarmEntrepreneur #CoverCrops
**** 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.
