Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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.
Learn more about farmer James Clarke and Clarke's Greens here: instagram.com/clarkes_greens
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 and Guest Preview
01:55 Meet James and Farm Model
03:17 From Restaurants to Farming
06:12 Making the Leap Full Time
11:08 Early Markets and Finding the One
17:25 Scaling Plots and Adding Markets
20:51 Sales Mix Restaurants Markets Wholesale
23:34 Crop Planning Two Rows Weekly
28:00 Restaurant Orders and Avoiding Custom Crops
35:41 Niches and Moving Root Crops
38:55 Standout Market Crops
40:55 Niche Products That Sell
45:34 Hybridize Your Approach
46:26 Multiple Revenue Streams
53:00 Pivoting Around Weather
54:58 Managing Three Plots
01:03:03 Scaling Without Burnout
01:12:03 Profitability Per Bed
01:18:04 Work Ethic Reality Check
01:19:14 Microgreens Deep Dive
01:20:22 Dialing In Conditions
01:21:31 Top Selling Varieties
01:22:28 Microgreens Growth Levels
01:23:27 Micro Leeks Showcase
01:24:51 Why Grow So Many
01:28:41 Selling What You Grow
01:33:35 Scaling As Add On
01:37:08 Micro Salad Box Strategy
01:40:28 If Restaurants Vanish
01:43:04 Fad Or Future
01:47:03 Value Added Products
01:49:04 Restaurant Payment Terms
01:51:40 Farmer Mount Rushmore
#RookieFarmerPodcast #MarketGardening #UrbanFarming #SmallScaleFarming #Microgreens #FarmersMarket #MarketFarmer #ClarkGreens #FarmLife #GrowYourOwn #UrbanAgriculture #FarmBusiness #MicrogreensGrowing #SustainableAgriculture #FarmToTable #StartFarming #HomesteadLife #RestaurantToFarm #CropPlanning #SanAntonioFarm #ModernGrower #FarmEntrepreneur #AgricultureLife #SmallFarm #BeginnerFarmer
**** 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, 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.
Learn more about farmer James Clarke and Clarke's Greens here: instagram.com/clarkes_greens
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 and Guest Preview
01:55 Meet James and Farm Model
03:17 From Restaurants to Farming
06:12 Making the Leap Full Time
11:08 Early Markets and Finding the One
17:25 Scaling Plots and Adding Markets
20:51 Sales Mix Restaurants Markets Wholesale
23:34 Crop Planning Two Rows Weekly
28:00 Restaurant Orders and Avoiding Custom Crops
35:41 Niches and Moving Root Crops
38:55 Standout Market Crops
40:55 Niche Products That Sell
45:34 Hybridize Your Approach
46:26 Multiple Revenue Streams
53:00 Pivoting Around Weather
54:58 Managing Three Plots
01:03:03 Scaling Without Burnout
01:12:03 Profitability Per Bed
01:18:04 Work Ethic Reality Check
01:19:14 Microgreens Deep Dive
01:20:22 Dialing In Conditions
01:21:31 Top Selling Varieties
01:22:28 Microgreens Growth Levels
01:23:27 Micro Leeks Showcase
01:24:51 Why Grow So Many
01:28:41 Selling What You Grow
01:33:35 Scaling As Add On
01:37:08 Micro Salad Box Strategy
01:40:28 If Restaurants Vanish
01:43:04 Fad Or Future
01:47:03 Value Added Products
01:49:04 Restaurant Payment Terms
01:51:40 Farmer Mount Rushmore
#RookieFarmerPodcast #MarketGardening #UrbanFarming #SmallScaleFarming #Microgreens #FarmersMarket #MarketFarmer #ClarkGreens #FarmLife #GrowYourOwn #UrbanAgriculture #FarmBusiness #MicrogreensGrowing #SustainableAgriculture #FarmToTable #StartFarming #HomesteadLife #RestaurantToFarm #CropPlanning #SanAntonioFarm #ModernGrower #FarmEntrepreneur #AgricultureLife #SmallFarm #BeginnerFarmer
**** 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.
