Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode of the Rookie Farmer Podcast, Alec and Richard get real about the brutal back half of summer: crashing sales, a wild squash bug and leaf-footed bug infestation, and the emotional toll of farm life colliding with family stress.
Alec also shares a huge farm update: Sarah's now working with him full-time on the farm, and Alec talks about what it actually takes to bring a spouse into the decision-making process. Plus, both farmers share their studs and duds of the season and how they're already reshaping their fall crop plans to farm smarter, not just harder.
Learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm here: instagram.com/sunandsoilfarm
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 Q&A!
02:13 Summer Slump And Sales
04:12 Drought Updates And Fall Prep
06:11 Studs And Duds Crops
10:07 Okra Packaging And Glut
11:51 Eggplant Peppers Squash Bugs
15:59 Cucumbers And Lettuce Struggles
19:39 Cyclospora Questions At Market
21:56 Tomato Crash Leaf Footed Bugs
25:44 Cherry Tomato Splashback Issues
27:04 Pest Pressure Year To Year
27:36 Pests and Weather Whiplash
28:45 Personal Setbacks Pile Up
30:57 Burnout and Finding a Second Wind
32:36 Wife Joins Farm Full Time
34:39 Dividing Tasks and Work Styles
41:40 Sharing Decisions and Pricing
44:53 Couples Systems and Communication
50:11 Scaling Reality Check and August Slump
52:26 Rethinking Pathways and Farm Ideals
55:49 Efficiency Upgrades and Evolving Practices
58:11 From Broad to Precise
01:01:17 Micronutrients and Boron
01:02:10 Weather Whiplash Planning
01:03:27 Farming as a Family
01:05:23 Fall Prep Reset
01:06:52 Dialing Crop Mix and Successions
01:12:09 Making Space With Tarps
01:15:07 Stale Seedbed and Bed Splits
01:17:25 Fresh Seed Business Mindset
01:20:33 Bolero Carrot Commitment
#RookieFarmerPodcast #SmallFarm #MarketGardening #FarmLife #FarmersMarket #SustainableFarming #HomesteadLife #FarmBurnout #CropCultureFarm #SmallScaleFarming #GrowYourOwnFood #FarmToTable #FarmingLifestyle #NewFarmer #OrganicFarming
**** 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, Alec and Richard get real about the brutal back half of summer: crashing sales, a wild squash bug and leaf-footed bug infestation, and the emotional toll of farm life colliding with family stress.
Alec also shares a huge farm update: Sarah's now working with him full-time on the farm, and Alec talks about what it actually takes to bring a spouse into the decision-making process. Plus, both farmers share their studs and duds of the season and how they're already reshaping their fall crop plans to farm smarter, not just harder.
Learn more about farmer Richard and Sun and Soil Farm here: instagram.com/sunandsoilfarm
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 Q&A!
02:13 Summer Slump And Sales
04:12 Drought Updates And Fall Prep
06:11 Studs And Duds Crops
10:07 Okra Packaging And Glut
11:51 Eggplant Peppers Squash Bugs
15:59 Cucumbers And Lettuce Struggles
19:39 Cyclospora Questions At Market
21:56 Tomato Crash Leaf Footed Bugs
25:44 Cherry Tomato Splashback Issues
27:04 Pest Pressure Year To Year
27:36 Pests and Weather Whiplash
28:45 Personal Setbacks Pile Up
30:57 Burnout and Finding a Second Wind
32:36 Wife Joins Farm Full Time
34:39 Dividing Tasks and Work Styles
41:40 Sharing Decisions and Pricing
44:53 Couples Systems and Communication
50:11 Scaling Reality Check and August Slump
52:26 Rethinking Pathways and Farm Ideals
55:49 Efficiency Upgrades and Evolving Practices
58:11 From Broad to Precise
01:01:17 Micronutrients and Boron
01:02:10 Weather Whiplash Planning
01:03:27 Farming as a Family
01:05:23 Fall Prep Reset
01:06:52 Dialing Crop Mix and Successions
01:12:09 Making Space With Tarps
01:15:07 Stale Seedbed and Bed Splits
01:17:25 Fresh Seed Business Mindset
01:20:33 Bolero Carrot Commitment
#RookieFarmerPodcast #SmallFarm #MarketGardening #FarmLife #FarmersMarket #SustainableFarming #HomesteadLife #FarmBurnout #CropCultureFarm #SmallScaleFarming #GrowYourOwnFood #FarmToTable #FarmingLifestyle #NewFarmer #OrganicFarming
**** 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.
