Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Curtis Stone expanded like crazy in his fourth year of farming. Made less money, worked way more hours. The next year he scaled back, worked less, made more, and had a far better quality of life.
This episode covers the expansion question head-on: when to take on more land, when to refine what you have, and why most farmers pull the trigger too early. Curtis's rule — if you don't have a plan for that land, forget about it. Don't till it up and figure it out later. Know what you're planting, how much, and where it's getting sold before you commit.
Also covered: the full tarping-to-production site conversion process (tarp all summer, kill grass, rototill, stale seed bed, flame weed, plant quick crops first), why Curtis barely weeds anymore (no-till + landscape fabric eliminates the task almost entirely), his "double bed" technique that adds 21% production without adding land, and why he's getting custom 3-foot tarps made for individual bed coverage.
Curtis's key insight: "I went nuts in my fourth year, expanded like crazy. Made less money, worked way more hours. Next year — worked way less, made way more money." Refine first. Expand with a plan.
Originally recorded September 30, 2015. Curtis was in his sixth year of farming in Kelowna, BC. The Urban Farmer - Season 1, Episode 30.
➡️ Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at shop.moderngrower.co
🎥 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
🔊The Urban Farmer Podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTd1FPZ7J8xS3ebyyIxmBqp1pl2h87RpU
🔊The Rookie Farmer Podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTd1FPZ7J8xRJ0O4mAIdgX94QvXTI0ZZ7
🔊In Search of Soil Podcast: youtube.com/insearchofsoil
Check out Diego's books:
📖 Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon: amzn.to/4hoqUx6
📖 Ready Farmer One on Amazon: amzn.to/42FjrVX
0:00 — The "Get Big or Get Out" Paradigm and Why Small Farming Is Different
4:00 — "If You Don't Have a Plan for That Land, Forget About It"
6:00 — Why You're Expanding: Is It the Right Reason?
8:30 — Curtis's New Plots: Neighbor's Backyard + Tarped Summer Plot
10:30 — Full Tarping Process: Kill Grass, Rototill, Stale Seed Bed, Flame Weed
14:00 — Stale Seed Bed Technique Explained
15:00 — JM Fortier's Tarp Rotation System
17:00 — Custom Bed-Sized Tarps (The 3-Foot Tarp Idea)
19:00 — Why Curtis Barely Weeds Anymore (No-Till + Landscape Fabric)
22:00 — "Whenever You Find Yourself on the Side of the Majority, Pause and Reflect"
24:00 — Necessity Is the Mother of Invention: When to Innovate vs. Refine
26:00 — Adding 18 Beds: $14,400 in Potential Revenue
28:00 — What Goes in the New Beds (Salanova + Arugula Only)
30:00 — How to Expand Without Adding Land
33:00 — "I Expanded Like Crazy. Made Less Money. Next Year — Scaled Back, Made More."
35:00 — Tightening Cropping Strategy: Harvest-All-at-Once + Double Beds
37:00 — The 21% Production Increase From Eliminating Walkways
#CurtisStone, #UrbanFarmer, #MarketGardening, #FarmBusiness, #SmallFarm, #FarmExpansion, #NoTillFarming, #TarpingStrategy, #MarketGarden, #ModernGrower, #FarmSmart, #TUFRewind, #MarketFarmer, #FarmingBusiness, #RefineBeforeExpanding #FarmingBusiness, #SmallFarmBusiness,#farmsmallfarmsmart, #carrotcashflow
**** 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.
Curtis Stone expanded like crazy in his fourth year of farming. Made less money, worked way more hours. The next year he scaled back, worked less, made more, and had a far better quality of life.
This episode covers the expansion question head-on: when to take on more land, when to refine what you have, and why most farmers pull the trigger too early. Curtis's rule — if you don't have a plan for that land, forget about it. Don't till it up and figure it out later. Know what you're planting, how much, and where it's getting sold before you commit.
Also covered: the full tarping-to-production site conversion process (tarp all summer, kill grass, rototill, stale seed bed, flame weed, plant quick crops first), why Curtis barely weeds anymore (no-till + landscape fabric eliminates the task almost entirely), his "double bed" technique that adds 21% production without adding land, and why he's getting custom 3-foot tarps made for individual bed coverage.
Curtis's key insight: "I went nuts in my fourth year, expanded like crazy. Made less money, worked way more hours. Next year — worked way less, made way more money." Refine first. Expand with a plan.
Originally recorded September 30, 2015. Curtis was in his sixth year of farming in Kelowna, BC. The Urban Farmer - Season 1, Episode 30.
➡️ Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at shop.moderngrower.co
🎥 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
🔊The Urban Farmer Podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTd1FPZ7J8xS3ebyyIxmBqp1pl2h87RpU
🔊The Rookie Farmer Podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTd1FPZ7J8xRJ0O4mAIdgX94QvXTI0ZZ7
🔊In Search of Soil Podcast: youtube.com/insearchofsoil
Check out Diego's books:
📖 Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon: amzn.to/4hoqUx6
📖 Ready Farmer One on Amazon: amzn.to/42FjrVX
0:00 — The "Get Big or Get Out" Paradigm and Why Small Farming Is Different
4:00 — "If You Don't Have a Plan for That Land, Forget About It"
6:00 — Why You're Expanding: Is It the Right Reason?
8:30 — Curtis's New Plots: Neighbor's Backyard + Tarped Summer Plot
10:30 — Full Tarping Process: Kill Grass, Rototill, Stale Seed Bed, Flame Weed
14:00 — Stale Seed Bed Technique Explained
15:00 — JM Fortier's Tarp Rotation System
17:00 — Custom Bed-Sized Tarps (The 3-Foot Tarp Idea)
19:00 — Why Curtis Barely Weeds Anymore (No-Till + Landscape Fabric)
22:00 — "Whenever You Find Yourself on the Side of the Majority, Pause and Reflect"
24:00 — Necessity Is the Mother of Invention: When to Innovate vs. Refine
26:00 — Adding 18 Beds: $14,400 in Potential Revenue
28:00 — What Goes in the New Beds (Salanova + Arugula Only)
30:00 — How to Expand Without Adding Land
33:00 — "I Expanded Like Crazy. Made Less Money. Next Year — Scaled Back, Made More."
35:00 — Tightening Cropping Strategy: Harvest-All-at-Once + Double Beds
37:00 — The 21% Production Increase From Eliminating Walkways
#CurtisStone, #UrbanFarmer, #MarketGardening, #FarmBusiness, #SmallFarm, #FarmExpansion, #NoTillFarming, #TarpingStrategy, #MarketGarden, #ModernGrower, #FarmSmart, #TUFRewind, #MarketFarmer, #FarmingBusiness, #RefineBeforeExpanding #FarmingBusiness, #SmallFarmBusiness,#farmsmallfarmsmart, #carrotcashflow
**** 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.
