He Farms 35 Hours a Week By Himself and Makes 6 Figures
TLDRIn this engaging video script, we follow the journey of a successful market farmer, Andrew, who manages his one-acre farm single-handedly, working just 35 hours a week and grossing a six-figure income. Andrew shares his innovative farming techniques, including intensive planting, hand-harvesting, and the use of mineral dust and compost to enrich the soil. He emphasizes the importance of direct seeding and the strategic use of shade covers to protect his crops. The script also highlights Andrew's commitment to low-cost, sustainable practices, such as adding a hoop house each year and planning to automate the irrigation system. His approach to farming is both profitable and environmentally conscious, offering inspiration for aspiring farmers and a valuable case study for small-scale agriculture.
Takeaways
- 👨🌾 **Self-Sufficiency**: Andrew manages the entire farm by himself, working approximately 35 hours a week and achieving a six-figure income.
- 💰 **Profitability**: Despite the small scale of just over an acre, the farm is highly profitable, indicating efficient management and a good market for the produce.
- 🛠️ **Intensive Cultivation**: Andrew uses intensive cultivation methods with 30-inch wide beds, ensuring nothing goes to waste and the land is fully utilized.
- ✂️ **Harvesting Techniques**: All harvesting is done by hand using a single knife, highlighting the meticulous and labor-intensive nature of the operation.
- 🥕 **Overwintered Crops**: The farm includes overwintered crops like carrots, which are harvested based on their pencil size, appealing to chefs and home cooks.
- 📈 **Incremental Expansion**: Andrew started with a small number of rows and expanded incrementally, adding more each year to maximize space utilization.
- 🌱 **Soil Management**: He uses mineral dust and compost heavily, applying about an inch of compost to each bed every time it's emptied, resulting in rich soil.
- 🚰 **Water and Compost**: The primary inputs on the farm are water and compost, with an organic pelleted fertilizer used as well for balanced nutrition.
- 📅 **Routine and Planning**: Andrew keeps meticulous journals for planting and harvesting schedules, which is crucial for managing the farm single-handedly.
- 🌞 **Shading Practices**: Shading is used for newly planted lettuce to help establish the plants, especially in high-temperature conditions.
- 📊 **Input Diversity**: Andrew values the diversity of inputs, considering switching compost suppliers to maintain a varied nutrient profile in the soil.
Q & A
How did Andrew manage to run the farm by himself and still gross over six figures a year?
-Andrew runs the farm by himself by meticulously managing his time and resources, working 35 hours a week. He uses intensive cultivation methods, direct seeding for many crops, and keeps a tight schedule for planting and harvesting.
What is the size of Andrew's farm?
-Andrew's farm is a little over an acre with 165, 50-foot beds.
How does Andrew prepare his soil for cultivation?
-Andrew prepares his soil by using mineral dust, composting extensively, and applying an organic pelleted fertilizer. He adds about an inch of compost to each bed every time it's emptied and uses approximately 30 yards of compost annually.
What is Andrew's approach to harvesting his crops?
-Andrew harvests his crops by hand using a knife, practicing the 'cut and come again' method, especially for leafy greens like lettuce. This allows for a continuous harvest without depleting the plant.
What is the significance of the 'Florida weave' technique mentioned in the transcript?
-The 'Florida weave' is a training system for tomato plants that involves tying them to strings or wires, which helps support the plants and manage their growth. Andrew uses a variation of this technique, tying one end of a string and looping it to keep the plants taut and organized.
How does Andrew manage to keep his labor costs low?
-Andrew keeps labor costs low by doing all the work himself and focusing on tasks that are necessary for the farm's productivity. He avoids non-essential work and focuses on efficiency.
What is Andrew's strategy for adding new growing areas to his farm?
-Andrew expands his farm incrementally, adding 20 rows at a time over several weeks or years. This gradual expansion allows him to manage the growth of his farm without overwhelming himself or his resources.
What is the role of the shade cover in Andrew's farming practices?
-The shade cover is used to protect newly planted lettuce and other heat-sensitive crops from intense sunlight, especially when temperatures are above 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It helps the plants establish before being exposed to full sun.
How does Andrew ensure a continuous supply of certain crops like arugula and salad greens?
-Andrew ensures a continuous supply by direct seeding these crops every single week, allowing for a constant rotation and availability of fresh produce.
What is Andrew's approach to weed management on his farm?
-Andrew allows some weeds to grow as they help keep the soil covered and reduce dust and heat. He believes in having roots in the ground and only removes weeds if they interfere with crop growth or if the area is going to be tarped soon.
How does Andrew plan to improve his farm's efficiency in the future?
-Andrew plans to add an irrigation system to automate watering, reducing the time he spends on manual tasks. His strategy is to make incremental upgrades to the farm each year, such as adding hoop houses, to improve efficiency and reduce his workload.
Outlines
👋 Introduction to Andrew's Farm and Cultivation Techniques
The first paragraph introduces us to Andrew, a farmer who manages his own farm, working 35 hours a week and earning a six-figure income. Kevin, the narrator, tours Andrew's over-one-acre farm, which is meticulously maintained with 165, 50-foot beds. Andrew explains his cultivation process, which is entirely manual, using a single knife for harvesting. The farm includes a variety of produce, such as lettuce and overwintered carrots, which are harvested in pencil size, appealing to chefs and home cooks. Andrew also discusses the initial work he put into the land, building rows by hand and using mineral dust and compost to improve the soil. His annual input includes compost, water, and an organic pelleted fertilizer. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on Andrew's routine and the expansion of his farm over the years.
🌱 Andrew's Innovative Farming Methods and Soil Management
In the second paragraph, Andrew and Kevin discuss various farming techniques, including the Florida weave, a method for supporting plants. Andrew shares his approach to soil amendments, emphasizing the importance of carbon and nitrogen ratios. He also talks about his use of different compost sources to create diversity in his soil inputs. The conversation moves to the number of seasons Andrew has turned the land and his observations on the need for inputs over time. Andrew's farming practices include direct seeding and transplanting, with a small greenhouse used for starting certain plants like tomatoes. The paragraph ends with a discussion on the challenges of earwigs and the use of shade covers to protect new plantings.
🌿 Cover Crops, Green Garlic, and Expanding the Farm's Infrastructure
The third paragraph covers Andrew's use of cover crops and how he manages the land to maintain soil health. He talks about the process of using tarps and compost to prepare the soil for new plantings. Andrew also discusses his planting routine, which includes weekly seeding of arugula, salad, and mesculin. He shares his experience with different types of lettuce seeds and his adaptation of a green garlic variety to his climate. The paragraph concludes with a look at Andrew's plans for expanding the farm's infrastructure, including adding a hoop house each year and his future plans for an irrigation system.
🛒 Market Strategy and Managing the Farm Without Debt
In the fourth paragraph, the discussion shifts to Andrew's market strategy. He sells his produce at a single farmer's market and plans to open a farm stand. Andrew emphasizes his approach of starting small and growing gradually, without incurring debt. He talks about his low-cost farming methods and the importance of keeping production costs low to maximize profitability. The paragraph also covers his decision to work additional jobs while building up the farm and his commitment to buying only what he can afford, thus avoiding loans. Andrew's strategy includes annual upgrades to the farm to reduce his workload, with an upcoming focus on automating the irrigation system.
🏡 Conclusion and Thanks for the Tour
The final paragraph wraps up the tour of Andrew's farm. There's a mutual exchange of gratitude, with Kevin expressing how inspiring the visit was, particularly for those interested in small-scale farming without incurring significant debt. Andrew reiterates his desire to encourage more small farms and ends the conversation on a positive note, wishing Kevin and his team well in their own gardening endeavors.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Farm-to-table dinner
💡Market Gardener Standard
💡Intensive Planting
💡Cut and Come Again
💡Overwintered Carrots
💡
💡Composting
💡Organic Pelletized Fertilizer
💡Direct Seeding
💡Soil Amendments
💡Hoop House
💡Farm Stand
Highlights
Andrew manages a successful farm-to-table operation on a little over an acre of land, grossing over six figures a year while working 35 hours a week.
Andrew cultivates a wide variety of produce, including lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes, using intensive planting techniques to maximize space utilization.
He hand-harvests his produce, which allows for a more sustainable and efficient approach to farming.
Andrew's farming practices include overwintering crops like carrots and using the 'cut and come again' method for lettuce.
He has developed a unique system for trellising tomatoes, which involves tying them to strings for support and better growth.
Andrew uses mineral dust and compost amendments to improve soil quality, applying about an inch of compost to each bed every time it's emptied.
He has a meticulous record-keeping system using journals to track plantings, harvests, and soil amendments.
Andrew's farm has expanded incrementally over the years, with him adding more rows and beds as he's able to manage them.
He prioritizes using organic and sustainable inputs, such as an organic pelleted fertilizer with a balanced NPK ratio.
Andrew has a greenhouse where he starts certain crops like tomatoes, which are later transplanted into the fields.
He has a creative approach to weed management, allowing certain weeds to grow to help maintain soil health and reduce erosion.
Andrew has successfully adapted a softneck garlic variety to his climate over seven years, creating a unique strain.
His farm operates on a no-debt model, with Andrew investing in tools and infrastructure as he can afford them.
Andrew's farm is a single-market operation, focusing on selling at the Little Italy farmers market.
He plans to open a farm stand on the property and is continually looking for ways to improve efficiency, such as adding an irrigation system.
Andrew's farming philosophy includes a focus on sustainability, with practices like no-till prod forking and using shade covers for young plants.
He has a goal of adding a hoop house each year to expand his growing capacity and protect crops from the elements.
Andrew's farm is a testament to the possibility of small-scale, profitable farming with a strong focus on sustainability and low-cost production methods.
Transcripts
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