For those of you don’t know who these gentlemen are, Scott Hebert owns and operates Flavourful Farm in Chilliwack, British Columbia.  Michael Bell owns and operates Half Acre Farm in Dallas, Texas. Both have uniquely different operations, but they are facing some of the same issues.  Both have been great guests on Small Scale Life, and I am thrilled to have them back on the show.

If you are currently an urban farmer or are considering starting a small business, you might want to grab a drink, a pad of paper and a writing utensil.  There is a lot of good information and advice in this podcast.  Michael and Scott have tried a lot of things and found out what does and does not work on their farms and in their markets.

As part of the discussion, Michael Bell, Scott Hebert and I provided some thoughts about a new type of urban farming and marketing recently discussed on Larry Hall's YouTube Channel.  Each of us had some comments (pros and cons) about this kind of small business, and there are some logistical and price point questions that will need to be explored.  As Michael Bell puts it, "It hasn't been done like this before, so why not give it a try?"

You can view the video and get all the show notes on [Small Scale Life](smallscalelife.com)

Michael is using some really interesting and simple marketing techniques to develop business opportunities and increase his urban farming operation.  As you will hear, he is employing techniques with great success! Michael feels that there are a lot of growth opportunities for profitable urban farming in the future, and he provides some positive encouragement to those who might be considering an urban farm as a side business.

Topics Discussed on the BellCast: Profitable Urban Farming

Micheal Bell and I discussed the following topics in this podcast:

Welcome Back to the Show

Texas weather
Minnesota weather

What’s Growing on the Farm?
Tomato varieties
Peppers
Squash and zucchini
Greens
Onions
Radish
Beets

Tomato Tips
Septoria Leaf Spot
Pruning Tomatoes
Watering - low and slow
Marketing and Customers for Profitable Urban Farming

Instagram Strategy
Telling the story
How to sell a superior product
Vegan Body Builder - YouTube Video
Try to get restaurants for the Summer
Start Profitable Urban Farming: 100 families = $100,000

Community Building
Other farms are starting in the area, but there is a big market
Rose Creek Farm
Singing Frogs Farm
Scott Hebert at Flavourful Farms
Opportunities to collaborate and work together
Diego Footer's Farm Small; Farm Smart Podcast
Connect with Michael Bell on Instagram

Putting It All Together

As Michael stated, you can start profitable urban farming using simple techniques: connecting with people who are looking for great tasting, fresh produce in your area using Instagram.

By starting small, you can focus on your client’s needs and share you story as you sell your produce.  As Curtis Stone has said on many occasions, your customers want to share your story with others, and once you sell your produce, customers will share their experience with others.  Michael experienced that very thing with the ladies who spent time at the farm and essentially sold his product to the whole office!

You can do this, and there are people out there that can help!  We will continue to explore these topics with Michael in future BellCasts!

As a programming note, this is the first episode of the BellCast: a monthly podcast on Small Scale Life focused on the ups and downs of urban farming on Michael’s Half Acre Farm.  Michael has been farming at this location since purchasing the land in 2016, and he sells produce locally to friends, colleagues and others.

Topics

In this podcast, Michael Bell and I discussed the following:

Minneapolis Miracle and Football Games

New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Patriots Super Bowl and Dynasties

Introductions

Who is Michael Bell?
Half Acre Farm - Humble Beginnings
2000 square feet to 15,000 square
30 inch wide garden beds that are 25 feet long

Urban Farming 

Winter Conditions: Wind Storm and Cold Weather this Year
Crops:  Damage and Destruction
Low Tunnels: Success or Failure?
Long Term Weather Outlook in Texas
Bouncing Back: Planting New Crops
Salinova
Zucchini
5 Tomato Varieties
50 Large Cherry
25 Super Sweet 100's
10 Glacier (will blossom in 38 degree F temps)
Marigolds
25 Black Cherry Tomatoes - they get big!
Aggressive pruning and blight control - how to control blight
Selecting crops based on vegetable and profit potential
Customer Service and Sales
Breaking Bad News
Getting New Customers - Developing the "Waiting List"
Grocery Store Clients
Instagram connecting People and Customers
Eating Real Food - Michael's Salad Mix creates a Unique Taste which Sells Itself

Regenerative Agriculture

Rebuilding Soil using Regenerative Agriculture Techniques - Gabe Brown
Rancher and Soil Expert from North Dakota
Regenerated Soil in 3 or 4 Years on His Ranch
Five Laws to Regenerate Soil
Urban Farm
Backyard Gardens
Micheal's West Texas Project
Tom's Central Wisconsin Project

Philosophy and Continuous Learning

Time waits for no one
Getting things figured out; having a successful life
Why Michael and I REALLY do chores

Farm Expansion and Logistics

Greenhouse Purchased!  How to transport?
Future Greenhouses of Half Acre Farm
Keeping the Greenhouses Warm
Putting It All Together

Key topics discussed and next steps