Michelle Klieger and Dr. Peter Konjoian dive into the newly released USDA ERS Vegetable and Pulse Outlook report and examine trends. These trends are something small growers should consider when investigating new and upcoming and coming crops to grow. How can they do that? Learn during this podcast!

Is it possible to change the nutrient profile of our vegetables to make them more nutrient dense? Michelle Klieger and Dr. Peter Konjoian delve into Peter's research this week and how children are the driver of parent's consumer decisions. Will kids eat more carrots in 2525? Tune in to find out!

Brian D. Sparks, Editor of Greenhouse Grower, a part of Meister Media Worldwide, discusses starting a podcast with Peter and Michelle, as his organization recently launched and how it offers growers another tool in their toolbox. But don't worry - this podcast wouldn't replace the print magazine. This is just another tool for growers to access info…

Rene is back by popular demand, for his fourth episodes of The Grower & The Economist. We are reminded that growers range from hobby gardeners, homesteaders, small businesses, and commercial operations. This week we discuss starting spring plants. Our discussion applies to all growers looking to maximize their growing season. How do you tackle crop…

Since last summer, Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger have been talking about metrics to evaluate business decisions. Peter likes ROI. Today, they work through a real-life ROI case study with a subscription tool that Michelle is considering for her research project. This situation can be applied on small and medium sized operations as well. Ha…

There's been a lot of talk about peat as regulations in Europe impacts its availability and the definition of sustainability. Peat grows, very slowly, in bogs in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Raising some questions about using this renewable resource and how to maintain healthy bogs. Peat is an important growth medium in greenhouses throug…

Michelle and Peter sit down with Andrew Brooks from Priva to discuss global trends that are impacting the small and medium sized grower. Larger growers can manage temperatures to the 1/10 degree but you can only get to 1 degree. What does that mean as you compete in the global market space?

Food systems are complicated. On The Grower & The Economist, we talk to and about small producers and local food systems. However, as many of you know, Michelle has a background in international trade. Today, Michelle and Peter discuss Michelle's research and how global trade allows for cheap food, year-round. Learn how trade keeps people fed while…

Have you started planning your seed order for the spring? Peter and Michelle are too! We love talking about crop scheduling. This episode starts with some new thoughts about ordering seeds and planning your crop schedule 2024 and also goes back to one of our first episodes on crop scheduling back in 2020.…

Here at The Grower & The Economist we are experiencing our first snowstorm in two years. Winter is usually considered the slow season for small to medium vegetable growers but there is still work to be done. Greenhouses allow us to extend our season but they require maintance and planning. Listen to Michelle and Peter discuss the "off season."…

We all know there are so many apps and software out there that could help grow our business but are they right for the small and medium size grower? This week's episode interviews Aaron Allison, co-founder of SBI software, to see what his company's software can tell our growers and how they can incorporate into their business. Will you make the tra…

Happy New Year! We think marketing your business is a really important topic for small growers. Last week we aired an episode with Myrna Greenfield of Good Egg Marketing. We think it was a great episode. Here's a clip. If you missed it, go back to last week and catch the whole episode. Here's the link to Myrna's book.…

Are you struggling with your marketing? Are you focusing on tactics but don't have a strategy? Hear from Good Egg Marketing's Myrna Greenfield about ways to focus your marketing efforts and grow your business. Peter and Michelle delve into why this area is a challenge and how farmers can work with consultants to break down the roadblocks! Get your …

As land grant extension agents have become further and further stretched, private consultants with company affiliations have been on the rise. Andy Peterson was recently interviewed to discuss his role as a consultant that also educates farmers. His career path has put him in contact with many small and medium sized growers that had questions that …

The Grower & The Economist is officially kicking off Season 2 of our podcast! As we closed in on 100 episodes, we've realized that the show has grown and evolved since 2020. This episode gives a preview of the amazing material we have schedule for 2024! Thanks for listening and Happy New Years. -Peter & Michelle…

Dr. Peter Konjoian questions Michelle Klieger on what is ROI (Return on Investment) and why she thinks there are limitations on this model of decision making. Michelle shared her concerns with ROI during prep calls for their #Cultivate2023 workshop. Looking for more tools to enhance your decision making process... this episode has them!…

Dr. Peter Konjoian & Michelle Klieger each share two tips for growers this summer. These tips highlight how differently growers and economists think & how different each part of your business is. We hope you find these four midsummer tips helpful!

June 2023 Greenhouse Management Magazine's cover feature Dr. Melinda Knuth joins Economist Michelle Klieger and Grower Dr. Peter Konjoian on this episode to dive into research that Dr. Knuth is doing at NC State's Cognitive Behavioral Laboratory. The three of them met at the Greenhouse Grower's Executive Summitt last December where they were all sp…

Michelle Klieger and Dr. Peter Konjoian interview Eileen Mullet, a recent graduate from University of Wisconsin River Falls, on her research involving soils and her time working in a greenhouse. We learn how her experience in a university greenhouse was similar and different to a production operation. This researcher is able to apply her classroom …

After being in business 30 years, Dr. Peter Konjoian has gone digital and launched a website for his company. This discussion between Peter and Michelle Klieger delves into the complexity of being a small business owner who wants to do it all. Is it possible to tackle every task on your own as technology evolves? And at what point should you consid…

Value added processors have a unique job and perspective in the small- and medium- sized supply chain. Listen to this week’s episode with guest speaker Brian Ruhlmann, founder of Craic Hot Sauce's, to learn about their story, communication strategy, and how they source from 18 farmers last year. That is 100% of peppers and tomatoes sourced locally!…

Most technology comes with a steep up-front cost, which will be amortized over a few years. Is this investment worth it for your small farm? Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger discuss the economics of trying to decide if new technology is cost effective.

Your polyethylene cover on your greenhouse has become more important than ever as technology expands to include anti-condensate and improve the growing environment. Learn from Yannis Lempidakis of Sunmaster Greenhouse Films and Dr. Peter Konjoian how your next polyethylene cover purchase can create a better and healthier environment for your plants…

Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger discuss how crop scheduling can benefit local New England farms as early and late season crops usually command the highest value but not the largest volume. The discussion also delves into value-added food products as a potential source of diversified income for the small Northeast grower.…

Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle Klieger give a sneak preview of their workshop at Cultivate 2023. Their 90-minute episode is titled: Back2Basics: Small Greenhouse and Farm Technology and will feature previous podcast guest experts: Molly Dishman of Bartlett Instrument Company & Keith Bemerer of Prospiant. Listen to the sneak peek, then register for…

This week, we talk with Charles Smith and Dr. Victoria Holden, co-founders of Imio, to learn about their regenerative ag biotech company. Imio develops microbial inoculants that replace chemical inputs in agriculture. They noticed the amount of organic matter left at the end of a season that didn’t have an economic benefit to the farm and set out o…

Animal integration is especially fun when we are talking about goats! Learn how John Bennett of Goats of Dover went from a marketing background to goatscaping in this week’s episode. We discuss goat diet preferences, predator and pesticide concerns, timing of a job and life expectancy. There is a lot to understand about the changing environment fro…

Dr. Konjoian and Michelle discuss climate change impact on greenhouses and small to medium sized farms with examples ranging from maple trees to impatiens. They challenge the perspective of crop schedules by asking questions, such as does a grower maintain their current schedule or adjust to the warmer temperatures and get ahead of the market. Anot…

Rene returns as a three-time guest on The Grower and The Economist podcast. His reason for gardening may be different than a small and medium sized grower, but he faces the same challenges and successes! We discuss some of the decisions behind ordering seeds, the importance of logging and taking pictures, fertilizer decisions, and some experiences …

Decades ago, cabbage demand was off the charts and Dr. Konjoian listened to his father not to grow cabbage the following season. Dive into the technical terms and more examples of leading indicators in the agriculture business. We have talked about fuel prices and labor, but how can farmers adapt to local consumer behaviors and national fashion tre…

Guest: Janeen Wright and Brian Sparks, Meister Media publishers Dr. Peter Konjoian and Michelle discuss takeaways from GROW Executive Summit with Janeen Wright and Brian Sparks, two editors for Meister Media Worldwide. This year, the conference brought an interactive schedule on labor, profitability and the supply chain. Positive feedback was recei…

The past two episodes we talked with Guest Expert Keith Bemerer from Prospiant about keeping greenhouse heating costs down. This we discuss specific strategies for starting and maintaining propagation in a greenhouse. We review the main benefits, such as giving ownership over your supply, managing quality of your main cultivators and diversifying i…

In the second of a three-part series with Keith, we go back to the history of roofing materials to dive into the intricacies that make up an efficient greenhouse operation. There are four technology advancements to watch out for in the greenhouse system with relatable examples. Keith gives insight into low cost solutions from using repurposed mater…

We continue our conversation with Keith Bemerer of Prospiant, Inc. on energy conservation and cutting costs with a focus on greenhouses. We discuss some of the difficult questions a greenhouse operation has to face, such as locking in fuel prices, raising consumer price or shifting production, and technology interventions for long term solutions. B…

Donated food is a major part of our food system. Even with low levels of unemployment, many families have not recovered from the pandemic. High prices are pushing families in every American community to see out more food from local services. Some of the need is met by local farmers, some from national food programs, and others from dozens of divers…

This week’s podcast episode dives deep into inflation, rising input costs, and the economic relationships we can use to prepare for challenges in the upcoming growing season. One of the major drivers we are seeing in this cycle is that there are fewer goods available across industries. Take a look back with us at the patterns of the Great Depressio…

Kroger and Albertson's grocery stores are looking to merge in a $26 billion deal. The resulting company will have 5,000 locations. Peter and Michelle discuss the impact on local farmers, local brands, and consumers. This bonus episode acts a quick take. For additional information, check out Michelle's weekly newsletter or Twitter feed.…

Nathan Fouriner of Home Harvest Central Massachusetts is this episode's guest expert. With his engineering background and his love of systems, he has built a business that gives homeowners beautiful and functional outdoor space. This includes everything from raised beds, to fruiting trees, to underground water reservoirs. The passion and excitement…

This week’s episode is a continued discussion on the threats to agriculture, such as recent global droughts and input price inflation, as well as strategies to mitigate unforeseen risks. Michelle and Peter explore the advantages for nimble growers while applying cross-industry examples from a business perspective. They dive into two difficult quest…

Guest expert, Jon LaPorte is the Farm Business Management Educator at Michigan State University. Michelle and Jon met as panelists on Greenhouse Grower's Grow Executive Series Webinar discussing how growers can manage today's high input costs and remain profitable. Jon has created a five-step plan to help all types and sizes of growers make better …

Food security is normally described in terms of affordability and accessibility. Dr. Marcus Coleman explains why acceptability and accommodations are important as well. Understanding what the community actually wants and helping support a system that meets those needs.

This week we take a look into what it means to develop a comprehensive curriculum for new farmers on a small and medium scale with guest expert, Dr. Marcus Coleman. He is currently serving as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Tulane University and previously served as Program Director for Grow Louisiana Beginning Farmer Training Program at LSU AgCe…

Can you imagine that roses and other ornamental flowers without any fragrance? Dr. Konjoian tells us how it nearly happened. Plant breeding is power but single tracked improves sometimes have unintended consequences.

So far this year, Michelle and Dr. Peter Konjoian have talked to experts at every spot on our food supply chains. From Alice Hill, who runs a non-profit grocery store, to Dr. Cari Peters, who works to help producers at all levels understand the importance of fertilizer, the GATE has taken a full tour of how food gets from the farm to the table. Wit…

Guest expert, Alice Hill, shares her perspective on how small, agricultural production can feed rural America's small towns. Earlier in her career, she grew wheat and raised cattle in Kansas. Then, she switched to organic wheat. Now, instead of selling to large, unknown markets, she produces food for her small, agricultural, Kansas community. She s…

This week’s guest expert is Dr. Christopher Currey, Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University. Dr. Currey’s desire to get his hands dirty and see the results of his work took him out of the lab and into the field. His non-traditional jobs bring a unique perspective to the horticulture industry, to his students, …

Dr. Cari Peters, Master Crafter of Jack's Formulas at J.R. Peters, joins The Grower & The Economist to share her journey, her focus on quality assurance, and where fertilizer innovation is heading. Listeners will appreciate her dedication to managing supply chain distributions while still ensuring high quality products to customers. Her advice on r…

Guest expert Alex Bodell joins us today to talk about lighting designs, his journey to improve greenhouse plant lighting, and the lessons learned. Peter and Alex researched how specialized LED lights could elicit better plant responses. They were surprised to find that in most cases, the amount of light that plants get is more important than the ty…

Guest expert, Jeff Hake joins The Grower and The Economist to share his experience working in a multi-generational, multi-business, family farming and food production business. Funks Grove Heritage Fruits & Grains is a specialty fruits and grains farm on historic Route 66 in central Illinois, using organic practices. Funks Grove Pure Maple Syrup se…

This is the second part of a two-part series on the end of Just-in-Time production. Businesses are used to operating lean, with little inventory. They could purchase the inputs they needed on short notice. After months of higher prices and supply chain disruptions businesses are not only facing higher prices but also lack of availability of critica…