About this episode
Caden and Patrick run Cable Family Farm in Piedmont, North Carolina, where they manage a small 80 bed no-till market garden along with pasture-raised eggs and chickens. Caden started the farm at 18, and then a few years later was able to convince Patrick to join him. Their main concern starting the farm was how would they make money? This tour shows how they produce their crops and animals in a healthy, sustainable way, along with their marketing and production approach to creating a viable small-scale farm production. It was fascinating and productive to hear from these young farmers how they approach farming, why their not organic, the systems they run to stay viable and efficient, and understanding why they chose this career path over everything else (hint, farming food can be incredibly meaningful). Key TopicsBuilding an 80 bed no-till market garden from grassTools and systems for small-scale vegetable farmingPasture-raised eggs and chickensOrganic practices without certificationEconomics and tradeoffs on small farmsConnect with Caden & Patrick:InstagramYoutubeOther linksTimestamps 00:00:00 Introduction to Cable Family Farm 00:01:00 Building a no-till market garden 00:06:00 Broadforking and minimal soil disturbance 00:10:00 Weather risks and crop failures 00:14:00 Time and cost of starting a garden 00:19:00 Organic practices vs certification 00:23:00 Simple greenhouse and seed starting 00:27:00 Egg layers and rotational grazing 00:32:00 Raising pasture-raised chickens 00:35:00 Why chickens are healthier on pasture
