179. Aubrey and Ben Thompson on Operating a Farm for Environmental and Family Sustainability

Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we’re happy to be hosting Aubrey and Ben Thompson, owners of Fair Curve Farm, a thriving family farm located in Ferndale, California. Ben and Aubrey’s story began amongst standing rows of beets and kale in Ferndale during the summer of 2015. Aubrey had just moved up from the California central coast and found herself on a vegetable farm where she met Ben, a dedicated employee skilled in quick harvesting. It was there that they discovered their love and appreciation for organic, local food as well as each other. In 2017, they started Fair Curve Farm, transforming their newly-acquired 4 acres from perennial pasture to a sustainably-grown vegetable farm that was ready for production in 2018. They are committed to always striving to do better for their family, community, as well as their local ecosystem and the planet. Tune in to hear their story and practices! You’ll hear:   When Ben and Aubrey got into agriculture 1:40 What the distance between Fair Curve’s land and the markets which they sell to is 7:53 What they offer as far as flowers 13:00 How Aubrey and Ben delegate tasks to their team 18:49 What kinds of equipment they use and what their bed prep process looks like 21:01 What their harvesting process looks like 24:54 What crops they are growing in the field 26:08 What crops they are wholesaling 34:17 Who the average consumers of their products are 42:16 What Ben and Aubry’s favorite tools are 43:55   About the Guests   We are a 4 acre, family-owned, certified organic farm growing a diverse selection of vegetables, herbs, and flowers on the coast of Humboldt County in Ferndale, California. We market our produce through a free-choice, market-style CSA as well as to local grocery stores and low-income food distribution programs. We operate a bustling weekend farmstand that serves our local community and have recently shifted our marketing strategy away from farmers markets to focus on grocery store sales. We are first-generation farmers who learned to farm by working for other local, organic growers on varying scales of production. Resources   Website: www.faircurvefarm.com   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FairCurveFarm   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faircurvefarm/    The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsors!   Rimol Greenhouse Systems has been supporting local growers since 1994.  Rimol Greenhouse offers superior strength and craftsmanship with their structures and product lines. We offer multiple sizes of gothic high tunnels, gutter-connected and free-standing greenhouses. Rimol Greenhouse manufactures their diverse product line in New Hampshire, using American Steel and Aluminum.    Our knowledgeable sales staff specialize in the technology you need and are located throughout the country to better serve you. Whether you are just getting started as a Greenhouse Grower, or looking to expand your operation, Rimol Greenhouse is your industry partner. To learn more and to get a quote on your next project, visit Rimol.com   At Agrigro, we know that in today’s modern agriculture, our efforts can deplete life or add life. When you look for ways to add life, it’s sustainable and makes everything work better. The result is enhanced plant and soil health for crops, gardens, and turf, as well as improved animal health and environment for livestock and wildlife. Our products are all-natural, easy to use, and friendly to the soil, the plant, as well as the grower. AgriGro’s® formulations deliver essential plant nutrition along with an advanced prebiotic concentrate, which significantly increases the multitude of beneficial native microbial species already residing in the production environment. Through these environmentally sound technologies, we’re adding life to crop production, livestock, home, turf, and wildlife markets. You don’t have to be dependent on crop production efforts that deplete life… Just Add Life with AgriGro®.