251. Craig Odem on Propagating Success in the Nursery Industry

What are the challenges and rewards of transitioning a hobby into a thriving business? On this episode of the Thriving Farmer Podcast, Michael is joined by Craig Odem who runs a retail nursery in northwest Alabama. Starting with just a few dozen plants six years ago, Craig and his family have taken their business to a full-scale production and propagation nursery without any background in the industry. He also shares about their nursery growth on YouTube as the Savvy Dirt Farmer. Tune in to hear how Craig documents their growth and teaches others how to start their own thriving nurseries.  In this episode, you’ll hear… How Craig got interested in plants 1:43 About the process of taking cuttings and making new plants with them 9:13 Why Craig recently moved 18:44 What a typical year in a nursery looks like 20:10 How Craig runs his clearance sales 28:32 What specific nursery mix does Craig prefer, if any 40:29 Where Craig expects his business to look like in 2 years 43:08 About his nursery’s checkout system on the farm 47:04 What Craig’s favorite tool on the farm is 47:46 About the Guest: Craig Odem runs a retail nursery in northwest Alabama with his family. The most unique part of their story is that they started their nursery and Youtube with no experience in either field. What began as a backyard hobby turned into a full-time career, and they share the ups and downs, successes and failures as they learn on YouTube as the Savvy Dirt Farmer. Resources: His YouTube Channel: Savvy Dirt FarmerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/savvy_dirt_farmer/   The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! Conservation organizations play an important role in supporting local farms and food efforts nationwide. In the heart of the Ozarks, this land trust is taking land access for farmers one step further where they are offering affordable stable leases.  Through the NWA Food Systems Initiative, NWALT is offering underserved farmers the opportunity to sublease certain designated tracts of farmland on a dedicated property to help support sustainable farming practices in Northwest Arkansas. The Farmland Lease Program is available to beginning and experienced farmers who are interested in fruit and/or vegetable production. Approved applicants will have access to water and electric utility infrastructure, shared access to farm equipment and harvesting facilities with neighboring participant farmers. In addition, farmers accepted into the program will have access to education, training, and other resources to help them succeed. You can learn more about the program and the farm location in this podcast or contact 479-966-4666. Information is online at www.nwafarmlink.org