He Farms 35 Hours a Week By Himself and Makes 6 Figures

Summary

In this engaging farm tour, Kevin visits Andrew's impressive 1.5-acre farm, where Andrew single-handedly cultivates a bountiful harvest while working part-time hours. Andrew shares his techniques for intensive planting, composting, and managing the farm efficiently, revealing his innovative approach to soil health, crop rotation, and labor-saving strategies. The tour highlights Andrew's dedication to sustainable farming practices, yielding a profitable six-figure income from his small-scale operation.

Takeaways

• 🚜 Five years ago, the narrator met Andrew at a farm-to-table dinner, and now they are visiting Andrew's farm.
• 👨‍🌾 Andrew manages his farm by himself, working 35 hours a week and grossing over six figures a year.
• 🌱 The farm spans a little over an acre, with 165, 50-foot beds, all maintained by Andrew alone.
• 🪴 Andrew uses a market gardener standard for bed preparation, with 30-inch wide beds and 18-inch centers.
• 🥬 The farm employs intensive cultivation techniques, ensuring that nothing ever goes empty. Andrew harvests crops like lettuce by hand.
• 🥕 Andrew grows various crops, including Mokum carrots, known for their sweetness and quick growth cycle.
• 🌾 Andrew emphasizes soil health, using mineral dust, compost, and organic fertilizer to maintain soil quality.
• 💦 Water and compost are significant inputs for the farm, with Andrew using about 30 yards of compost yearly.
• 🌿 Andrew's approach includes no-till methods, using compost and tarps to manage soil and plant health efficiently.
• 🍅 The farm produces various crops like tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers, with Andrew continually expanding and improving his methods.
• 👩‍🌾 Despite the hard work, Andrew finds farming gratifying and encourages more small farms to adopt similar sustainable practices.

Q & A

How did Andrew manage to run a successful farm while working only 35 hours a week?

Andrew has optimized his farming practices to be highly efficient, allowing him to manage the farm almost single-handedly and still maintain a six-figure income with relatively fewer working hours.

What is the size of Andrew's farm and how is it utilized?

Andrew's farm is a little over an acre with 165, 50-foot beds, which he utilizes intensively with no empty spaces, ensuring maximum productivity.

What is the standard bed width that Andrew uses on his farm?

Andrew stakes his standard beds at 30 inches wide, following the market gardener standard.

How does Andrew handle harvesting the produce by himself?

Andrew harvests all his produce by hand using a knife, practicing the 'cut and come again' method, especially for lettuces, which allows for efficient and continuous harvesting.

What type of carrots does Andrew grow and why does he prefer them?

Andrew grows Mokum carrots because they are super sweet, have a nice shape, and are fast-growing with a 55-day cycle. They can also be harvested at a pencil size, which is convenient for chefs and home cooks.

How did Andrew initially prepare the land for farming?

Andrew started by building the rows by hand and used a lot of mineral dust and compost to improve the soil. He has been adding compost layers to the beds every year to maintain soil fertility.

What is Andrew's approach to soil amendments and how much compost does he use annually?

Andrew uses about 30 yards of compost every year to amend the soil, applying a new layer of compost every time a bed is emptied.

What type of fertilizer does Andrew use and why?

Andrew uses a true organics pelleted fertilizer with a 7-5-7 ratio as an all-purpose slow-release fertilizer to support plant growth.

How does Andrew manage to keep his farming routine manageable within 35 to 40 hours a week?

Andrew has streamlined his farming processes and focuses on the most critical tasks, such as direct seeding, composting, and watering, which allows him to maintain productivity within a manageable work schedule.

What is Andrew's method for dealing with pests like earwigs on his crops?

Andrew acknowledges the challenge of pests like earwigs and mentions that they often lead to replanting. However, the specific method he uses to deal with them is not detailed in the transcript.

How does Andrew ensure the sustainability of his farm over time?

Andrew practices crop rotation, uses compost to enrich the soil, and is cautious about not overworking the land. He also plans to add an irrigation system to further improve efficiency and reduce his workload.

What is Andrew's strategy for expanding his farm and improving operations?

Andrew expands his farm incrementally, adding rows and hoop houses year by year. He also focuses on upgrading his operations, such as planning to automate the irrigation system, to reduce labor and increase efficiency.

How does Andrew maintain a balance between farm productivity and personal life?

Andrew manages his time effectively, working a schedule that allows him to maintain a profitable farm without overworking himself. He also avoids taking on debt, which reduces financial stress and allows for a more balanced lifestyle.

Outlines

00:00

👋 Introduction to Andrew's Farm

The video script begins with a personal introduction to Andrew, a farmer who manages his own farm while working part-time and earning a six-figure income. Kevin, the narrator, expresses excitement about touring Andrew's farm, which is just over an acre with 165, 50-foot beds. Andrew explains his cultivation methods, including the use of intensive planting with no empty spaces and the market gardener standard of 30-inch wide beds and 18-inch centers. The tour showcases the lettuce rows ready for harvest and Andrew's technique of harvesting by hand using a single knife.

05:01

🌱 Farm Practices and Soil Management

This paragraph delves into Andrew's farming practices, including his soil management techniques. He discusses the initial steps he took to prepare the land, such as building rows by hand and using mineral dust and compost to improve soil quality. Andrew emphasizes the importance of compost, applying about 30 yards annually, and using a pelleted fertilizer for nutrient balance. The conversation also covers Andrew's approach to direct seeding and transplanting, as well as his use of a greenhouse for starting certain crops like tomatoes.

10:01

📅 Seasonal Farm Operations and Experimentation

The script continues with a discussion on Andrew's seasonal operations, including his method of rotating crops and preparing beds for new plantings. He describes his process of tarping and composting old mesclin rows before planting tomatoes directly into the enriched soil. Andrew also shares his experience with different varieties of seeds, such as the salanova lettuce, and his strategy of experimenting with different types of seeds to find the most cost-effective and high-performing options.

15:02

📝 Record Keeping and Crop Planning

Andrew talks about his system for keeping track of his plantings and farm operations. He mentions using journals to log details about his broccoli, pepper, and other plantings, ensuring he maintains an adequate supply. The conversation highlights Andrew's approach to crop planning, such as planting green garlic and onions, and his method of mowing down the garlic to sell for the tops. He also discusses his plans for expanding his hoop houses and the importance of gradually improving his farm infrastructure.

20:02

🚜 Farm Expansion and Future Goals

In the final paragraph, Andrew shares his goals for farm expansion, including adding a hoop house each year and his plans for an irrigation system to automate watering. He talks about his strategy of gradually upgrading his farm without incurring debt, focusing on keeping production costs low to maximize profitability. Andrew also discusses his approach to weed management, preferring some ground cover to reduce dust and heat, and his method of succession planting to maintain a continuous supply of fresh produce.

🤝 Conclusion and Reflections on Farming

The script concludes with reflections on Andrew's farming journey, from starting small and managing with a full-time night job to achieving a profitable six-figure business with minimal labor costs. Kevin expresses admiration for Andrew's accomplishments and the inspiring example he sets for small-scale farming. Andrew emphasizes the importance of low-cost operations and gradual improvements, as well as his commitment to encouraging others to pursue small-scale farming.

Keywords

💡Farm-to-table dinner

A farm-to-table dinner is an event where meals are prepared using fresh ingredients sourced directly from local farms. It emphasizes the connection between farmers and consumers, promoting sustainable and local food systems. In the video, the narrator met Andrew at such an event, highlighting the personal connection that can be made through local food networks.

💡Market gardener standard

The market gardener standard refers to the typical practices and dimensions used in small-scale, intensive vegetable production for market sale. In the script, Andrew mentions staking out his beds at 30 inches wide, which is part of this standard, to optimize space and productivity in his farming operations.

💡Intensive cultivation

Intensive cultivation is a farming method where the land is used to its maximum potential, often involving high inputs of labor and resources to produce a high yield per unit area. Andrew's farm exemplifies this with his meticulous bed preparation and continuous planting to ensure no space goes unused.

💡Cut and come again

Cut and come again is a harvesting technique used for certain crops like lettuce, where the plant is cut at the base, allowing it to regrow multiple times. This method is sustainable and efficient, as demonstrated by Andrew when he describes harvesting lettuce on his farm.

💡Overwintered crops

Overwintered crops are plants that are sown in the late summer or fall and mature through the winter to be harvested in early spring. Andrew mentions overwintered carrots, indicating his practice of extending the growing season and utilizing the seasonal climate to his advantage.

💡Compost

Compost is a nutrient-rich, organic material used to amend soil, improving its structure, fertility, and water retention. Andrew emphasizes the importance of compost in his farming practices, applying it liberally to enrich the soil and support plant growth.

💡Mineral dust

Mineral dust is a soil amendment that contains essential trace elements and minerals to improve plant health and soil fertility. Andrew used mineral dust when he first started cultivating his land, underlining the importance of soil health in establishing a productive farm.

💡Direct seeding

Direct seeding is the practice of sowing seeds directly into the growing medium, rather than starting them in a separate location and transplanting them later. Andrew mentions direct seeding various crops like arugula and mesclin, which is a time-efficient method that reduces the need for transplanting.

💡Hoop house

A hoop house is a simple structure made of hoops covered with a plastic or other material to create a small greenhouse effect. It is used to extend the growing season and protect plants from harsh weather. Andrew's goal of adding a hoop house each year reflects his strategy for expanding his growing capabilities and crop diversity.

💡Cover cropping

Cover cropping involves planting crops not for harvest but to protect and enrich the soil. These crops can improve soil structure, suppress weeds, and add organic matter. Andrew discusses using cover crops as a method to cycle nutrients back into the soil, even if not in a traditional cover cropping system.

💡Farmer's market

A farmer's market is a place where local farmers gather to sell their produce directly to consumers. Andrew sells his produce at a farmer's market, which is a common way for small-scale farmers to connect with their community and sell their products without intermediaries.

Highlights

Andrew manages a farm-to-table operation grossing over six figures annually while working only 35 hours a week.

The farm is over an acre with 165, 50-foot beds, all managed by Andrew himself.

Andrew's cultivation techniques include intensive planting with no empty spaces.

Lettuce is harvested by the 'cut and come again' method using just a knife.

Overwintered carrots like Mokum's are grown for their sweetness and quick growth time of 55 days.

Andrew built the farm's rows by hand, expanding gradually over the years.

Soil amendments include the use of mineral dust and heavy composting, with 30 yards added annually.

Andrew's farm inputs are primarily water and compost, with an organic pelletized fertilizer used as well.

Direct seeding is practiced for crops like arugula, mesclin, carrots, and beets.

A small greenhouse is used for starting tomato plants and other crops that require more space.

Tomato plants are supported with a unique tying system taught by Monterey farmers.

Andrew's farm has been self-sufficient from the start, with no outside labor.

The farm utilizes a variety of soil testing to maintain optimal carbon and nitrogen ratios.

Andrew plans to diversify input sources to maintain soil health, such as switching compost suppliers.

Despite the farm's success, Andrew keeps the farm a bit wild intentionally, valuing roots over perfect appearance.

The farm operates on a low-cost model, avoiding debt and focusing on high profit margins.

Andrew's approach to farming includes adding improvements逐年, like planning an automated irrigation system.

The farm's success is a result of gradual growth and careful management without incurring significant debt.

Transcripts

- Five years ago, I met a guy named Andrew

at a farm-to-table dinner,

and today, we are at his farm,

which he manages all by himself

while working 35 hours a week,

and grossing over six figures a year.

I see him over there.

You're gonna love this tour.

Let's go find him.

- What's going on, man? (Kevin laughs)

- Hey, what's up? (laughing)

- Snuck up on me there.

- I know, I know, what are you up to?

Cultivating?

- Yeah, just getting the cultivation going.

- [Kevin] Dude, this place looks amazing.

- [Andrew] Appreciate it, man. - [Kelvin] It really does.

- [Andrew] Thanks. - What is it, like an acre,

a little over? - A Little over an acre.

- [Kevin] Yeah. - [Andrew] Yeah.

- [Kevin] And it's all you?

- [Andrew] All me, all me out here.

165, 50 foot beds.

- [Kevin] That's crazy.

- [Andrew] Yeah. - That is crazy.

I still can't believe that you do it all yourself,

it's bizarre, it's bonkers to me.

'Cause you look this far, and damn, it keeps on going.

- [Andrew] It's out there.

- [Kevin] Let's just go right here,

talk about classic bed prep, and--

- [Andrew] Yep. - How does it all work?

- Yeah, so my standard beds,

as you can see it here,

I stake 'em out at 30 inch wide.

- Which is the market gardener standard.

- Which is the market garden, 18 inch centers.

- Yep.

- So it gives us plenty

to go down a wheelbarrow with, whatever,

and then pretty much, everything's super intensive.

So nothing ever goes empty.

- [Kevin] Lettuce row here. - Classic lettuce row,

these are those cut and come against.

These are beautiful, this is actually gonna be harvested

for the market this weekend. - These are perfect right now.

- Yeah.

- How are you harvesting these guys by yourself?

- [Andrew] All by hand.

- So you're just using a knife, and just...

- One knife. (mimicking cutting noises)

Cut and come again.

Especially with the head lettuces, I just like to...

I mean, I can burn through this thing,

and then they all was just cut super clean,

ready to rock and roll.

- Yeah.

- Behind us, we have some overwintered carrots

that are starting to explode.

Let's see, we put these guys in...

These are a little later. - Yeah.

- So, I put these in in November.

- Okay. - Yeah,

so these are littler guys.

- Nice shape on this.

- Yeah, these are those Mokum's.

- Whoopees. (both laughs)

Snapped. - Yeah, super, super sweet.

- You gotta give it that bite test.

- Super sweet, got the crunch.

- Ooh, that's nice.

- Yeah, yeah the Mokum's are really nice,

and they're super fast, 55 days.

So, that's why I like 'em, and then they...

And then the thing I like about 'em too,

is you can actually harvest 'em in these pencil size.

- So, water carrots, they'll take a lot of time

to get to size and then they'll get funky, and,

but these, you just- - I feel like a chef

might like that,

or maybe just a home cook might like it.

It's a different shape. - Exactly.

- Kind of nice. - You don't have to peel 'em,

you don't have to do anything with 'em.

- So talk to me about the land, like when you got here,

what'd you have to do?

Because it's been you the whole time, right?

Nobody else? - Been me the whole time.

Yeah. - So you,

like when you first came here,

you did all these rows?

- I started building 'em all.

- Really?. - By hand.

- So you didn't like expand over the years type thing.

You were just like, boom, I'm in.

- [Andrew] No, no, I did expand a little bit.

- [Kevin] A little bit, okay, got it, got it.

- So like I did 20 rows one week, 20 rows the next week,

and then second year,

I started coming down this back side here,

and then third year,

I opened up a 20 more rows in that back.

- Wow. - So yeah, year by year,

I just kinda keep adding little chunks here,

trying to really utilize my space here

as much as I can.

- [Kevin] What'd you do for soil?

Amendments, et cetera when you started out?

- I used a lot of mineral dust in the very beginning.

- Yeah. - Composted the crap

outta everything.

'Cause this soil here,

not in this particular area,

this is pretty good,

but more towards the hoops

there's a really, really drained out rocky area,

so I had to really load up compost.

- [Kevin] Right, yeah.

- So I use 30 yards roughly every year.

- Okay.

- Every bad slip, if it gets emptied,

gets a whole new compost layer,

about an inch layer on there.

- Every single time.

- Every single time. - Yeah, okay.

- So it gets composted maybe twice,

three times a year.

- So is that your biggest input

besides perhaps seeding I guess,

is composting or maybe water?

- [Andrew] Water and compost, yeah.

- [Kevin] Yeah, yeah. - And then I use a true

organics pelleted fertilizer as well.

- Okay, yeah.

- Which is a seven, five, seven,

just a nice all purpose slow release.

- Yeah, I wanna know like routine.

Because you're telling me you do it all yourself,

which is sort of unbelievable honestly,

even though I know it's true.

(both laugh)

But not only that,

but you're doing it at maybe 35, 40 hours a week.

- Yep. - So it's less,

honestly less than almost everyone's office job.

- For sure, for sure.

- Which is crazy to me.

- Yeah, so like these beds right behind you for instance,

had broccoli in it two weeks ago.

It was overwintered broccoli.

I cut 'em down to the surface, let the roots go in.

I lay the compost on,

and put tarp on for a week.

Boom, after that tarp was on, I undid it--

- Yeah.

- Raked it out,

and then I literally just direct seeded into it,

put the tarp right side up,

- Yeah. - Two days later, we're here.

- Are you starting in transplanting anything,

or are you direct sourcing everything?

- Yeah, so I direct soil arugula,

and mesculin, carrots, beets--

- Anything you can, right?

I would imagine you would prefer to direct sell.

- Yeah, I have a small greenhouse at my house.

- Okay. - A little 10 by 20.

- Yeah. - So, I can't,

I'd love to transport beets and things like that,

I just don't have the space. - Yeah, sure.

- So I direct seed those things,

but things like these tomato starts,

I started all these guys, and then I up planted 'em,

so, these are actually from Brad Gates--

- Oh, no way. - Up at Wild Boar Farms.

- [Kevin] What variety? - [Andrew] Afternoon delight.

- [Kevin] Okay, I haven't grown that one.

- [Andrew] Is the purple.

See that purple guy? - Yeah.

- How are you doing,

like the Florida weave on this then?

Just a... - No.

No, this is kind of like,

I don't know.

The guys in Monterey taught me this little system.

I just pretty much tie one end--

- Yeah. - Loop it,

and then I'll have six different strings,

or five different strings,

and then I come in, - Yeah.

- And I just- - You just do...

Oh, that's interesting.

- See this nice little tie?

- You do this little sandwich off right here.

- Called tie wind. - Keep it nice and taut.

Yeah. - And then these taut.

- And then you'll just go up every six inches,

eight inches, - Every six inches?

- And you just do another. - Yep.

- That's like a big difference, huh?

- This is actually an example of a row--

- Sure. - That was an old mesculin.

I tarped it, composted it,

roots are still decaying in there.

- Yeah, so you're not ripping out.

- And then stick tomatoes straight back in there.

So this stuff's alive.

They go pretty quick.

If you rub your hands on that,

they're just gone. - Yeah.

- They're in there and that's carbon.

- Packed into the soil.

Yep, totally. - That's carbon.

And so that's kind of another, I don't look at it

as necessarily a cover cropping system,

but it definitely does add.

- It kind of is.

Yeah, it is. - 'Cause every week,

their goin' straight back into the ground.

- You're taking the top two thirds of plant matter

and selling it off,

and then the bottom one third

you're just letting go.

- Yep, and a lot of time I'll let it

do a little growth again,

and then I'll drop it and let it sit.

- Yeah, how many seasons have you turned here?

- Six or seven probably. - Oh shoot.

- Especially with the direct seated stuff.

- Really? - I'm constantly...

Every single week, I seed the arugula,

salad, and mesculin. - Yeah.

- Every single week.

- Have you seen your need for inputs go down,

like composts go down at all,

as if improving with time?

- Not yet, certain rows, definitely.

- Yeah, yeah, like the heavier turned rows perhaps.

Yeah, yeah. - Yeah, exactly.

More input on 'em.

But certain areas like up on that far side.

Definitely just gonna have to keep on it.

I think eventually,

for sure we'll be able to back off.

- But you know, if you're a market farmer,

and you're trying to buy in inputs--

- Yep.

- Obviously, you're using SPV soils, but quality-wise,

what are you looking for?

- Quality-wise, I always ask the testing

of carbon and nitrogen as a ratio.

- Yeah.

- So that seeding ratio is crucial.

- Yeah, do you care about like an MPK count on it,

or not really?

- No. - Yeah.

- No, I do care about the diversity,

so like this one, - Of input?

- Yeah, so I know SPV uses a lot more manure-base, cow-base.

So like probably next year,

I'll go with the chicken farmer up here,

and do more of a chicken compost-base.

- Oh, so you'll switch your supplier

based on input if you can't get it from one place, yeah.

- That, and just to create more of that diversity.

- Yeah, sure.

- Instead of just loading in a bunch of phosphorous,

phosphorous, phosphorous.

- We've been using them for all of our raised bed stuff too.

- Yeah.

- Like all the in ground compost in the backyard.

- Yeah.

- Like my version of this market farm,

which is certainly not on the same scale,

but, yeah. - Yeah.

- Dude, it's amazing.

- So these are those Chandlers I was telling you about.

These are second year Chandlers.

- Ooh, oops. - Sorry.

But yeah, Dude, these things are going crazy.

These are Chandlers, these are super popular in Monterey.

- Wow. - Yeah, these things

are just goin' off, you know.

- That's like classic. - Yeah.

- These are cool.

I honestly saved these initially, just for myself,

'cause I just love this fine texture.

The super sweet,

- [Kevin] Nice shape. - Shape.

- [Kevin] Yeah. - They don't have

great shelf life though.

So for a market berry,

it's not too good. - It's tough, it's tough.

- I'll harvest 'em Friday,

and take 'em to market Saturday.

And they're starting to go.

- Really?

Okay. - So unless you're doing

like farm stand straight out.

- Maybe this is like a "you pick" berry then, right?

- Or a "you pick" berry. - Bring 'em here.

Yeah. - Exactly.

- Okay, where should we go next?

- And then, let's see.

Well we got-- - We can talk covers.

You got this shade cover over here

I want to talk about.

- Yeah, so these guys,

just the next succession of a lettuce planting

that we just kind of went over in that other area.

- Are you always shading it

in the first like week or so, or?

- [Andrew] Anything 75 and above, yeah.

I'll go ahead and shade it all out.

For two weeks. - Two weeks, yeah.

- Two weeks. - Let it establish, yeah.

- Yep, and then I'll let it uncover.

I'll uncover it for a night.

- Do you have like a particular shade that you like?

- This looks like-- - 40%.

- Yeah. - I did do 30%,

but out here in Monterey,

or not Monterey, yeah, out here in Ramona,

I think that the sun's a little bit more intense up here

with a little elevation.

Tense heat.

- Yeah, dude, it's narly up here.

- We get hot, we get cold. - It's hot, it's cold though.

Yeah, that's the thing, it's hot and it's cold.

- We get hot, we get cold, and we get super windy.

- Where I'm at, it's like,

we're at like 45-ish lows, and maybe we'll touch 100.

- Yeah. - Maybe.

- Yeah.

- So, I'm sure yours is,

what are you like 25 to 110 or something like that?

- Pretty much, yeah. - Yeah.

When are you using this bed prep method

where you're sort of plopping,

what like silage tarp or something on top?

- This in particular I'm using,

because you see that mint? - Yeah.

(Andrew laughs) Oh, sure, yeah.

- That mint was coming in on all the rows,

and so, I'm using these guys more or less a barrier.

So, these are gonna kill off that mint right here.

- Yep. - And then not go anymore.

- What are you gonna throw on these?

- I'm trying to get some damn summer squash in here,

but with this--

- This one looks like a big plant, yeah?

- Yeah, yeah, well that big...

Every 18 inches or so,

and then I got cucumbers popping in here.

- Oh there they are.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- And they're starting to pop,

but earwigs in this time of year are nasty,

so we do a lot of replanting.

But this stuff's going crazy.

- That's popping off. - Yeah.

And then I gotta clear this out,

and then put something else there.

- Yeah, yeah, 'cause this is a bed.

- This is a bed. - Right, or was for a while.

(both laugh) - Exactly.

Just overtaken. - Yeah.

- Then I got some baby eggplants in this going on.

- Nice.

- In here is gonna be...

I think some more lettuce heads,

so these are Little Jim lettuces back here.

So these were all planted on Monday.

- [Kevin] So you're just using a very simple,

just hoop and--

- Yeah, pretty much. - Hoop and Shade.

- Hoop and shade and rock.

- Yeah, nothing.

- The trick is, you gotta get 'em big enough

so the hoops are about five feet.

So they get nice. - Yeah.

So they actually cover over. - This is a pretty cool crop.

This is a nice spinach crop coming in.

- Yeah, that is nice.

You have a variety on this?

- [Andrew] That is a regiment.

- [Kevin] It's looking good.

- These two were beds that were experiments,

that I just kind of pushed.

I was using this little section,

you can see I shade out early here.

And so I was kind of using that as my chew over here,

and I'm hoping to push 'em to end of June.

- Yeah, with that tree,

and that cover right there, it looks like it makes sense.

It's just one of those like tiny little farmer things

that you think about, right?

- Exactly. - Ooh, there's that tree.

- Look at the tree right there.

- Okay, I'll put something cold and loving there.

- Totally a farmer thing to think about.

- Let's check out down here, man.

'Cause this is like almost none of the farm we've seen.

- [Andrew] Yeah, exactly.

We've seen a block. - Yeah.

- One block of the farm.

- How do you keep track of everything?

Just all in your head, or you got like journals

and notes and stuff?

- I got journals. - Yeah.

- I got planting journals, things like that.

I mean, the direct seeded stuff's so easy

that it's every week,

so it's only-- - Yeah.

- That's stuff I keep out.

But I keep on track of all of my broccoli plantings,

my pepper plantings, all that.

Making sure I'm getting adequate amounts.

- Yeah, is this just salanova here?

- Another salanova. - Yeah.

One of the most expensive lettuce seeds out there.

(both laugh)

- Yeah, it's going crazy. - Isn't it?

It still is, right? - Oh, my gosh.

- Yeah. - So I actually,

this is actually a cool one from you.

and so Vitalis-- - Yeah.

- Remember that one time you went to Vitalis seeds,

and those one cuts, and I asked you?

Boom, there they are.

- Oh, really?

- Yeah, these are easy. - No way.

- These are easy cuts. - Okay, nice.

- These aren't the salanovas.

So I went with it because of the money.

And these are performing just as good.

- Seems like the market garden crowd

made the salanovas just too expensive.

- It's so insane. - And there's so many

varieties coming out every year,

that there's gotta be something right, that works.

- Exactly. - Yeah.

- And you'll find it.

And I found them, and they're here.

These ones are cool.

These are green garlics that we're pulling in.

- Oh, you're going green. - Yeah.

So this little half row, I did green garlics,

and then we did some regular onions here.

So I just kind of keep mowing it down, and--

- So you're just gonna chop 'em

and sell 'em for the tops then, yeah.

- Yeah, so I just yank 'em. - Yeah.

- I yank 'em, and we use 'em for the bases.

- This is what I say, 'cause we are,

my garlic just got hit by rust like crazy.

- Yeah. - And I'm like,

Eh, it's just green garlic.

That's why I grew it, you know what I mean?

Just make up an excuse. - Yeah, let's cut the top off.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, mine are starting to burn a bit,

because they are actually

gonna start bulbing here in the next month.

- Yeah. - So they'll start dying back.

- I mean, you can tell

it's already starting to go. - Exactly.

- Starting to separate, yeah. - And it smells.

Green garlic's my favorite thing.

And this variety here,

I've saved and, I've grown and saved this seed

for seven years now.

It came for me with Monterey.

And I brought it down,

and I just been slowing adapting it to my climate.

- Yeah. - Because it's the only

soft deck variety that I found that works down here.

- [Kevin] Really? - [Andrew] Yeah.

- [Kevin] Interesting. - [Andrew] And so--

- [Kevin] What's the variety name?

- [Andrew] It's just an early Italian.

- Yeah, but now, seven years now, it's sort of your variety.

- Exactly, now it's-- - Honestly, yeah.

- Indian summer farms. (laughs)

- Andrew Indian summer garlic.

Yeah, that's wild. - So, it's pretty cool.

- So you'll just let some grow out completely then, right?

- This row I'll let...

So that garlic row, I'll let it bulb out.

- Yeah. - So I have a full one there,

and then way back yonder,

you see those tops over there.

- Right over there, yeah. - I have one back there.

- So one of those two is your seed garlic for next season,

the rest is harvested out? - Exactly.

- Yeah, want to check out a hoop house?

- Let's check it out. - Let's do it.

You're telling me you're adding one more a year?

- Every year we're adding a hoop house.

That's my goal. - Yeah.

- We just added this one here in the corner

about a month ago.

This whole area's gonna be my pepper block.

- Yo, look at this prod fork though.

- Yeah.

- What kind of prod fork is this?

(Andrew laughs)

Frankenfork?

- So yeah dude, so my father-in-law,

my father-in-law, he was at an East Gate sale in Ojai.

He lives in Ojai. - Yeah.

- And he came by this thing,

and the guy was like,

"You know what it is?"

He was like, "Yeah, of course I do."

- Yeah. - And the guy was like,

"Since you know what it is,

"I'll sell it to you for ten bucks."

- That's a deal.

Cheapest prod fork I've ever heard of.

(both laugh)

- Yeah, I try not to get the tie-ins too far, dude,

'cause you see how monstrous those things are.

- They're huge, dude.

- So I go about halfway in, and yeah.

- 'Cause you're prod forking and that's it, right?

You're no tilling, no disturbing besides that, right?

- Yeah, pretty much, prod fork and raking.

- Yeah.

- [Andrew] So like these, I just planted today.

- [Kevin] Yeah. - These are the sakuras.

So these are gonna be those long cherries.

They'll get trellised up on these little wires here.

- This is where you're saying you go with the single liter,

'cause it's easier to pick. - Yeah.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Let the tresses

get nice and taut. - But they're spaced

kind of close together, no?

- Yeah, I do 100 of 'em right here in the middle

at about 18 inches apart, 18 inches on centers.

Pretty tight, but--

- It works, clearly. - It works, yeah.

- Yeah, well I guess if you go single liter

and trim 'em down.

- Yeah, and I--

- Just take all sakuras off after.

- Exactly, every week they get trimmed.

Every single week they get...

And these will probably go

until about September or October.

- And you're selling all this stuff

just at farmer's markets?

- Yeah, just at the Little Italy's farmers market right now.

- That's it? - Yeah.

- Only one? - Only one.

- Oh shoot, dude, why not anything up here?

Not much of a market?

- Not as much market.

I'm building that structure over there,

actually, that one I was talking about,

where I was gonna sell tomato starts

and strawberry starts out of.

- We're gonna be starting a farm stand out here too.

- Okay. - So I'll be opening it up

probably Wednesday

when my daughter goes to daycare,

and then-- - Yeah, it makes sense.

- Start selling it here. - Everyone I talk to

with the market farm thing...

You're so interesting to me,

because you figured out a way to do it with, by yourself.

So you're not incurring tons of labor costs,

which is like almost always what people run into.

But you somehow also figured out how to do it

without going 80, 100 hours a week,

and just like that's your life,

you live in the soil. - For sure.

- Which is a really interesting blend.

So what have you had to give up,

of like the classic market farmer

best practices or whatever?

What have you had to not do?

- I mean, you can see out here,

I keep things a little wild.

- Yeah, yeah.

- I like that kind of stand.

I don't keep tip-top tight. - Yeah.

- I do let things go a little bit

if there's areas I know I'm gonna tarp,

and soon they're gonna let 'em go,

and I think that type of stuff is--

- [Kevin] You're doing something if it's necessary.

- [Andrew] Exactly, only a necessity.

- Not if it looks good or whatever.

Not that it doesn't look good. - Right.

- To be clear. - Right.

- But just, you do see those market farms

where it's like-- - Proceed.

- There's nothing, there's nothing.

- There's no weeds. - Yeah.

- But I actually like some weeds,

because it's rooted in the ground.

That's my whole motto, is I want things covered.

I want roots in the ground.

I don't, out here in this kid of arid climate,

if it's too empty, it gets dusty, it gets hot.

It gets, so I kind of want some greenery.

- It's kind of interesting,

the idea of just letting the natural weeds

creep through the pathways.

- Creep through the pathways. - 'Cause otherwise,

'cause you're gonna trample 'em,

they'll break down, they'll die, whatever,

so it's kind of nice, right?

- Exactly, and I'll, with something like these,

you just kind of--

- Just give it that little touch.

- Just give it a little touch and they'll be toast.

- Yeah. - After that.

- Especially in this heat, man.

- So we planted some peppers in here today.

These are little habenaros on the side.

- Oh nice.

- And of course some lacienados.

Yeah, I actually have starts going right now.

I'm planting kale, chard,

any of my like pole and bundle greens,

I plant those every three to four months--

- Just regardless, yeah. - Just regardless.

Just to keep a fresh batch going,

keep it nice and strong. - [Kelvin] Yeah.

- [Andrew] And then if an old batch does

keep rocking and rolling--

- [Kelvin] Just let it rip. - Let it rip.

Keep pulling, keep harvesting, boom.

It's kinda that little insurance policy.

As you know, just successioning everything.

- Why not?

- That's where the whole thing was, is like--

- Like this lettuce here--

- Yeah, this is gonna get all mowed out.

So this was a example of frost damage.

So these were all Lacienados,

and this whole back area was planted

with broccoli and lacienado.

And with that frost

that came through here two weeks ago, smothered 'em.

The coldest night, you know,

I was like, oh, I'm not gonna cover 'em.

They'll be fine. - [Kelvin] Yeah.

- [Andrew] One night I don't cover.

- So how did you start?

You just look at this today,

and you're like, okay, this guy's on another level.

Obviously it didn't start out that way.

- Yeah, yeah, I mean, the first years,

you just start super small, super tight.

Do what you can, do managing.

I worked a full-time night job on top of that.

So I came out here during the day, worked night.

Maidens meets that way.

- [Kelvin] Just to put like a down-payment or a lease

or take out a new loan or anything like that.

- No, no loans, I don't do nay loans,

I don't wanna put any pressure on me in terms of that way.

Everything was, if I didn't have the cash I didn't buy it

- Yeah.

- Of course, I could have all the fancy tools in this nap,

but I just found what I needed and I went with it

and yeah, so I just kinda say, super, super low cost,

keep my cost production as low as I can

so I can sell things as most profitable as you can.

- Good point, yeah, 'cause you price it however you want.

Obviously a market bears what it bears

but you'll be able to be more competitive, I guess.

- Exactly, exactly, and have the margins

a little bit tighter and the other thing

is just like this hoop houses,

I couldn't go out and buy more at one time.

- [Kelvin] Sure.

- Several year, I just keep adding, I keep adding.

This year I plan on adding irrigation system,

every year I try to add an upgrade

that's gonna take me to do less.

- Yeah. - If that make sense.

- It reminds me when I like used to be addicted

to like "SimCity" or something like that,

like every year, you get enough in the budget,

you upgrade the roads, you upgrade the plumbing.

- Exactly. - Whatever.

- What seems to be the next necessity.

- Yeah, totally.

Irrigation is next you're saying now?

- Yeah, irrigation is next,

I spend a lot of time flipping a little dials.

So that's my next thing, is I wanna automate it completely

in that way I can just refer a couple of ways.

- Yeah, and that'd be nice, yeah.

Dude, well, thanks for showing it to us.

- Yeah.

- I'm glad I got to come up here, super inspiring,

especially if you're watching like no debt,

30, 40 hours a week, six figure business.

- Six figure business.

- Living out here, just chilling.

Not chilling, sorry,

not chilling. - Not chilling.

- Yeah, right now we're chilling.

- Right now we're chilling, exactly.

- I did not catch you on a chill day earlier today

but, dude, it's awesome, it's beautiful.

- It's gratifying and I mean,

if I can encourage anybody to it I will,

we need more small farms like this to do it.

- Thanks for having us, dude, I really appreciate.

- Thanks for coming, guys.

- Yeah, of course.

Indian summer farm guys, good luck in the garden,

and keep on growing.