The farm is hot but your workforce is dwindling. What now?


On today’s episode, I’ll be taking this time to talk to you all about labor. Currently there are lots of folks in the industry struggling with it! Summer crops are coming in, Fall crops are being planted, but labor might be waning due to a variety of factors. In the episode, I’ll be discussing why you need reliable help to fall back on, how you can maximize your production and profits with labor, what you can do to secure the labor force you need and maximize their presence on your farm, and more. Learn a bit about how I hire and maintain a productive team on the farm year round!

In This Episode:

Reasons why you need labor 1:50

What to do if you can’t secure the labor you need and how you can maximize your time and effort on the farm 10:54

Some effective ways to approach hiring 19:42

What kinds of questions are on our employment application 26:12

What we offer our employees 31:12

How to utilize H2A for productivity and profit 33:43

About the Guest:

Michael Kilpatrick is the owner of Growing Farmers/In the Field Media, LLC and a farmer (The Farm on Central), educator, and inventor who lives in Ohio. He’s the host of the top rated Thriving Farmer Podcast as well as the Thriving Farmer Summit series, which has been viewed by over a quarter million farmers. He’s managed large farms and businesses, consulted for industry experts around the world, and spoken at dozens of conferences. Michael believes that anyone can build a profitable farm by following the simple business and management skills that he teaches in the Small Farm University, his company’s educational platform and community for thriving farmers.

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Resources and mentions

Websites – https://www.growingfarmers.com/, https://www.thrivingfarmerpodcast.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/growingfarmerswithmichael

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/growingfarmers/

And if you want to keep the conversation going, join us in our Facebook Group to connect with us and other farmers looking to grow their business!

We also have six free eguides to help you be more effective on your farm (Winter Growing, Pastured Poultry, Washing Shed Efficiency, Profitable Farmers Toolkit, What to Look for in a Farm Property, etc), which you can download here.