Nov 19, 2019
In this episode, I talk to Josh Volk who's been involved in
farming and urban agriculture for over 20 years. He's a former
mechanical engineer turned farmer and is the author of several
farming books. We talk about a range of subjects including what
makes small scale farming work, ergonomics, tools, labor, CSA, and
urban agriculture.
You'll also hear:
>> Josh's journey from mechanical engineering to farming
>> A discussion of farm finances and why Josh uses dollars
per labor hour as a benchmark
>> How different farming systems can work in various
climates, geographies, markets, etc.
>> How ergonomics is about people's health wellbeing and how
fast they can do a task
>> Wash/pack efficiencies including proper lighting
>> A discussion about urban agriculture and small scale
tools
About the Guest:
Josh Volk is an urban farmer and the author of the book, “Compact
Farms: 15 Proven Plans for Market Farms on 5 Acres or Less”. He has
applied his background in mechanical engineering and interest in
community food security to his own farming systems and has worked
with farms around the country and abroad to help improve their
sustainability and viability through ecological and equitable
practices, sharing information he’s gleaned over more than two
decades in the field. For the past 12 years, he has intentionally
been farming part-time and spending the balance of his time to help
other farmers.