Episode 38: Pete Charlerie talks free farming equipment, USDA incentives, financial stability and more!

Episode 38: Pete Charlerie talks free farming equipment, USDA incentives, financial stability and more!

Author: Hobby Farms September 28, 2022 Duration: 34:09

In this episode of Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good, Pete Charlerie dives into financial sustainability for small farms, free equipment and information resources, USDA incentives and more.

Pete tells us about his journey from his family's citrus grove in Trinidad to the University of Maryland, where he earned a degree in ag economics, setting the stage for his farm consultancy work today. Hear about the value of niche farm products, from cut flowers to sweet potato greens to value-added products. When you need a market for your products, sometimes you need to start your own, and Pete talks about his role in starting the Hollywood Farmers Market in Maryland.

Learn about Pete's work as a farm consultant, as he tells us how to get better prices on materials, find USDA and NRCS resources and financial incentives, and use shared equipment. FARMS (the Family Agriculture Resource Management Service) is another resource for legal, marketing and production help for small-scale farmers in the US and the Caribbean. Stay tuned for the story about how FARMS helped one farmer save three hours of labor a day!

Pete also talks about his SunSplash Farm and how farming taught him about much more than growing food. At the very end, you'll get tips for growing taro, a versatile and productive root crop that's well known in the tropics.

Pete Charlerie on LinkedIn

FARMS (Family Agriculture Resource Management Service)


At the heart of Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good are the conversations that happen over a fence line or at a farmers market, translated into audio. This podcast lives in the space where a personal passion meets practical purpose, featuring the voices of those who cultivate small plots, raise a few animals, or run a sustainable micro-farm. Host Lisa Munniksma doesn’t just interview her guests; she gets into the dirt with them, uncovering the personal journeys that led to a life rooted in the land. You’ll hear how a simple hobby evolved into a thriving side business, how families connect through daily chores, and how these growers are building resilience within their local communities far beyond the harvest. The discussions are grounded in real experience, tackling the challenges of soil health, animal husbandry, and market creativity alongside the profound satisfactions of self-reliance and stewardship. It’s a series for anyone who has ever felt the pull to grow something, whether that’s a backyard tomato plant or a fledgling farmstead business, offering relatable stories and tangible insights from people who are actually doing the work. Tune in for honest talk about the failures, the triumphs, and the quiet motivations that keep this community planting seeds season after season.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 88

Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good
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