Advanced Farming Equipment Trends / Ft. Tom Riel

Advanced Farming Equipment Trends / Ft. Tom Riel

Author: Mike Roy & Drew Gaskell May 12, 2026 Duration: 1:20:10

In Episode 23, Mike and Drew sit down with Tom Riel of Burrows Tractor, a Pacific Northwest staple since 1939, to discuss his job as sales manger and the company’s relationship-driven culture. They explore the rising cost of innovation in ag equipment and how manufacturers and dealers collaborate to deliver advanced solutions, then look ahead to emerging technologies like autonomous tractors, AI-driven robotics, Orchard IQ camera systems, drones, and electric machinery. The conversation also touches on rapid advancements abroad, all underscoring a central theme of partnership across the industry to keep agriculture moving forward—“No tractors, no dirt, no flowers.”


Will Rogers once noted that a farmer must be an optimist to stick with it, and that spirit runs deep through the conversations in No Dirt No Flowers Podcast. This series offers a grounded, often humorous perspective on the realities of modern agriculture, seen through the daily life and long history of Roy Farms, a fifth-generation operation in Moxee, Washington. Rather than broad theories, you’ll hear the specific sounds and stories from the hop yards and fields, exploring how a family business navigates the blend of tradition and innovation. Each episode digs into the intersections of business, culture, and society that farmers engage with every season, from market shifts and sustainability to the community ties that root a farm in its place. The title itself is a quiet reminder of the essential cycle at the heart of the work. Tuning in, you get a sense of the resilience and cautious optimism required to face challenging times, with a belief in those greener pastures ahead. It’s a direct line to the people, decisions, and occasional dirt under the fingernails that define agricultural life, making this podcast a unique listen for anyone curious about where things truly begin.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 23

No Dirt No Flowers Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How We Got Here / Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:27
In Episode 2, Mike and Drew will be taking a look at the current hop world and how we, both Roy Farms itself, and the overall industry has gotten to where we are today. We will be following up with a part two of this dis…
The Launch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:25
Welcome to our maiden episode of No Dirt No Flowers! In Episode 1, Mike and Drew from Roy Farms discuss the importance of the show and our goals of bringing a new level of transparency to the industry.