From Tobacco Rows To Watermelon Loads

From Tobacco Rows To Watermelon Loads

From Back to Your Roots by River Valley AgCredit, ACA

January 27, 2026 · 29 min · Season 4 · Episode 1

About this episode

The episode explores how a family farm adapts to challenges through diversification and strategic planning.

Ever wonder how a family farm survives wild price swings, weather curveballs, and shifting markets? We sit down with Kentucky producer Keith Harris to unpack the real mechanics of resilience: diversifying for stability, securing buyers before planting, and building a legacy that gives each child a lane to thrive. Keith’s story starts with dark fire tobacco, which funded decades of growth, then pivots into a multi-enterprise operation spanning 3,500 acres of row crops, retail strawberries, 270...

People in this episode

Guest: Keith Harris

Topics covered

  • family farm
  • resilience
  • diversification
  • agriculture
  • market stability
  • legacy building

Keywords

  • family farm
  • resilience
  • diversification
  • Kentucky
  • agriculture
  • market shifts
  • tobacco
  • watermelon
  • legacy

Mentioned in this episode

Products: dark fire tobacco, watermelon

Places: Kentucky, 3,500 acres

More episodes of Back to Your Roots

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Back to Your Roots podcast page.