77: Simplifying Farm Management

77: Simplifying Farm Management

From Dirt Rich by Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota

August 27, 2025 · 1h 7m · Season 6 · Episode 86

About this episode

Jonathan interviews Joel Barr about managing multiple farming enterprises and achieving work-life balance.

Jonathan interviews Joel Barr of Abraham’s Table Farm in Sandstone, Minnesota. Since the time of recording, Joel has also joined SFA’s team of consultants as our Market Garden & Farm Management Systems Consultant! Joel and his wife Megan have been farming for over a decade, producing vegetables, eggs, beef, and chicken for their community through a CSA and other direct markets across east central and the Metro areas of Minnesota. They don’t believe in just selling food, they’re committed to providing real nourishment through nutrient-dense products to the families they serve. We’re going to dive into how they successfully manage multiple enterprises, and the systems they’ve developed to make it all work and still achieve a great work-life balance. Speakers Jonathan Kilpatrick, Farmer Education Director, SFA Joel Barr, Abraham's Table Farm; Market Garden & Farm Management Systems Consultant, SFA Resources mentioned in this episode: Jean-Martin Fortier (JM) Eliot Coleman John Kempf Dan Kittredge HMI (Holistic Management International) Andre Voisin "The Lean Farm" by Ben Hartmen Making Work Visible Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota…

People in this episode

Host: Jonathan Kilpatrick

Guest: Joel Barr

Topics covered

  • farm management
  • sustainable farming
  • CSA
  • work-life balance
  • market gardening

Keywords

  • farm management
  • sustainable agriculture
  • CSA
  • market gardening
  • work-life balance
  • nutrient-dense products
  • consulting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Abraham’s Table Farm, Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, HMI (Holistic Management International)

Books & works: The Lean Farm

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