349. Running an All-Female Farm Team with Emma de Long of Kneehigh Farm

349. Running an All-Female Farm Team with Emma de Long of Kneehigh Farm

From The Thriving Farmer Podcast by Michael Kilpatrick

February 24, 2026 · 17 min · Season 33 · Episode 349

About this episode

Emma de Long discusses her experiences leading an all-female farm team at Kneehigh Farm, sharing insights on team dynamics and leadership in a male-dominated industry.

A Note from Michael: The Thriving Farmer Podcast is currently on pause as we navigate a busy season on the farm. While we're taking this break, we're excited to share Farm in Focus, a special series of short, focused conversations recorded earlier this year. These bite-sized episodes highlight practical insights from farmers and experts across the industry. We hope they're helpful and encouraging as you continue your farming journey. What does it look like to lead and manage an all-female farm team? In this Farm in Focus episode, Michael sits down with Emma de Long of Kneehigh Farm to talk about what she's learned running a farm crew made up entirely of women. Emma shares her experience building a strong, supportive team in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated, along with the leadership lessons that have shaped how she manages people day-to-day. From starting small and scaling over time, to fostering compassion, communication, and trust within a close-knit crew, Emma offers thoughtful insights into team dynamics on a small farm. This conversation focuses less on ownership structure and more on what it takes to lead a team well—especially when people…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Kilpatrick

Guest: Emma de Long

Topics covered

  • all-female farm team
  • leadership
  • team dynamics
  • female empowerment
  • agriculture

Keywords

  • female farm team
  • leadership lessons
  • team culture
  • agriculture
  • women in farming

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kneehigh Farm

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