
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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- 346. Running a Year-Round Farm Market with Emma de Long · February 3, 2026 · 23 min
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