This week Michalina Hunter tells us how she got so interested in perennial vegetables that she started a seed company specializing in them, Cicada Seeds! In this interview with host April Parms Jones, we hear about the advantages of vegetables that you can plant once and harvest many times, including crops like skirret, spinach vine, perennial kale, perpetual leeks, perennial celery, sweet lettuce and more.

They also talk about how to propagate perennial crops, since some of them involve techniques like cold stratification or vegetative propagation to get them going. Lastly, they discuss how to prepare ground for crops that are going to be there for the long haul, including the importance of soil health, and the participatory research project Michalina is starting to get feedback from growers on these perennial crops.

Connect With Guest:
Website: cicadaseeds.ca
Instagram: @cicadaseeds

Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:

Rimol Greenhouse Systems designs and manufactures greenhouses that are built to be intensely rugged, reliably durable, and uniquely attractive – to meet all your growing needs. Rimol Greenhouses are guaranteed to hold up through any weather conditions, while providing exceptional value and an easy installation for vegetable growers of all sizes. Learn more about the Rimol difference and why growers love Rimol high tunnels at Rimol.com.

BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that’s tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America.

Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more.

Seven Springs Farm Supply is a farm-based supply company focused on serving market gardeners and has been in business for 35 years. Our catalog includes a comprehensive selection of approved-for-organic fertilizers, pest & disease controls, growing mixes, cover crop seed, and more. We offer custom fertilizer blending and seasonal cooperative purchasing opportunities, and our experienced team is ready to help guide you to the best solution for your farm's needs. Request a free paper catalog and learn more at sevenspringsfarmsupply.com or give us a call at (540) 651-3228.

There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com.

Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm.

This week we welcome Emily Grassie, the Director of Food Access Programs at the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets (MFFM) to talk about Harvest Bucks, an innovative program that helps SNAP recipients double their dollars when spent at farmers markets. MFFM works to fund and administer the program so when SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) shoppers use their benefits at participating farmers markets, CSA farms, farm stands, and food co-ops, they receive “bonus bucks” (usually in the form of a coupon) to redeem for fruits and vegetables.

These “bonus bucks” add a percentage to the value of their SNAP benefits, up to doubling the benefits at farmers markets. This is the type of program that could be set up in other areas to increase income for farmers while helping those with food assistance afford more fruits and vegetables. Emily tells us about how the program started, how it works now, and the recent challenges with the uncertainty of grant funding.

Connect With Guest:

Website: mainefarmersmarkets.org

Instagram: @mainefarmersmarkets

Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:

Tired of breakdowns and not knowing if your old Farmall or Allis G will start? Consider the Tilmor Super E - the electric cultivating tractor built for market growers. With up to 8 hours of runtime, the Super E uses a 48-volt electric system that’s quiet, easy to operate, and dependable. No gas, no noise, no constant repairs and cheaper to operate than a gas tractor. It delivers reliable power that reduces manual labor and keeps your crew motivated. Learn more and see the Super E in action at Tilmor.com.

Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm.

Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more.

Seven Springs Farm Supply is a farm-based supply company focused on serving market gardeners and has been in business for 35 years. Our catalog includes a comprehensive selection of approved-for-organic fertilizers, pest & disease controls, growing mixes, cover crop seed, and more. We offer custom fertilizer blending and seasonal cooperative purchasing opportunities, and our experienced team is ready to help guide you to the best solution for your farm's needs. Request a free paper catalog and learn more at sevenspringsfarmsupply.com or give us a call at (540) 651-3228.

There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com.

If you have never attended an ASCFG Conference, there is no better time to invest in yourself! The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is welcoming Growing for Market readers to register at the ASCFG member rate for the 2026 Conference in Albuquerque on January 13-14. Register at ascfg.org.

Flower pricing can be tricky with so many factors affecting value, between different crops, different markets and varying types of arrangements. You want to make sure you’re putting the price of your flowers high enough so you’re making a profit, but not so high that you price yourself out of the market. Listen to this week’s podcast with Lennie Larkin for pricing strategies to make sure you can keep your business going.

As a flower farmer herself and business coach for other flower farmers, Lennie put her experiences and business expertise into the book Flower Farming for Profit, and the Sell Your Flowers Summit, which you can attend for free starting November 20. In this conversation, we cover how to price the same blooms for different markets, how to de-commodify your flowers, and how to market them. If you know how to grow flowers but are anything less than confident in how to sell them, this conversation will help you develop the confidence to ask for a fair price for your blooms!

Connect With Guest:
Website: flowerfarmingforprofit.com
Instagram: @flowerfarming.forprofit
Sell Your Flowers Summit

Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:

Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm.

Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more.

This episode is brought to you by Tend, the all-in-one, AI-powered farm management platform trusted by modern growers. Tend helps you cut through the busywork, so you can focus on growing and selling what matters. With Tend, you can plan your crops, assign and track tasks, manage inventory, and handle your sales and accounting, all in one smart, easy-to-use platform. Whether you run a 1-acre farm or manage a large operation, Tend adapts to your scale and style, supporting everything from manual labor to fully mechanized workflows. Try it for free at Tend.com, no credit card required.

There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com.

If you have never attended an ASCFG Conference, there is no better time to invest in yourself! The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is welcoming Growing for Market readers to register at the ASCFG member rate for the 2026 Conference in Albuquerque on January 13-14. Register at ascfg.org.