Best Substrate Podcasts (2025)

1
Keeping Plants Healthy with the Right Substrates - Gardening Beyond Basics E34 8:19

15d ago8:19

8:19

Associate Professor Dr. Ben Hoover of California Polytechnic State University sheds light on how different substrates behave and how their individual properties can affect plants and crops growing in it. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Mo…

1
Healthy Soils Don't Need Supplementing - Gardening Beyond Basics E36 11:50

21h ago11:50

11:50

Russell Taylor of Live Earth Products, Inc. talks about how healthy soils might not need help from their humic and fulvic acid products. Learn more about Live Earth Products, Inc. here. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follo…

1
Converting Conversations (Trailer) 0:35

4d ago0:35

0:35

The converting industry is evolving fast — from automation to sustainability, the challenges and opportunities have never been greater. That’s why Catbridge Machinery President Michael Pappas launched Converting Conversations — a podcast exploring the people, processes, and innovations shaping the future of converting. In this short trailer, hear w…

1
Spice Up Your Farm Profits with Signature Greens Mixes (MFB 19) 23:32

5d ago23:32

23:32

Growing spicy greens mixes can be a highly profitable crop for your farm thanks to their short time to harvest (21-40 days), high yield potential (up to 45 lbs per 30x100 ft bed), and good selling price at most markets (around $10/lb). Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming …

1
Episode 18: Superheating gold provides insight into extreme environments 5:45

6d ago5:45

5:45

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Thomas White from the University of Nevada, Reno, about his research group’s work on superheating gold. By hitting the gold foil with 45 femtosecond blue laser pulses, the team heated the foil uniformly up to 14 times hotter than its melting point while maintaining the material’s crysta…

1
How Much Crops to Set Aside for Seed Saving - Gardening Beyond Basics E35 14:39

7d ago14:39

14:39

Seed farmer Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-Operative Farm sheds light on just how much crops we really need to save enough seed for on-farm use. Check out Dan's new book: The Seed Farmer: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Selling Your Own Seeds Click here to learn more about Dan Brisebois and his work. Interested in watching the series? Hop o…

1
Salad Mix Success: Economics of Baby Greens (MFB 18) 10:53

13d ago10:53

10:53

In this episode, we dive into the economics of growing and selling salad mix. We talk about how to maximize yields while minimizing costs, as well as which varieties to grow with what spacing, and how to package and price your greens to boost your bottom line. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insi…

1
[AUDIO only] Office Hours LIVE Episode 144: Cultivation Insights from Harbor House Collective 56:10

17d ago56:10

56:10

In episode 144, host Cian sits down with Jason Van Leuven and Cory Desloge, Director of Cultivation at Harbor House Collective, Massachusetts, for a look into modern cultivation. The conversation is packed with actionable insights on tech adoption, nutrient strategies, and the shifting landscape of the Massachusetts cannabis market. Here’s what you…

1
Maximizing Your Farm's Profits with Spinach (MFB 17) 16:47

20d ago16:47

16:47

In this episode, we talk about why spinach is a top crop to grow for many market gardeners, namely: its ease of growth, high scores on the crop value rating system, and adaptability to various markets. We also get into the factors that influence spinach profitability, such as days to maturity, yield per bed, and flexible pricing strategies. Subscri…

1
Electroculture Experiment: Compost Model - Gardening Beyond Basics E33 11:09

22d ago11:09

11:09

Farmer and Medical Qigong practitioner Chris Winters of The Fertile Current shares the results of his experiment applying electroculture equipment into a compost pile. Click here to learn more about Chris and The Fertile Current here. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming t…

1
Episode 17: Hybrid material replaces doping in bandgap engineering 4:57

27d ago4:57

4:57

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Laura Leay interviews Sathvik Iyengar, a PhD candidate at Rice University, about the development of a hybrid material called “glaphene.” A hybrid of graphene and two-dimensional (2D) silica glass, glaphene is a semiconductor with a bandgap of ~4 eV. More importantly, Iyengar and colleagues introduce a new met…

1
The Surprising Truth About Carrots: Are They Really Profitable for Farmers? (MFB 16) 24:06

27d ago24:06

24:06

Are carrots profitable? In this episode, we dive deep into the economics of growing and selling carrots to help you determine if this popular vegetable is worth adding to your farm's crop lineup. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Gro…

1
Practical On-Farm Uses for Humic and Fulvic Acids - Gardening Beyond Basics E32 7:50

29d ago7:50

7:50

Join Russell Taylor of Live Earth Products, Inc. shares the different applications of their humic and fulvic acids products on a farm production setting. Learn more about Live Earth Products, Inc. here. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Mod…

1
[AUDIO only] Office Hours LIVE Episode 143: Expert Insights From Detroit 56:06

1M ago56:06

56:06

In Episode 143, host Cian is joined by expert guests Jason Van Leuven, Director of Applied Technology at AROYA, and Jeff Hegyi, Director of Cultivation at Xotic Brandz in Detroit. This week, we’re peeling back the curtain on cultivation operations that span both single-tier and double-stack rooms—giving you real-world insights that could help you s…

1
Episode 16: Mem-emitters achieve memory functionalities 4:25

1M ago4:25

4:25

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Victor Lopez-Richard from Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil about his memory device called a mem-emitter. Unlike a memresistor (short for “memory resistor”), which made of materials whose electrical resistance can be tuned, the mem-emitter is used to tune optical properties. Ex…

1
Crop Value Rating #5: Popularity (MFB 15) 17:26

1M ago17:26

17:26

The last criterion in the Crop Value Rating System: popularity! Even if the crop you want to grow has a short day to maturity, has a high dollar value, can be densely planted, and continuously harvested, it won't mean anything if people don't want to buy it, so make sure the crop you want to grow is a good seller! Subscribe for more content on sust…

1
Disease-Resistant Hybrids vs. Selectively Bred Heirloom Varieties - Gardening Beyond Basics E31 26:53

1M ago26:53

26:53

Farmer Jay Tracy of The Cucumber Shop cautions us not to discount the power of selective breeding in preserving heirloom varieties. Click here to learn more about Jay Tracy and The Cucumber Shop. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Gro…

1
[AUDIO only] Office Hours LIVE Ep 142: From Bulking to Ripening, Expert Advice 55:18

1M ago55:18

55:18

In this week's episode, host Cian is joined by Jason Van Leuven, AROYA's Director of Applied Technology, for an in-depth look into the nuances of late flower cultivation—specifically, how to manage the crucial ripening stage and those last two weeks before harvest. Together, Cian and Jason break down what "ripening" really means for cultivators, ho…

1
Crop Value Rating #4: Extended Harvest (MFB 14) 18:59

1M ago18:59

18:59

Maximize your land use with extended harvest crops: either crops you only plant once and harvest multiple times into the growing season, or crops you can continuously replant and continuously harvest! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Moder…

1
Genetics vs. Environment: Why Plants Perform Well - Gardening Beyond Basics E30 7:32

1M ago7:32

7:32

Seed farmer and author Dan Brisebois of Tourne-Sol Co-Operative Farm breaks down the difference between nature and nurture when it comes to seeds and the plants they produce. Check out Dan's new book: The Seed Farmer: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Selling Your Own Seeds Click here to learn more about Dan Brisebois and his work. Interested…

1
Crop Value Rating #3: High Value Crops (MFB 13) 26:10

2M ago26:10

26:10

Costs don't necessarily increase proportionally with price. Which produce fetches the best prices at your market, ones that sell for AT LEAST $4 a pound? If you're able to grow and sell those high-value crops, you're sure to cover your input costs, labor included! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business …

1
Practical Concerns on Biochar: Quality, Cost, Usage, and Alternatives - Gardening Beyond Basics E29 7:49

2M ago7:49

7:49

Associate Professor Dr. Ben Hoover of California Polytechnic State University shares some of his concerns on the production, cost, and usage of biochar. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instag…

1
Clean Canopy, Clean Crop: Building Better Foliar and IPM Programs with BioSafe Systems | Ep 25 1:07:26

2M ago1:07:26

1:07:26

Send us a text In Part 2 of our “Start Clean, Stay Clean” series, we shift the focus from the root zone to the canopy — and why what happens above ground often reflects the strength of your entire cultivation system. Zac Ricciardi (BioSafe Systems) returns alongside Grodan Crop Specialist Jon Jirikovec to share real-world strategies for dialing in …

1
Crop Value Rating #2: High Growing Density (MFB 12) 16:41

2M ago16:41

16:41

Number 2 on the Crop Value Rating System: High Density! Particularly helpful when farming on limited land, being able to plant in high densities through vertical growing, intercropping, and solid succession planting means getting higher yields, which means better profits. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and b…

1
Material Limitations of Electroculture Equipment - Gardening Beyond Basics E28 7:34

2M ago7:34

7:34

Farmer and Medical Qigong practitioner Chris Winters of The Fertile Current talks about the material limitations of electroculture equipment then and how far the technology has come today. Click here to learn more about Chris and The Fertile Current here. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights!…

1
[AUDIO only] Office Hours LIVE Ep 141: Advanced Grow Room Strategies 59:27

2M ago59:27

59:27

Welcome back to AROYA Office Hours LIVE, episode 141! In this episode, hosts Jason and Cian dig into your most pressing grow questions with a return to the classic Q&A format. Get ready for a blend of detailed, long-form answers and quick, practical takes—all inspired by issues submitted by the AROYA community. Today’s episode covers a wide range o…

1
Start Clean, Stay Clean: Root Zone Management, Microbial Balance & Input Timing with BioSafe Systems | Ep 24 59:39

2M ago59:39

59:39

Send us a text It’s a mindset that guides this deep dive into the root zone on Episode 24 of the GroShow Podcast, as Zac Ricciardi (BioSafe Systems) and Jon Jirikovec (Grodan) join host Riley Jones to explore the underlying root zone conditions that can affect crop uniformity — and how dialing them in unlocks better data, healthier crops, and preci…

1
Episode 15: Liquid metal source enables lab-scale 3D XRD microscope 4:56

2M ago4:56

4:56

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Ashley Bucsek from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor about her laboratory-scale three-dimensional (3D) x-ray diffraction (XRD) microscope to replace studies done in synchrotron facilities. A key element of the design is the material used to make the x-rays. Instead of using a solid …

1
Crop Value Rating #1: Short Days to Maturity (MFB 11) 22:22

2M ago22:22

22:22

In this episode, we break down Curtis Stone's Crop Value Rating (CVR) System, which will hopefully help you decide which crops to grow to maximize your farm's profits. First on the CVR is short days to maturity (DTM): quicker growing crops mean having more cycles in a year! Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and…

1
Episode 14: Mechanical metamaterials reprogrammable via magnetic interactions 4:16

2M ago4:16

4:16

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Daniel Garcia-Gonzalez from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain about his research group’s reprogrammable metamaterial. The researchers use a soft polymer, mixed with magnetic particles. By rotating the orientation of the magnets, they tune the softness or compressibility of the m…

1
Baby Kale: The Economics of Premium Pricing (MFB 10) 16:04

2M ago16:04

16:04

How profitable is baby kale? Very, if you play your cards right. In this video, we talk about the high profit potential of this quick-growing, high-yielding crop and why it rates a 5 out of 5 on the Crop Value Rating System. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seed…

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