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He now has 67 twenty-five-foot beds focusing on greens, carrots, beets and a couple of other veggies.  He hopes to transition from full time teacher to full time farmer in a couple of years.
 

He was starting off on a vacant property with lots of Johnson Grass, almost no money, and no way to cut it down and remove it, yet this was not going to stop Michael Bell from building his urban farm. He got creative and found a resource to not only help remove the grass but turn it into an asset and deep rich soil in one season. Relying on his creativity, he now has a half-acre farm and more customers than produce. All this and he only farms part-time!

• • Buying his farm on his birthday for the exact amount of his inheritance
  • Trying to get rid of 6 foot Johnson grass on his property with a weed eater
  • Not having enough money to lay out tarps and finding an alternate option
  • Finding that the grass was gone and the soil was soft enough to almost lose his shovel
  • Making his farm ready for 67 beds
  • Loving to farm ever since he was young
  • Where his inspiration comes from, including Curtis Stone
  • Determining that he was going to do what Curtis does and make a living at it

• • Teaching for sixteen years and he wants to do something new
  • Working on his farm without any water and making a deal with his neighboring church
  • Having more demand than he has supply
  • A marketing trick to help promote your farming business
  • Another trick to get your customers to help promote your business
  • Why he does not need, or want, to go to a farmers market
  • His goals in the future which is focused on farming
  • Getting help from his kids on the farm property
  • Veggie fest and hoping to inspire more local urban farmers in Dallas
  • Not being worried at all about losing customers and having buyers that want him to grow more
  • Why he thinks starting on 1000 feet would be a great start
  • Adjusting his plans to counter for the extreme heat

As well as

His failure – The tough summer that killed his crops

His success – Taking a nothing piece of dirt and turning it into a working farm

His drive – Regret – he does not want to have any regrets at the end of his life, and he does not want to teach anymore he wants to do what he loves

His advice – If you have a passion at something, you can make money at it

Michael’s Book recommendations

The Urban Farmer: Growing Food for Profit on Leased and Borrowed Land

by Curtis Stone

YouTube Channel: The Urban Farmer Curtis Stone

How to reach Michael

Instagram: @dallashalfacrefarms

UrbanFarm.org/dallashalfacrefarms

Note: You can also find these books mentioned above at one of our favorite local independent bookstores and have the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting a small business.

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