What Farming and Growing Topics Does Modern Farmer Cover?
Updated
Modern Farmer covers practical farm and garden production alongside the social side of food and agriculture. Based on its homepage, the recurring themes are farm business and crop management, permaculture and regenerative practices, seasonal planting and seed starting, and food consumption and agriculture-society issues. If you're looking for how-to guidance on growing and managing land—rather than commodity markets or equipment reviews—the site's topic mix is likely a match.
Farm Business and Crop Management
The homepage features articles aimed at working farmers trying to raise productivity and revenue. Examples include:
- Succession sowing — sowing seeds continuously through the season to grow more than a single planting would allow, with timing as the key variable.
- Interseeding — presented as a practice that can change the farming landscape, with multiple approaches covered.
- Killing winter crops without losing soil gains — managing crop termination while protecting soil improvements.
- Small-farmer revenue framing — content is often explicitly tied to what goes "toward revenue," not just home-scale growing.
This cluster suits readers running or planning a small farm who want production and business-adjacent guidance.
Permaculture and Regenerative Agriculture
Permaculture and regeneration appear as a distinct, recurring thread:
- How to Start a Permaculture Farm — applies permaculture principles to gardens, large landscapes, and communities.
- Home Permaculture — a conversation with a landscaper making permaculture possible even in urban settings, framed as relevant to both small farms and home gardens.
- On a Maine Farm, Regeneration Starts With the Sheep — a case study of regenerative practice on a working farm.
The through-line is that these principles scale from backyard gardens to communities, so the content isn't limited to full-time farmers.
Seasonal Planting and Seed Starting
A large share of the homepage is organized around the growing calendar:
- What We're Planting In May — notes that even warm climates allow May planting, and that extensional techniques plus day-length conditions determine what's possible.
- April Seed Starting: What to Direct Sow vs. Plant Indoors — the decision hinges on whether local April weather is warm or still cool.
- How to Start Tomato Seeds: 5 Expert Growing Tips — practical seed-starting technique.
- 11 Best Heirloom Tomatoes to Grow on the Farm — open-pollinated variety selection, with the caveat to choose types that thrive in your climate.
If your interest is timing decisions—what to sow when, and indoors versus out—this is the most consistently covered area.
Food Consumption and Agriculture-Society Issues
The site describes itself as dedicated to raising awareness and catalyzing action at the intersection of food, agriculture, and society. Food consumption appears as a named category on the homepage, and the permaculture and regeneration pieces are framed around environmental and community impact rather than yield alone. Expect coverage that connects growing practices to how food is consumed and to broader social questions.
How to Decide If It Fits You
| If your interest is… | Modern Farmer likely fits |
|---|---|
| Small-farm production and revenue | Yes — succession sowing, interseeding, crop termination |
| Permaculture and regenerative methods | Yes — farm-scale and home/urban scale |
| Month-by-month planting and seed starting | Yes — recurring seasonal guides |
| Heirloom and open-pollinated varieties | Yes — variety selection articles |
| Food systems and agriculture-society topics | Yes — stated editorial focus |
| Commodity pricing, machinery specs, ag finance | Not indicated by the homepage content |
One practical note: the homepage shows publication dates spanning multiple years, so seasonal guides are worth checking against your own climate and current year rather than treating any single month's list as universal.