With all its relentless beauty, the photo-sharing app Instagram can certainly become a time-devouring distraction. But as more farmers engage and share their work through the social media platform, Instagram is also turning into a superb educational resource. An example of that applies to vegetable farms.
Today I share some of the best Instagram accounts to follow if you’re a vegetable farmer who’s looking for more opportunities to improve upon what you do, increase your profitability, or find the latest tools, hacks, tips, and tricks from other professional growers on vegetable farms around the world.
Share some of your own favorites while you’re checking out these inspiring vegetable farmers.
1. Ito Farm
Japan
An absolutely stunning farm, Ito Farm in Yamanashi Prefecture offers a elegant glimpse into small vegetable farms on the other side of the world (from me, at least). The vegetable photos are awe-inspiring and interspersed with the occasional cat cameo to make them also good for a laugh.
2. Excelsior Farm
Oregon
Jeremy and Ashli Mueller run a small salad greens farm in Oregon where they not only share beautiful pictures of pristine garden plots, but also offer up a lot of innovative suggestions for how to grow more efficiently and successfully—a truly inspiring feed among vegetable farms.
3. Hayshaker Farm
Washington
This “horse-powered” feed is a never-ending source of inspiration from a fam that uses draft horses to grow some of the most lovely produce on Instagram. Into draft animals, or just like gazing? I highly recommend giving Hayshaker a follow.
4. Working Hands Farm
Oregon
It is hard to say enough about Brian and Jess Powers’ Instagram. Their produce is gorgeous, and their CSA shots will leave you awed, but they are not afraid to share when things get tough. It’s such a well-rounded feed among vegetable farms from an inspiring set of farmers—and one particularly charismatic feline.
5. Rose Creek Farm
Tennessee
Guided by a dedication to his faith and his family, Ray Tyler might be one off the most refreshing farmers around. He is such a purely joyful person that to watch him and his family grow their amazing produce is invigorating and endlessly inspiring. A very successful farmer with a lot of good advice and perspective.
6. Green City Acres
British Columbia
Curtis Stone is more popularly known as The Urban Farmer from YouTube and his book by the same name; this is his feed. The photographs are amazing, and following Curtis is a great way to keep up with events he has scheduled and gain a few tips for small-scale but high production growing on vegetable farms.
7. La Ferme Des Quatre Temps
Quebec
A few years ago, Jean-Martin Fortier, author of The Market Gardner, started an experimental farm called La Ferme Des Quatre Temps (roughly, Four Season Farm), outside Montreal. This organic, bio-intensive farm is a wonder to watch grow, and it’s a great resource for efficient small farm techniques and technologies.
8. The Culinary Gardener
North Carolina
Evan Chender grows almost exclusively for chefs. All of those crops you longingly stare at in the seed catalogs every winter? Chender is producing these on his small, intensive farm outside of Asheville. The Culinary Gardener is an exceedingly fun farm to watch grow, and it’s a great source for learning to grow plants as diverse as edible flowers to loads of radicchio.
9. Transition Farm
Mornington Peninsula, Australia
A biodynamic farm in Australia, Transition Farm is one of the most enjoyable vegetable farms to follow from the northern hemisphere as its seasons are complete opposites of ours, so you are often getting a nice flash of green beans or tomatoes in the winter when you’re longing for fresh produce, or a dose of calm in the summer when you’re longing for a break.
10. Even Pull Farm
Oregon
Without a doubt some of the greatest motivation I get as a vegetable farmer comes from the updates of Even Pull Farm. Its mixture of cut-flower photos and pristine vegetables are a delight every time. Follow its work, learn a lot, and enjoy the view.
There are so many more farms I couldn’t fit here, but let us know what your favorites are.
