Lessons Learned in the Field with Marvin Hare
Welcome back to the Field Good Life blog! In this post, I’m excited to share highlights from one of the most meaningful podcast episodes I’ve recorded so far—an honest and heartfelt conversation with someone who’s been in agriculture for nearly six decades: my dad, Marvin Hare.
Me & Dad on the farm!
The Early Years and a Shifting Economy
My dad started farming in 1966. That means 2025 will mark his 59th crop—yes, you read that right! He’s weathered all kinds of economic seasons, including the tough times of the early 1980s, which many are now comparing to today’s environment.
In the early ’70s, agriculture was booming—commodity prices were strong, exports were climbing, and optimism was high. But then the tide turned. A recession hit, embargoes cut into exports, and droughts hit us here at home. The good times quickly became a struggle for survival.
As my dad recalled, “Even with lower prices, we didn’t have much to sell.” Those years were defined by resilience. Our family cut costs, stretched every dollar, scavenged old equipment parts, and started keeping detailed records by hand—graphing prices at the kitchen table long before digital tools made that easy.
Finding Opportunity in Adversity
When traditional row crop farming was no longer sustainable on its own, Dad did what many successful farmers have done—he pivoted.
In the early 1980s, a conversation with a friend in the seed industry led him to try something new: growing small-seeded soybeans specifically for the Japanese natto market. Natto is a traditional fermented food rich in probiotics, and it requires a very specific variety of soybean.
That first year, he planted 80 acres. The results were promising. Within a few years, he had expanded production and brought other farmers into the fold. That early innovation planted the seeds—literally—for what would become Delta Soy, a food-quality soybean operation that today pays farmers a premium per bushel over Chicago prices. The premium adds up to significant extra income per acre while the cost to produce is lower than their GMO counterparts. Of course, keeping natto soybeans free of GMO soybeans in today’s growing environment is work and the farmer earns the premium by doing so.
Adding Value: A New Philosophy
We’ve taken the same approach to other crops too. From raising non-GMO corn for specialty poultry feed to growing a fragrant jasmine-style rice developed by the University of Arkansas, we’ve learned that sustainability and profitability can go hand-in-hand when you think outside the box.
These value-added markets allow us—and our partner growers—to survive and even thrive through difficult years. And let’s be honest: it’s not about chasing massive margins. It’s about finding those dimes and quarters that add up to keeping the lights on, paying the bills, and farming another year.
Family and the Future
This conversation wasn’t just about economics and innovation—it was also about legacy.
I came back to the farm in 1994 after calling my dad from college and asking, “Is there a place for me here?” I didn’t grow up planning to be a farmer, but I knew I wanted to be part of something meaningful. Together, we found our rhythm—him managing the field and me crunching the numbers.
We’ve built systems that allow us to track expenses down to the individual field. We’ve gone from handwritten ledgers to real-time digital dashboards. We’ve surrounded ourselves with great people—from our farm team to partners in research, accounting, marketing, and logistics. As Dad says, “A farmer’s gotta know just enough to know when they need to go get the experts.”
It’s been a journey of constant learning, adapting, and leaning on each other. And through it all, we’ve kept our focus on doing things a little better, a little smarter, and a whole lot more together.
Listen here: 🍎https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lessons-learned-in-the-field-with-marvin-hare/id1795513436?i=1000701263162
💚https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XrNqjgSIvAQde0YcFxsU0?si=50qbI0u7S6OZhpgzrdrmPg