Sep 24, 2019
This week's episode is a fantastic conversation
with Curtis Millsap of Millsap Farms, a 20-acre farm in
Springfield, MO. We cover a lot of ground in this extensive
conversation, including how Curtis started his farming career, how
they grew their famous on-farm pizza nights, how using Harvie as
CSA management software has been a game-changer, a discussion about
winter growing and growing in an earth-bermed greenhouse, and so
much more. It's a long one so you may need to listen to it in
installments!
You'll also hear:
>> Why he’s moving the farm away from deep tillage
towards minimal tillage
>> How choice and convenience are the most important
factors for satisfied CSA customers
>> How to tackle to fear of the empty box by using CSA
management and planning
>> How defining roles between staff makes delegation
clear
>> Takeaways from the Frozen Ground winter growing
conference
>> An overview of Curtis' earth-bermed greenhouse inspired by
ones used in China
>> How his advice for new farmers is to learn is a less
costly way by apprenticing
Quotes from the episode:
"Fluffing does not solve soil problems"
“Start with the end in mind” when planning your CSA
About the Guest
Curtis and Sarah Millsap, along with their ten children, farm
manager, apprentice, and occasional volunteers, have been operating
Millsap Farms, a 20-acre farm in Springfield MO, for the past 12
years. They grow 2 acres of vegetables and flowers, with 20,000
s.f. (almost ½ acre) under greenhouses, high tunnels, and
caterpillar tunnels. They use organic practices and sell through a
year-round 170 member CSA, farmers' market, and restaurants. They
sow, transplant, harvest, and sell, 50 weeks out of the year. The
Millsaps also host a weekly pizza night from May to October, where
they have 250 people out to the farm for wood-fired pizza and live
music. They are always looking for ways to do more with less,
including energy and water conservation measures such as no-till,
solar greenhouses, stored heat, etc. They love to teach people who
are looking to enter the field of farming, having hosted, as of the
end of the 2018 season, over 25 interns, most of whom are still
involved in farming full time, 4 of whom now have their own farms.
Additionally, they host hundreds of people on tours each year, from
large extension organized field days, to farm families from near
and far who drop in for an impromptu tour of their farm. Curtis
speaks to various groups about how to design farms for a balanced
life, including using the right tools, infrastructure, labor and
marketing mix to fit each farm. The Millsaps and their farm crew
consider themselves stewards of creation, and take that
responsibility seriously. They also love to travel and camp, and
spend an average of 5 weeks a year away from the farm, often taking
their farm crew with them to enjoy the hills and creeks of the
Ozarks.