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008: Steve Pincus on Taking the Long View with Employees, Business, and Farm Management

4/2/2015

3 Comments

 
Steve Pincus owns and operates Tipi Produce in Evansville, Wisconsin, with his wife, Beth Kazmar. Tipi Produce grows about 45 acres of certified organic produce, and markets to 500 CSA members and makes nearly year-round sales to stores in Madison and Milwaukee – in fact, the last carrots will be delivered the same week this episode goes live. Steve has incredible employee retention from year to year, with many employees having worked on the farm for nearly twenty years. Chris and Steve talk about taking the long view with employee management, cropping systems, and business investments, as well as harvesting and storing lots and lots of carrots.

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Show Links

  • Tipi Produce
  • Fair Share CSA Coalition
  • K.U.L.T. brand weeder - The name on the website for this is the Kress weeding system. The Duo-Parallelogram is the basic tool carrier, and there are a variety of attachments for cultivation. Although the website contact information is in Germany, they do have US distribution. 

Steve’s Favorite Tool:
  • Scott Viner FMC Root Harvester - The Scott Viner that Steve uses on his farm was modified to pull a trailer directly behind it, rather than offloading to the side, the way the unit in this video does. Roeters Farm Equipment  is a great place to pick up used root harvesters if you can’t get one from a local farmer.


Steve’s Favorite Resource:
  • Besides other farms, Steve is a big fan of the MOSES Organic Farming Conference at the end of February in La Crosse, Wisconsin – as much for the networking as for the workshops.
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3 Comments
Liz Graznak
12/2/2015 01:43:58 pm

Just listened to this on my way up to the Midwest CSA conference in Eau Claire. Really hit home and reminded me about the importance of winter equipment maintenance. Time to put some insulation and heat in my barn!!!

Reply
JJ
5/21/2018 09:24:51 am

Hello,
I am sorry about my simple question, but I do not have a farm yet and I am just learning from your podcast...
Question:
* how many acres of root vegetables one should have before it makes financial sense to buy FMC Root Harvester?
Thx!

Reply
Chris Blanchard
5/23/2018 03:16:24 pm

I'd say an acre or so of roots that can be harvested with the FMC - but it totally depends on your other equipment and systems, labor situation, and so on.

Reply



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