Mike Nolan raises about five acres of vegetables at Mountain Roots Produce in Mancos, Colorado. With a focus on storage crops, Mike has patched together a market in his rural marketplace that includes restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and CSA members in the Four Corners area of Colorado. Farming in Mancos for the last seven years, Mike has recently brought Mountain Roots into profitability, and no longer has to work off the farm to make ends meet.
We dig into the details of Mike’s operation, including how he has structured his tractor-scale farming operation for growing crops that are planted a limited number of times every year, and why he decided to start farming with a business model based on these limited-succession crops. Mike shares his challenges with weed control, how he’s used local resources to store his root crops with limited capital investment, and the changes he is making to prepare for the new marketing realities he expects as the Food Safety Modernization Act begins to take effect.
Mike also gives us an overview of water rights in the West, and how that influences the structure of his farming operation. Plus, Mike and his girlfriend, Mindy Perkovich of Early Bird Gardens, recently joined forces in Mancos, and Mike shares the details and realities of making the transition from a solo operator to being part of a partnership.
The Farmer to Farmer Podcast is generously supported by Vermont Compost Company.
We dig into the details of Mike’s operation, including how he has structured his tractor-scale farming operation for growing crops that are planted a limited number of times every year, and why he decided to start farming with a business model based on these limited-succession crops. Mike shares his challenges with weed control, how he’s used local resources to store his root crops with limited capital investment, and the changes he is making to prepare for the new marketing realities he expects as the Food Safety Modernization Act begins to take effect.
Mike also gives us an overview of water rights in the West, and how that influences the structure of his farming operation. Plus, Mike and his girlfriend, Mindy Perkovich of Early Bird Gardens, recently joined forces in Mancos, and Mike shares the details and realities of making the transition from a solo operator to being part of a partnership.
The Farmer to Farmer Podcast is generously supported by Vermont Compost Company.
Sponsors
Vermont Compost: Founded by organic crop growing professionals committed to meeting the need for high-quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production.
Farmers Web: Making it simple for farms, farm cooperatives, and local food artisans to streamline working with wholesale buyers such as restaurants, schools, corporate kitchens, retails stores, and more. Lessening the administrative work that comes with each order helps producers create a more successful relationship with their buyers and can help them work with more buyers overall.
Farmers Web: Making it simple for farms, farm cooperatives, and local food artisans to streamline working with wholesale buyers such as restaurants, schools, corporate kitchens, retails stores, and more. Lessening the administrative work that comes with each order helps producers create a more successful relationship with their buyers and can help them work with more buyers overall.
Quotes from the Show
I like to call it the salad mix burn out… I did the salad mix thing for a few years and my body just couldn’t handle it.
We dropped out of market this year, which was one of the most nerve-wracking and also one of the most awesome things I think I’ve ever decided in my life farming-wise.
A big thing for me [about being in a partnership] has been basically figuring out a space to being open to having somebody help you.
It’s like you spend all this time working stuff and selling this beautiful product but your quality of life is failing because you’re not able to cook and find time to take care of yourself…
The food system is one of the few things out there that touches everybody. I felt like it was a good way to channel a lot of the work I wanted to do in the world and also be able to work for myself and run a business and really make good change even though it’s slow.
We dropped out of market this year, which was one of the most nerve-wracking and also one of the most awesome things I think I’ve ever decided in my life farming-wise.
A big thing for me [about being in a partnership] has been basically figuring out a space to being open to having somebody help you.
It’s like you spend all this time working stuff and selling this beautiful product but your quality of life is failing because you’re not able to cook and find time to take care of yourself…
The food system is one of the few things out there that touches everybody. I felt like it was a good way to channel a lot of the work I wanted to do in the world and also be able to work for myself and run a business and really make good change even though it’s slow.
Show Links
The sorghum-sudangrass mix for thistle control that we discussed can be found at this link.
Mike has worked with American Ag Credit to finance infrastructure on his farm.
Mike has been involved with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and the National Young Farmers Coalition.
Mike’s partner, Mindy Perkovich, owned and operated Early Bird Gardens.
Mike has worked with American Ag Credit to finance infrastructure on his farm.
Mike has been involved with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and the National Young Farmers Coalition.
Mike’s partner, Mindy Perkovich, owned and operated Early Bird Gardens.
Transcript
The transcript for this episode is brought to you by Earth Tools, offering the most complete selection of walk-behind farming equipment and high-quality garden tools in North America; and by Growing for Market, where you can get 20% off your subscription with the code “podcast” at checkout.
