We were lucky to catch up with Darren Messing recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Darren, thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
Absolutely, my parents have had a profound influence on my journey. One key lesson they instilled in me is the importance of family at the heart of a family business. Growing up on our family farm, I was actively involved from a young age, which meant feeding calves, unloading hay, and participating in various farm activities as a family. This experience taught me the value of teamwork and a strong work ethic. We collaborated not only on farm tasks but also in managing our sizable garden. I cherish the opportunity I had to grow up as an integral part of the business.
I intend to apply this lesson in my own venture, One-Eared Dog Farm. I believe in involving my kids in problem-solving, planning, and hands-on work, just as my parents did with me. For instance, during a recent farm tour for a cooking class, I had my ten-month-old with me, emphasizing the importance of starting them young in the family business. In my view, this family-oriented approach is not just a tradition but a cornerstone of our business philosophy.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My journey into agriculture began on a third-generation family farm in Michigan, where we raised cattle and crops. After college, I moved to West Michigan in pursuit of career opportunities and to be closer to my wife’s family. However, my passion for agriculture remained unwavering.
It was during this time that I met Mike Pcolinski, and together, we embarked on an exciting venture as business partners, focusing on raising pheasants. Fast forward to our fourth year in business, and we’ve come a long way. Our journey started with picking up chicks from the post office in our first year. Now, we’ve evolved to selectively breeding pheasants each fall and incubating our own eggs for the new year’s chicks. In a unique tradition, we release breeders into the wild each spring as a token of gratitude for providing us with chicks for the new year. The rest of our pheasants are processed annually in October and primarily sold to restaurants.
What sets Mike and I apart is our shared passion for learning and relentless pursuit of improvement. We thrive on embracing new challenges to facilitate the farm’s growth and hone our skills in the process. Our proudest achievements include recent collaborations with local restaurants and the successful design and launch of our website.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Both Mike and I are avid readers, but Joel Salatin has written the most impactful books I have read on agriculture. His book, “You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise” is gold. He has so many great takes throughout this book (and many others). Salatin’s insights on sustainable farming practices, a scientific approach to agriculture, and the involvement of his kids in the business with their own enterprises resonate strongly with me. I find his ideas invaluable and refer to his philosophies in my work. I anticipate revisiting his books many times over for continued inspiration.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Our most successful approach to expanding our clientele has been through strategic partnerships with local restaurants. I find immense value in engaging with chefs, learning their stories, and understanding their preferences. These connections have not only helped us build strong relationships with other businesses but have also honed my sales skills.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.
com/profile.php?id= 100090399730832 - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/darrenmessing/