Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Hursey.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My first trip to Italy ,was the starting point. I visited this wonderful family the Caponetti’s. caponetti.com They were like a bed and breakfast. It was a cooking school that I found googling. It changed my life , I was there a week and they had people from all over the world. Everyone coming to the table over delicious farm grown food. Everyone had their story and everyone had such a love for friends and family. Going to the markets daily..
I thought this would be better retirement than just sitting in a house till the end came.
When returning I couldn’t get it off my mind ,the Wonderful life. Then I was looking for a place to buy and came up here and there was weeds two foot high and actually 20 junk cars circling the house. , 6 acres was the same ,but truck axles and parts everywhere through out the weeds. SO I bought the house across the street. But for 2 years I looked at this 6 acres on a 6 acre lake. SO I bought it . Then spent 12 years designing it. Met my wife and we pushed over what was here and burnt it to the ground. 3 years to build it and we now have lived in it over 17 years.
We did dinner parties and weddings and all kind of events.
I have over the years become a major Local Food advocate/activist. KC Farm School at Gibbs Road ,I am on their board of directors. Cultivate KC, The Food Circle just to name a few.
In 1994 I enrolled at JCCC Culinary School, that was where I learned to become a Chef. In 2013 I was awarded the Culinarian of the Year ,by the Kansas City American Culinary Association.
In 2012 I was chose as a US Delegate to the World Food Conference in Turin ,Italy. Slowfood International 250 US delegates, 130 Countries, 1,000 food booths and 200,000 people attending. I got to spend 3 days listening to the Worlds Food Problems and Opportunities to make the World a Better place for all.
We do monthly a Third Thursday Coffee. With the Miami County Conservation District. Each month we have a different small farmer subject. We have people from 13 different counties.
Now we have over 1400 Elderberry plants and making many different products.
Newest happening is on the Friday evening before Christmas My primary care doctor called me out of the blue.
I thought what does she want. She tells me that she is getting a grant to be able to prescribe “Food as Your Medicine” and wanted to know if I could help find the Food, I told her absolutely , I then got her with Sharon Autry. Now we have Locally Sourced Food that is grown using organic practices. . Now weekly 30 families here in Miami County get Healthy Food for their family. Our part is that they come here for us to teach them how to cook the locally sourced food. We working to change the way Healthcare is. We spend much time teaching about where your food comes from.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
So many road blocks from Miami County Zoning while trying to build. But now we are leaders in changing zoning codes and creating Agritourism in Miami County. Miami County now has more farms, than nay other county in the State.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I was the Walmart manager in Paola for 25 years. 30 years with the company.
Now we bring the Community together. I have become the person who connects people with the person who can make them successful. Across the Kansas City are and across the US I network.
We have this beautiful Italian Villa to create what a community could be. We work to build Communities that are Sustainable and Inclusive. Communities across the Kansas City area ,where you can get everything you need within 2 to five miles of your house. I have always been a Servant Leader. Sam Walton always was too. Great mentor.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe it was luck,but God has used me and prepared me for what I am doing now. Lots of different trials.
The Lucky part is all the Incredible People who make my life so special. People who share the same Dream, Of building Sustainable Communities across the nation and the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.casasomerset.com
- Facebook: Casa Somerset B&B and Regenerative Farm
