Hidden Gems: Meet Phillip Schwarz of 4 Land’s Sake

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Schwarz.

Hi Phillip, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up on a farm that focused on dairy heifer replacement. After graduating from East Buchanan High School in 2005, I attended Linn State Technical College for Machine Tool Technologies. Ten years after working in the industry, I wanted to return to the farm to raise my family and start my own business. My company, 4 Land’s Sake, is a land improvement business that uses cutting-edge machines to improve agricultural, commercial, residential, and recreational properties. At that time, I also joined my father, grandfather, and their business partner on the farm. Since then, I’ve learned to balance maintaining an agricultural entity growing cattle for commercial dairies while growing an entrepreneurial venture with three employees and raising a family. My wife works full time. We have a son in elementary school, one in middle school, and, most recently, an exchange student. We’re very involved in the boys’ school, my alma mater. I am the president of the East Buchanan FFA Alumni. My wife is the PTA president. Our whole family is very involved at our church, Gower Christian. We keep busy.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it’s all been rainbows, no struggles! Just kidding. When I started my business, it was an entirely new type of service, so there was no pre-existing business model. Forestry mulching was unknown then, so I had to learn by doing. Just as 4-H taught me to do, maintaining, servicing, and up-to-date equipment is an ongoing challenge, especially with today’s economic and supply chain issues. Finding quality employees has been essential to the business’s success.

We’ve been impressed with 4 Land’s Sake, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Land’s Sake LLC is a stewardship and management company based in Gower, Missouri, that helps preserve and reclaim lost land for production. Whether a one-time restoration project or a multi-year maintenance relationship, 4 Land’s Sake endeavors to meet any agricultural, commercial, residential, or recreational need by efficiently transforming the landscape. We provide underbrush and tree removal by grinding with state-of-the-art forestry mulchers. Services include the application of herbicide to control regrowth, complete property maintenance from soil erosion control, fencing, and forestry management to helping landowners pick the best production crop for the soil conditions. As acreages enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program become available, land left fallow can be returned to a tillable state by the most recent generation of ownership. 4 Land’s Sake can step in to reclaim, restore, and repurpose properties for agricultural, recreational, commercial, and residential use. 4 Land’s Sake offers state-of-the-art forestry equipment for maximum efficiency and, in turn, a cost-effective solution compared to the use of heavy equipment with a harsh ground disturbance. 4 Land’s Sake offers a solution to property owners, utility companies, and commercial investors seeking to increase the value of their investments and achieve a positive curb appeal.

We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
From our company origin as just one guy with some ideas on a notecard, it has been gratifying to see our assets grow to include an onsite maintenance facility to ensure equipment upkeep. As far as my business goes, success is seeing future generations enjoy and appreciate properties we have reclaimed and maintained. More importantly, I value having a successful, four-generation family farm. Most importantly, my relationship with God, my marriage, and my children’s well-being are paramount to any measure of success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.4landssake.com
• Facebook: 4 Land’s Sake
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr_EVfvnWcg