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that in little southeast South Dakota, but we are big. We’re getting sheep from eight hours away any direction – north, south, east, west. You treat people well and you’re honest and you get the most for them you can. It’s a booming business,” Todd said. Sales of sheep and goats are driven by ethnic markets on the east coast.

“I always say after 34 years I’ve never worked a day in my life because I love what I’m doing. Now I get to work with my son, so you can’t get any better than that.” When he increased his involvement in cattle sales at Regional a couple of years ago, he gave up driving tractor during the busy seasons for his neighbors, something he had enjoyed doing for more than 30 years.

FAMILY VALUES

Todd’s parents, Harley and Dianne Nordmann, own some farm ground and are partners with Todd, Coral and Denver in their sheep production. “Most times, Dad’s a silent partner – he just says ‘You know what you’re doing, just do it.’ At the same time, if Dad put a dollar in a jar every time he drove up this driveway to help, we’d have that driveway paved with gold. Also, if anybody comes onto the yard, we know because Mom sends a text. Even after all these years, they’re watching out for us.” Growing up, his parents took them to church every Sunday and again on Wednesday. He and Coral have tried to instill those same values with their children. Their faith and prayer have helped them through the inevitable hard times in a livestock operation. The other important family values are to be fans of the University of North Carolina basketball team and the NFL’s Denver Broncos. “Besides church, the only other time we stop working is on Saturdays if the Tarheels are playing or on Sunday when the Broncos are on. There’s nothing else going on for those three hours,” he said. Coral grew up on a farm west of Corsica. In January, she started working in the auditor’s office at the Turner County Courthouse. For the previous 16 years she worked in the business office at Good Samaritan in Lennox. Coral works off the farm to keep good health insurance since her husband has been pretty beat up over the years. He’s had a wire through his eye, his scapula broken in three spots, a rotator cuff injury and more. As outgoing as Todd is, she’s very quiet. Yet she was the one who asked him to marry her. Was he stringing her along? She said, “Yeah, I was going to have to wait forever. He said we’d get married when he was debt-free. Well, that was never going to happen.”

Daniel Rislov’s mom, Jeanne, is a great supporter of his up-and-coming business.

MUSHROOM AND MICROGREEN GROWER LIVES BY MOTTO OF ‘NEVER GIVE UP’

By Bob Fitch

Becoming a producer of mushrooms and microgreens was never a destination on Daniel Rislov’s map to life. But there are many different roads to a career in agriculture.

Like many kids, his work life started by mowing Grandma’s lawn. His first official job was washing dishes at F&M Cafe in his hometown of Madison, S.D. “Since then, I've worked at many other restaurants, construction companies, sales companies, production facilities and medical laboratories,” Daniel said. “Unknowingly, I was gaining practical knowledge at nearly every job which all helped me in my career as a grower and business owner. The only exception was the time I spent as a lifeguard in Madison, Sioux Falls, Spearfish and Brookings. I was good at basking in the sun, but unfortunately those skills haven’t been useful.”

Daniel Rislov’s mushrooms are grown in a cooler using a planting media made of hardwood sawdust and soy hulls or wheat bran, depending upon the variety. The cold air and humidity in the cooler causes the mushroom mycelium to fruit.

laboratory science. He became a medical technologist in various Sioux Falls facilities working PRN (the acronym PRN comes from the Latin phrase “pro re neta," which translates to "as the need arises.") Working PRN gave him flexibility to grow his farm business. Daniel’s company – Dakota Mushrooms & Microgreens – has been supplying restaurants, farmers markets and retail stores in the area since 2015. “Our mushrooms and microgreens are grown with safe, all natural ingredients. Everything is grown indoors for consistent results, and I strive to harvest the same day the product is sold,” he said. “Farming mushrooms and microgreens is not all smiles and laughs. Failure has played a significant role in the learning process, and 'never give up' is a motto I learned to embrace.” He credits his brothers for helping him survive the early days. “My brother, Richard, designed our logo and has been a great resource for marketing and promotional information. He was also my roommate when the business started, along with his beautiful daughter, Alyssa. They tolerated the clutter and weird smells for almost two years,” he said. “My brother, David, made expanding commercially possible. He used his electrical engineering skills to automate my equipment, which allowed me to increase production without losing too much sleep. His help has been priceless on many projects.” He said his mom, Jeanne, has been his biggest fan and supporter along the way. In addition, his father, Richard, and father’s girlfriend, Jackie, run Daniel’s farmers market stand in Sioux City. Dakota Mushrooms & Microgreens is located on the south edge of Sioux Falls, east of the Tea exit on I-29. He operates in warehouse space owned by Skogen Inc., a builder of custom homes. “They have been great to work with. I designed my space exactly how I needed it and they accommodated.” Daniel sells product through several channels. “The people from our area have been great, including chefs, business

Pictured are a few of the mushroom varieties grown by Daniel Rislov.

Oyster

Shiitake

Lionsmane

Mushroom crumbs are a food seasoning developed by Daniel Rislov. He’s also created a mushroom jerky that tastes much like beef jerky. Daniel Rislov got interested in mushrooms and microgreens as a way to improve his own health – and discovered an ag business in the process. The microgreens pictured here are loaded with nutrients, such as vitamins, C, E, and K, lutein, and beta-carotene.

owners, farmers market customers, and everyone in between. Our local food scene is legit and filled with passion. We live in a great place and I am thankful to be a part of it.” He delivers fresh product every Friday to Sioux Falls Co-op, Pomegranate Market and Hy-Vee stores in Sioux Falls and Sioux City. Dakota Mushroom & Microgreens participates in the communitysupported agriculture (CSA) program at Cherry Rock Farms and the online farmers market of Glory Garden. From May through October, the company can be found at the Falls Park Farmers Market in Sioux Falls and the Sioux City Farmers Market. In the Lake Okoboji, Iowa, area, products are sold at Farmers Market in the Park from June to September and through Prairie Home Delivery. Residential delivery is also available in Sioux Falls, Tea and Harrisburg. “I stumbled into mushrooms and microgreens on my quest for better health,” he said. Mushrooms are a low-calorie food which include health-boosting vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and antioxidants, which may mitigate the risk of developing serious health conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Mushrooms are also a source of selenium, copper, thiamin, magnesium and phosphorous. Mushrooms are rich sources of potassium, a nutrient known for reducing the negative impact that sodium can have on your body. Potassium also lessens the tension in blood vessels, potentially helping to lower blood pressure. The antiinflammatory effect of mushrooms has been shown to improve the efficiency of the immune system. Daniel’s mushroom product line includes:

• King Trumpet: Often considered the best tasting and highest quality mushroom. • Lion's Mane: Superb gourmet mushroom also considered a medicinal mushroom.

• Shiitake: Rich, earthy flavor; meaty texture. • Maitake: Rich, savory flavor. • Oyster: Versatile mushroom which goes well in many dishes. • Chestnut/Cinnamon Cap:

Mild, earthy, nutty taste. Dakota Mushroom & Microgreens also sells mushroom grow bags for advanced growers; and syringes filled with live mushroom mycelium. The cultures are from his own supply to ensure a healthy, high yielding strain. Daniel has also developed a mushroom jerky which has the same taste and texture of beef jerky. He also sells “mushroom crumbs,” an all-purpose seasoning he makes from cooked, seasoned and freeze-dried mushrooms.