Cole Mannix - Building Community through Land Stewardship and Local Food

Cole Mannix is the President and Founder of the Old Salt Co-op, a new, purpose-driven company that “provides meat raised with integrity from Montana landscapes its customers know and care about.” Cole and his team partner with a growing number of Montana ranches, butchers, chefs, and businesses to connect customers and producers, while simultaneously encouraging and promoting a deeper understanding of land stewardship, community, and the interconnectedness of Montana landscapes.

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Cole was born and raised in Montana, and he is a member of the fifth generation of the Mannix Family who has been stewarding their family ranch in Montana’s Blackfoot Valley since the late 1800s. Cole has followed a fascinating educational and career path, mixing his degrees in biology, philosophy, and theology with wide-ranging work in both entrepreneurial ventures and non-proifit conservation work. And as you’ll hear in this conversation, the common thread that connects all of Cole’s experiences is a deep love and respect for the land and all that it can provide.

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One of the most exciting projects that Cole is currently working on is the Old Salt Festival, a three-day festival taking place this June on the Mannix Ranch, just outside of Helmville, Montana. It’s much more than a music festival– it’s a celebration of land and land stewardship, and it will feature an eclectic mix of artists, authors, poets, storytellers, chefs and more. I’ll be at the event hosting some live podcast conversations, and there will be appearances by a number of past M&P guests, including singer-songwriter Riddy Arman, author-poet Chris Dombrowski, author-rancher Bryce Andrews, and more. Novelist David James Duncan will be reading and chef Eduardo Garcia will be cooking. So we spend a lot of time discussing this event, its purpose, and how the whole idea came together.

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This is a wonderful conversation about following your interests, working hard, and doing purpose-driven work that is connected to land and community. Check out the episode notes for a full list of all the topics we discussed, as well as links to the Co-op and this summer’s Festival. Thanks so much to Cole for joining me, and thanks to you for listening.

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• Old Salt Co-op
• Old Salt Festival
• Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/cole-mannix/
• M&P Live Event: Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society
• Support M&P via Patreon

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• 3:45 -  Cole explains the Mannix family tree
• 5:45 - Cole discusses his family history  
• 7:45 - Overview of the Old Salt Co-op 
• 13:00 -  Cole explains what motivated him to begin the Old Salt Co-op, and describes what it was like to leave a steady job to start something uncertain
• 17:45 - The value proposition that sets the Old Salt Co-op apart
• 20:45 - The biggest obstacle/most important factor is for the business model of Old Salt Coop 
• 27:00 - The biggest surprises in the building of Old Salt Co-op
• 31:00 - How he stays focused and keeps track of real progress
• 33:45- The Old Salt Festival in more detail, including the musical, culinary, and land stewardship talent that will be featured
• 40:30 - Cole dives more into his career and backstory, including his interest and study in philosophy
• 45:45 - His career shift from teaching to entrepreneurship 
• 53:45 - Lessons he learned from past business difficulties and how they i