Keith Crouse of Howard and Son Farms Returns | Nursery Operations, Scaling, Credit, and Building a Grower Mindset

Send us Fan MailOn Episode 95 of The Plant Movement Podcast, Keith Crouse of Howard and Son Farms returns for his second appearance on the show to share a practical, no-nonsense look at what it takes to build a nursery from the ground up.Keith balances life as a firefighter while growing Howard and Son Farms, a nursery operation focused on liner production, propagation, and continuous improvement. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on everything from greenhouse construction and irrigation management to financing growth, hiring employees, calculating plant costs, and building a nursery business that can scale.This conversation is packed with actionable advice for growers, nursery owners, landscapers, and entrepreneurs looking to understand the realities of operating a successful nursery.Topics include:🌱 Building Howard and Son Farms from scratch🌱 Growing and grading liners for maximum quality🌱 Why producing extra inventory is critical for fulfilling orders🌱 Irrigation strategies and preventing root rot🌱 Fertilizer trials, foliar applications, and production techniques🌱 The importance of customer feedback and continuous learning🌱 Reinvesting profits versus paying yourself🌱 Hiring your first employees and managing labor🌱 Understanding W2 vs. 1099 workers🌱 Calculating true plant production costs🌱 Deposits, cash flow, and managing risk🌱 Building business credit and securing financing🌱 Farm Credit loans and credit line strategies🌱 Scaling nursery operations without sacrificing quality🌱 Delegation, leadership, and breaking the owner-operator mindset🌱 How long it really takes to build a nursery brand and reputationKeith also shares lessons learned from visiting other nurseries, seeking mentorship, experimenting with new production methods, and documenting his journey publicly to accelerate growth and learning.One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is the importance of discipline and reinvestment. From living in a trailer and selling personal assets to fund infrastructure, to putting nearly every dollar back into the business, Keith demonstrates the level of commitment required to build something sustainable in the nursery industry.Whether you're just getting started with a few varieties or looking to scale your operation to the next level, this episode offers valuable insights into production, finance, operations, and long-term business development.Hosted by Willie RodriguezGuest: Keith Crouse, Owner of Howard and Son FarmsTopics: Nursery Operations • Propagation • Business Growth • Greenhouse Production • Credit & Financing • Scaling • Leadership • Horticulture Entrepreneurship#ThePlantMovementPodcast #HowardAndSonFarms #KeithCrouse #NurseryGrowers #Horticulture #PlantProduction #GreenIndustry #NurseryBusiness #Propagation #PlantMovement #GreenIndustryGangstersSupport the show