Growing up in Detroit, the farming business was a bit foreign to Danielle McKinstry.
It’s not anymore.
For the last ten years, Danielle has worked alongside Brad and Justin Morgan for Morgan Composting of Sears. After starting out in the retail store, her business acumen and penchant for learning earned her a quick promotion.
These days, she runs the office management and administration for the company, and has been a part of their huge growth over the last decade. But she’s not the type to just sit around the office. She loves being out in the field, meeting with new customers, and getting her hands in the proverbial dirt.
And when she’s not working, she’s using those management skills to get her daughter Aubrey to dance, and gymnastics, and whatever other activities the season requires. Alongside her husband Zach, the McKinstry family loves being a part of the Evart community; they love being outdoors, taking advantage of all the opportunities northern Michigan has to offer.
We caught up with Danielle recently where we learned a little bit about her life, her family, and her time with Morgan Composting. We learned that Danielle McKinstry is certainly more than just another face in the crowd.
Marion Press: Where were you born and raised?
Danielle: I was born in Dearborn, Michigan, and I grew up in Lincoln Park – a suburb outside of Detroit. I lived there until I was about 10, and then my family briefly moved to Florida for just a short period of time. And we’ve been here in Evart for about 15 years now. I went to Evart High School and graduated in 2009.
MP: What kept you busy growing up?
Danielle: I helped out a lot with our family business. My dad has a trucking company, so I grew up helping him in the office, doing some paperwork, things like that…
MP: That doesn’t sound like much fun!
Danielle: I didn’t really do sports or anything like that, and I didn’t really mind it! I was always interested in his businesses, and I think I get that from my dad. Right out of high school, we started another family business – my family had a Mexican restaurant [Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill] right in Evart for a few years. That was ran by my brother, myself, and my grandmother.
MP: What were some of your favorite memories from going to school in Evart?
Danielle: When I was in school, I really enjoyed my time in high school. I remember being a part of yearbook, and I liked that. We did everything from designing it, and going out and taking pictures. I really like that whole aspect of it. And the typical high school stuff: hanging out with friends, going to football games, Friday Night Lights, things like that.
MP: So was farming a part of your life at all growing up?
Danielle: Farming was foreign to me when I moved to Evart. I grew up right outside of Detroit, and I was aware of what farmers did – or so I thought – but I really didn’t become involved until I started working at Morgan Composting in 2012. I started working in the store; working everyday with the homeowners, and learning about soils and compost. I didn’t realize there was quite a science behind it until I started working here, and I was super interested in it, and I’ve been here ever since.
MP: Tell us about your current role with Morgan Composting.
Danielle: Today, I handle all of the office management and administration. I work with Brad and Justin on the daily operations for what’s going on with Morgan Composting – not just here at our Sears facility, but we also discuss what’s going on in Marion. Cal [Ellens] runs the warehouse up there pretty well. We just kind of oversee the company as a whole; I still oversee the retail store [in Sears], and I assist Naomi with that management. I enjoy working with Brad and Justin so that I can learn more about the operations – what’s going on outside with our mixing and composting for our farmers.
MP: What do you enjoy the most about working at Morgan Composting?
Danielle: Everyday I’m learning. There’s always something going on. This is a fast paced, quickly growing company, and I enjoy that. I don’t like doing the same thing every day, and I think that’s why I fit well here. One day I’m in the office, the next day I might be visiting customers, and sometimes I plant pumpkins and harvest them!
MP: We know there’s been some growth at the company over the last ten years, tell us a little bit about that.
Danielle: There’s been a huge amount of growth over the past ten years. We’ve been really blessed. When I first started, I think there was probably 10 to 15 employees, and today we’re at 42. We have multiple compost sites throughout the state of Michigan – I believe we have 7 compost sites right now. We’re here, we’re local within the community, but we’re very proud of what we have to offer farmers throughout the whole state. We’re a very Michigan proud company. Big growth since I’ve been here, and it’s been very exciting.
MP: Outside of work, what keeps you busy?
Danielle: I love spending time with my family. I have my husband, Zach, and my daughter, Aubrey, she goes to Evart schools. She’s 7; she takes up a lot of my time. She’s at the age where she’s getting interested in different things. We’re very involved in the community; she does the dance studio here in town. I just recently signed her up for gymnastics, so she’s at the age where I start running around for her! And that’s exciting. We love to be outdoors too. We like to go on side-by-side rides throughout the entire year – summer, winter, fall, and just kind of hang out. We love this area, my husband and I. Our families are in this area. We just love it, and don’t plan to go anywhere. I’m excited that my daughter is involved with Evart Schools, that both him and I graduated from. We plan to be here for quite some time.
MP: What do you enjoy the most about being a part of the Evart community?
Danielle: We love it up here. I love the small-town community feel. We know everybody. I’m not related to the Morgan’s directly, but working here you feel like you’re family. Even our co-workers, we all feel like we’re one big family. It’s really nice. Your neighbors are friendly. Everywhere you go up here in rural Michigan, there’s farmers; large farmers, small farmers, and I enjoy going to farmer’s markets. Whether it’s the Evart Farmer’s Market, or the Midland Farmer’s Market, I always run into a customer that we work with. That’s super enjoyable, ‘Hey, I know that farm name!’ I might not know them personally, but I recognize the name, and I know that they buy Dairy Doo products. That’s pretty fun.
MP: Who have been your role models over the years?
Danielle: I would say, definitely my dad. I think I get my hard work ethic from him. I’ve seen him work hard my entire life, and I’ve always admired that about him. And I would say that Brad would be one too. He has more of an entrepreneurial mindset; he’s always looking for the next opportunity. That’s a great thing to keep in mind – not just in business, but in life in general.