The Spoils of the Land

article by Nils Borquist
photography by Kelly Moore Clark

After years of concerns that led to discouragement regarding the actual nutrition of the food they and their children were consuming, Matt and Marylane Miletello, proprietors of Miletello Family Farms, began utilizing more of their own lawn for gardening. In doing so, they discovered a deep love and satisfaction for planting seeds, cultivating and caring for the growing plants, and preparing meals using the very fruits of their labor.

As technology encroaches every aspect of our lives, one legitimate fear for the human race is a disconnection with the earth. Whether that be the soil, the trees, the sky, the seas, all bring life and provide sustenance. With the excessive speed of life, and the accelerating velocity of time as we grow older, it’s easy to forget how reliant we are on nature. All too often, we simply take it for granted that we will have food to eat, paths to walk, and lakes to swim. Fortunately, the awareness of environmentalists, responsible ranchers, and organic farmers influences more and more people every day, and the positive consequences are more respect for the land, more focus on waste reduction, and, perhaps most importantly, a renewed desire for so many to be directly involved in their own food production. 

After years of concerns that led to discouragement regarding the actual nutrition of the food they and their children were consuming, Matt and Marylane Miletello, proprietors of Miletello Family Farms, began utilizing more of their own lawn for gardening. In doing so, they discovered a deep love and satisfaction for planting seeds, cultivating and caring for the growing plants, and preparing meals using the very fruits of their labor. Beginning with tomatoes, they quickly branched out into more and more diverse vegetables at first, growing potatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, and the harvests delivered plants by the hundreds. With the intention to grow food for their growing family accomplished, the question emerged: what can be done with all these homegrown fruits and vegetables that exceed what one family could ever eat? After contemplation, and giving away bushels to friends and family, the idea for Miletello Family Farms was born.

Matt Miletello grew up in and around Monroe. After graduating from Neville High School, he moved on to the ULM Construction Management program. To help pay for his college education, he started a lawn service in 2008. In very little time, that business exploded, and he found himself busier than he had anticipated. Within a few years, he had established a consistent clientele, and he went all in. Such a career can be quite difficult, especially in Louisiana with its blistering heat, unpredictable rains, and the overwhelming destruction caused by insect infestations. However, Matt, with an incredible work ethic and a great desire to please his customers, enjoyed the job and the people, and he tirelessly grinded through days of incessant sweating, mosquito bites, and the mechanical equipment problems to make sure everything went well for his crew and his clients.

Once the lawn service could stand on its own, Matt found that he also enjoyed the aesthetics of landscaping, so he started a secondary service curating lawns, and, like his lawn care work, his efforts paid off. As his knowledge of that craft progressed, he began to move more into lawn installation work, and after a few years of managing both lawn care and landscaping, he sold the initial aspect of the business approximately two years ago to solely focus on installations. Basically, maintaining a high level of consistency in both areas became difficult to adequately direct. While lawn care can be simple labor at its core, and even monotonous, the work involves constantly hustling in a race against the clock. Between sprinklers, the rain, and trying to keep a schedule to keep several people content, all aspects out of the control of anyone, the demands are enormous. Installation work is much more forgiving, as time is, in a sense, more malleable, and the impacts of the weather and environment are more understood as factors that can either speed up or slow down any progress. Plus, Matt realized that he truly enjoyed the work.

In time, though, as so often happens to every person to some extent, a greater sense of purpose arises. Matt had gotten married to Marylane, and eventually, their family grew. They first welcomed a daughter, Isla, before later having their son, Hutton. A greater focus on time spent at home, with each other, emerged as priority number one, so accommodating that desire became central to their lives. The passion for installation work, still important for Matt, carries similar time constraints of the lawn care service, and he knew he wanted to find something new to be passionate about while maintaining his landscaping service. He wanted something of greater personal value, something that could involve his entire family and be productive for everyone with whom he came into contact. 

As a person who grew up with a father and a grandfather who both had gardens, Matt followed in their footsteps. Marylane, whose family was also heavily into gardening, was already purchasing high quality organic vegetables to incorporate in healthy meals at their home, and with a small garden in place, she felt they could easily expand and grow nearly everything they could want. Their wishes aligned, so the development of a larger garden commenced. They initially began growing food just for at-home use and consumption, though any overages were bagged and shared with relatives and friends. As the garden flourished, though, and Matt, Marylane, and even the kids fell more in love with digging in the soil, watching seeds sprout, and picking multicolored and flavorful vegetables, he wanted to spend more of his time learning about how to optimize the improvement of his little farm. He and Marylane also started to think about something else; with his career and a hobby so connected with the earth, they began to consider the possibility of a job making the growing and selling of plants feasible.

Sometimes, the only way to find out how the depth of the water is to jump in feet first. With that mentality, and the faith in God’s plan for their future, Matt and Marylane decided to give the small farm idea a go. They planted thousands of seeds, from tomatoes and onions to cantaloupes and watermelons. They consulted knowledgeable friends and studied online materials and tutorials. They made mistakes and learned valuable lessons, both for better and for worse. In the end, with such diligence and care, they produced such an extensive volume that selling became a viable option, and a working farm became a reality.

For many years prior to the actual farm, Marylane had practiced the homestead style of food preparation: purchasing the most organic ingredients and preparing nearly all components of the meal from scratch. With the ideal goal of providing the most nutritious diet for her family, she had organized a worthwhile regimen sacrificing the time and ease that comes with processed foods for the sake of proper nourishment. Sometimes, delving into the lengthy process of careful food preparation devastates people, but Marylane treasured the opportunity to do the best for her children. Luckily, such caring people tend to want to share the joys of their discoveries with other, and this played no small part in the couple’s passion to grow and share their plants. Once the plans for the farm were in effect, considerations for maximizing the nutritional value of the fruits and vegetables became significant as well.

The Miletellos wholeheartedly believe in responsible farming. Their ultimate goal for the farm is to attain organic certification, a process that involves absolute restriction of prohibited compounds for a three-year period. The farm primarily uses composted materials as fertilizers, which means that Matt and his crew must maintain constant and meticulous surveillance of the budding plants, watching for signs of dehydration, insect damage, and overall healthy growth. Feeding the plants in such a fashion promotes regenerative farming, a practice involving the restoration of soil that has been damaged over time and eventually results in reestablishing quality biodiversity, which in turn provides the plants with prime sustenance. A healthy, flourishing plant then provides the best possible nutritional benefits for a consumer. Additionally, Matt has bought dozens of free range chickens to roam the property. The chickens have begun producing eggs, and considering that the animals are fed the very same clippings, vegetables, and fruits grown, along with seeds and worms along the property, they are of the highest quality. Another great addition is a collection of beehives. A local beekeeper approached Matt about utilizing his property to help establish a healthy bee population. Understanding the circular value bees bring to flowering plants and the effect of healthy plants on bees, Matt jumped at the opportunity to add that element to the farm.

For Matt, the outcome is worth the labor. He consistently refers to symbiosis, and his awareness of the term as it applies to a family and a community as much as to the growing of organic plants is all too evident. In order to get great food, one must put in great effort. In order to procure optimal health and happiness, one must invest time and energy and love in all aspects of life. One thing affects another, whether that be what is in the food we eat, how we treat our friends and family, and how we interact with people with whom we interact. 

At this point, very early in the burgeoning life of the farm, the Miletello family and those friends and family so fortunate to be in the loop, are reaping the rewards of the harvests. Matt and Marylane have begun selling their fruits, vegetables, and eggs, too, and their products may be currently found and ordered on Instagram (miletellofamilyfarms), Facebook (Miletello-Family-Farms), or via email ([email protected]), and a website is currently being constructed and will be available to access soon. Additionally, Matt and Marylane will potentially be a part of a Community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, which makes it easier for people who also join to order produce more efficiently. To further illustrate how important the connection to family is for the Miletellos, they named the available combinations, or boxes, after family members: the Mikey Mix, named for Matt’s late father, consists of a box filled with all available vegetables from that week plus a cantaloupe; Hutton’s Harvest, named for Matt and Marylane’s son, includes a smaller collection of the week’s vegetables; and the Isla Carte, named for the couple’s daughter, consists of a list of possible add-ons to one of the previous boxes. Customers may choose from okra, cucumbers, an assortment of various peppers, squash, tomatoes, or zucchini, among other possibilities. They also recently partnered with The Thirsty Farmer for an event this past spring, the Sip and Shop, with another planned for this upcoming fall. 

All in all, the care and effort the Miletellos have put into their farm shows, and their continued devotion should continue their success. The biggest reason—they take great pride in their products. They carefully scrutinize every aspect of what goes into the plant, the soil used, and the protection from the environment, all for the sake of the pursuit of perfection. They not only sell their produce; they consume it as well. They are a true farm-to-table family, and they want to share their love for that concept with everyone.