Business notebook: Countrysprout is a certified supplier of organic produce

A variety of vendors converge on the parking lot of West Park Mall for the Cape Farmers Market, but few offer produce that is certified organic.

Countrysprout Organics, based in Illinois, has been certified organic since 2012. Owners Bruce and Maryanne Chrisman are committed to the organic movement and are quick to sing the praises of local farmers' markets and their effects on the local economy.

"We kind of picked it up as a service project. We wanted to be an example for other, younger people to maybe become certified organic," Bruce Chrisman said.

The Chrismans always were farmers at heart. They planted their roots and their vegetables in Southern Illinois in 1976. By 1977, they made their way into local farmers markets and began selling their wares there.

Eventually, they had to stop. Their family was growing, as was the appetite of the local fauna.

A bouquet of coneflowers and yarrow is displayed Thursday at the Countrysprout Organics booth at the Cape Girardeau Farmers Market.Laura Simon

"The deer got so bad, they ate everything," Chrisman said.

So for several decades, they worked at Southern Illinois University, reaping the employee benefits while raising four children.

Now retired from the university and with their children grown, the Chrismans returned to their garden, creating Countrysprout Organics, one of the few organic farms on the regional farmers-market circuit.

Their produce is grown on a one-acre plot in Carbondale. Chrisman insists this is more than enough space, given the work involved and its quality yield.

A variety of peas, lettuces, kale, green beans and herbs are being pulled from their garden. Peppers, tomatoes, blackberries and carrots will follow soon.

"I plant over 5,000 feet of carrots," Chrisman said.

The land is surrounded by a six-foot fence to protect the plants from larger threats such as deer. But without the ability to use herbicides and pesticides, more manual labor is involved to grow quality produce and protect it from pests and weeds.

"It's a lot of physical work, and it takes a lot of organization," Bruce Chrisman said.

But he said he thinks the extra effort is worth it.

Maryanne Chrisman also offers Maryanne's Organics healing plant oils in the Chrismans' spread at the market. Herbs, oils and flowers from the Countrysprout Organics garden are used to create balms, salves and creams for a variety of uses.

Bruce Chrisman said many farmers avoid organic farming because of the expense, but he insists the costs are minimal. There is some paperwork, and farms must be inspected every year. But all in all, he said, the effort needed for certification is not so great it should be a deterrent.

"It forces you to be a better farmer," Chrisman said.

The Chrismans laud the economic and health benefits of farmers markets such as those in Cape Girardeau.

"There's a difference in quality," Chrisman said. "What you buy in the grocery store has been shipped in from somewhere else, and it's going to be a couple days old at minimum."

Shopping locally, he said, keeps the money in the local economy and ensures a fresher product.

"It's a win-win," he said.

New cinema opens in Sikeston

A new movie theater opened in Sikeston, Missouri, last week.

Malco Sikeston Cinema and Grill opened at 1218 Cinema Drive off U.S. 60 and Hennings Road in the Cotton Ridge Development.

It features eight stadium-seating auditoriums, Dolby 7.1 digital surround sound and 3-D projection. An expanded concession menu features burgers, chicken tenders and fries with the more traditional popcorn and nachos.

Saint Francis finishes area needs assessment

Saint Francis Healthcare System has completed a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Scott and Stoddard counties. The CHNA identified the following priority needs and associated health needs in the region: cancer, obesity, chronic diseases and health-care affordability.

The assessment is part of a requirement by the Internal Revenue Service for not-for-profit hospitals across the country. The assessments are available to the public at sfmc.net.

Reporting simplified for some farmers

A new initiative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture allows farmers and ranchers filing crop acreage reports with the Farm Services Agency and participating insurance providers approved by the Risk Management Agency to file at one office, rather than both.

This new filing process is part of the USDA Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative. More than 93 percent of all annual reported acres to the FSA and RMA are eligible for the common data reporting. Producers still must visit both locations to validate and sign acreage reports or provide program-specific information.

Murphy Business owner recognized

Jennifer Hendrickson

Jennifer Hendrickson, business broker and owner of the Cape Girardeau Murphy Business office, has been recognized as a Multimillion Dollar Producer.

Hendrickson has been helping clients buy and sell businesses since 2010, when she was affiliated with Murphy Business and Financial Corporation.

In her regional office, she facilitates transactions across the country.

The Multimillion Dollar Producer Award, presented at the Murphy Business annual conference, recognizes business brokers whose total transaction values surpassed $2 million in 2015.

Hertz closes in Cape

Hertz Car Rental at 879 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau has closed. A representative for the company confirmed the news, but a reason for the closure was not given.

Business licenses

• BerkLee Designs is a home-based, fashion-retail business owned by Berkeley and Cynthia Hight. The business opened June 1.
• Smokehouse 61, 2148 William St., is a restaurant owned by Dwight and Eileen Gates. The anticipated opening date is June 29.
• J.M, Karnes & Associates, dba Dockins Valuation Co., 1021 Kingsway Drive, Suite 2, is a commercial real-estate appraisal company owned by John M. Karnes, MAI. The anticipated opening date is today.
• Vision AutoWorks LLC, 2200 Big Bend Road, is a vehicle dealership owned by Garrett Seabaugh. It opened Jan. 1.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630