“I Was Country Before Country Was Cool”

That’s the title of a classic Barbara Mandrell song—and I’ve always loved it. To me, it’s about more than music. It’s about seeing possibility before it’s obvious, acting on it before it’s popular, and combining your roots with a deep sense of purpose in the world.

My friend Ken Myska embodies this kind of innovation perfectly. His journey shows what happens when curiosity, experience, and conviction meet opportunity.

An Analogy in Real Life

If the song could be adapted to Ken’s life, it might go something like this: “I was a regenerative farmer and a farm-to-table restaurateur before it was cool.”

Ken’s path wasn’t straight or easy, but it was driven by insight and action long before the trend caught up. That’s the hallmark of real innovators—they don’t follow, they create.

Backstory: The Making of a Chef and Innovator

Ken started as a talented chef, training in a Michelin 3-star kitchen in Las Vegas. But his real innovation came not from the restaurant, but from noticing the small, everyday details that others overlooked. Hundreds of little experiences—memories, experiments, and questions—came together to create an epiphany: what if he could bring the freshest, healthiest ingredients directly from the farm to the table?

Ken grew up surrounded by farms in central Illinois. Even though his family weren’t farmers, the land shaped him. Early lessons in baking and cooking, paired with an adventurous curiosity, set the stage for his later discoveries.

During his chef training, Ken started growing herbs in his bedroom under heat lights. He sold them to his master chef, refining his understanding of flavor, freshness, and quality. That experience planted a seed: the connection between great food and how it’s grown.

Epiphany: Returning to His Roots

One day, while preparing a meal, Ken realized he could combine his culinary skills with lessons from the older farmers in his hometown. Why not start a farm, grow crops and livestock sustainably, and create a restaurant to showcase them? That moment sparked the creation of Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group.

Ken, his wife, and his best friend bought a small farm, embraced regenerative farming practices, and started building a system where nothing goes to waste. Their approach wasn’t just about saving money or efficiency—it was about nourishing people, improving health, and creating exceptional dining experiences.

By acting on his insight before anyone else recognized the opportunity, Ken transformed his idea into a thriving movement.

What People Desire: Food That Nourishes

Ken’s innovation wasn’t about preaching. It was about showing what’s possible through taste, quality, and accessibility. People naturally gravitated to the experiences he created, and the movement grew, demonstrating that leading with action often speaks louder than words.

The Ripple Effect: From One Farm to a Movement

Today, Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group includes multiple restaurants, a larger farm, and a growing community of people learning about sustainable food practices. What started as one person following a vision is now a model others emulate. Ken didn’t just anticipate a trend—he shaped it.

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