Episode 3: John “Glad” Castellaw (USMC)

From driving mules to mechanization, from stuffing fresh-picked cotton in his shirt to keep him warm at night to enclosed, climate-controlled tractor cabins, it was impressive to see how far agriculture had come over the years through John’s stories.

My guest for this episode was John Castellaw – Co-Founder and CEO for Farm Space Systems and retired Marine Corps 3-Star General. For 36 years, John led Marines around the world from a unit of 40 young men and women to a Marine Aircraft Wing of over 7,000. He flew over two dozen different aircraft during his tenure, served on the UN staff during the Siege of Sarajevo, executed humanitarian operations in Asia, Africa, and Europe, and commanded the American forces in stability and security operations in East Timor. John also served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Central Command during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even more impressive than reliving the evolution of agtech through the stories of a single man was to see John’s realization that we can’t keep beating the dirt into submission. He fundamentally understands that we need to adopt more regenerative and sustainable practices, a sentiment not always shared by multi-generational farmers.

John takes me through his upbringing on the same cotton farm in W. Tenn where we reside now and how these experiences drove him into service and ultimately led him back to the farm after nearly 40 years. This interview is filled with words of wisdom about life and business tied up in stories such as ag as a component of national security, the importance of servant leadership, and the military’s advances in technology which are being more widely adopted within ag.

My favorite story involved a well drilling unit and a veterinarian in East Africa.

Have a listen to find out how it ends!