07/09/2026
I worked for Michael Moody between 1993 and 1997.. He hired me to work at the Broad River Outpost. I thought that ment a 2 day a week job for the summer . Turned out to be 4 years of fun / "Everyday is Saturday " was the moto . Looking back on it I am pretty sure The initial reason he hired me was because I had really good w**d. The reason I stayed was it became more of an apprenticeship-mentor type of program, more than a job. Cultivate Supply, or Royal Gold , Growers Coco might not exist ,if it wasn't for Michael Moody Mentorship program .
Michael taught me every aspect of running a business from hiring employees to running marketing campaigns. He taught me how to wire trailers and jack up foundations of houses. We salvaged cars from junkyards and scored old clothes from Salvation Army (70s polyester is really good Winter River Wear). I learned how to tie almost anything to the roof rack of a Volkswagen rabbit.
I think we paddled every single river in South Georgia in the winters of 95 and 96. Ohoopee to the Altamaha. On those trips he shared with me his Direct action for political and social change. During the Vietnam war he attempted to burn down a draft office. He’s spent a couple years in jail for that . He was sorry how much hurt it caused in his family , yet he consider it his “service to the country.”
Years later he would walk through the forest that was scheduled to be logged and move back the boundary lines from any creeks or rivers. ( something I saw repeated during the timber wars in Northern California, Great Idea Moody )
He was a friendly farmer in his younger days . He fought the law , and he won. His stories of how they "used to do it " influenced and inspired me in my own Journey .
I had my first date with my wife on one of those trips. Date one was a friend date on the Altamaha . Date two sealed the deal with a fun moon canoe trip . I guess Michael was a match maker too.
I have many stories from those years, some funny, and some I could never tell.
The last time I saw Micheal, we went on a trip down to Saint Mary’s where he was developing an outfitter to rent kayaks and canoes for coastal trips. He wanted to go check out this cabin he built on a little river island. The river was flooded so we took a Jon boat instead of kayaks. The cabin was little more than four plywood walls and a slant plywood roof. We threw some roofing paper on it and called it good for the winter. We’re in this little Jon boat on the way back to camp and we saw a floating wooden full-size picnic table. Somehow, we managed to get the picnic table on top of this 12-foot Jon boat and take it all the way back to his campground. I’m pretty sure the picnic table was just as big as the boat. We must’ve been an odd sight to all who saw us that day, but we made it back to the camp without incident and I’m sure that picnic table is sitting at the campground today.
I meet Micheal Moody at the perfect time in my life . I needed some direction and a little polishing on the skills my parents and UGA had given me. Through his Mentorship I began to grow into the man I am today . I have picked up a few mentors along the way in my life , and I have tried to Mentor several people , over the years . This was the greatest gift I have ever received , and the most gratifying gift I have ever given . Thanks Micheal , see you down river .
Ever since he was a kid, Michael Moody was an adventurer. At age 14 he built a foldable kayak and, despite it not being a whitewater boat, paddled the rapids of the Potomac River. The resulting crash of his kayak did not deter him. His love of nature, paddling and the thrill of exploration led to a....
