09/16/2025
👆🏾This is first-gen farming. This is starting from scratch.
This weekend we found ourselves in Shelby Township, dismantling a FB Marketplace 8x12 walk-in cooler, loading it into a U-Haul, and hauling it back Up North (while also double-checking when our last tetanus shot was). Was this our first time spending a weekend moving random, heavy farm things? Not even close.
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴? Land access is one of the biggest barriers for new and beginning farmers. And while we’ve found a way onto land, we’re building the farm from the ground up. Having zero infrastructure adds a whole other layer of complexity—water, electricity, storage, equipment, irrigation, cooler space…the list goes on.
These are things many multi-generational farms already have in place. And honestly, if we had to do it all over again (and our budget could swing it), we’d try our best to purchase an existing farm. If you or someone you know is in that stage, here’s a natural plug for who helps Michigan farmers with exactly that.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄? 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.
✨𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦: We also met Fred—a retired farmer, jack-of-all-trades, and total gem. He shared stories from his family’s 58-year farmstand and even rolled in with his hi-lo to move some of the cooler panels. His generosity and camaraderie were the highlight of the weekend!
