Kid Ranch CSA Farm

For years, Pete has enjoyed working with plants, starting his first business at age 10, growing and selling cucumbers. After marrying Jill, who also had fond memories of gardening, the couple's passion for homegrown vegetables and self-sufficiency led to the creation of their farm. Their friends' interest in their nutritious food turned into a business, evolving into a CSA and herdshare program. The farm is a family effort, with everyone pitching in, from weeding to harvesting.

The farm follows sustainable, transparent agriculture by adhering to the natural cycle of life in their gardens. Plants grow using sun, rain, and natural soil nutrients, with waste recycled back into the soil. Pests are managed through healthy growing conditions, predation, row covers, hand picking, and organic sprays. Animals are pastured, with cows receiving a small amount of non-GMO grain during milking and hay or baleage when pasture growth is insufficient. Transparency is emphasized by inviting customers to visit and see their food's origins.

Michigan law prohibits the sale of unprocessed milk but allows herdshare arrangements, enabling members to share in the ownership of dairy cows and access creamy, unprocessed milk. The farm currently has six dairy cows, including purebred Jerseys and Jersey/Brown Swiss mixes, providing herdshare members with milk all year long. The family also grows an assortment of flowers and keeps bees, adding to the farm's diversity and ecological balance.