Trust is Worth Much More

MOLLY STEPANSKI, NE Michigan Local Food Coordinator

In 2018 alone, 40-50 acres of farmland were lost every hour to development. For new farmers, the lack of available, affordable farmland makes it increasingly difficult to get started as a small family farm. However, the accessible, fertile land of Northeast Lower Michigan is attracting young, entrepreneurial families that want to make an impact.

Owners of Wandering Winds Farm in Spruce, Adam and Madeline Beckta, moved to the “Sunrise Side” because of the availability of land formerly part of the Fruit Belt. “If you want to afford a home and raise a family as someone who is not already set up, I can’t think of a better place to do it than here,” Adam remarks. The Becktas were able to purchase their property, build a house, and buy farming equipment for the same price as a tiny starter home in a big city.

To be closer to family, Daniel Moffatt, born and raised in Tawas, purchased farmland in Alpena County in 2016 with his wife, Kate. He states, “We want to start small and grow into something that supports other families in the community. We want to make an impact in our community and become a vessel for nutritious, healthy food.”

The Moffatts believe there is a shift in Michigan where people are more interested in where their food is coming from. According to Daniel, “people are starting to ask, ‘Why can’t I safely eat greens from the current industrial food system?’ People feel more confident in their local farmer - knowing that they can talk to that person, visit the farm, see how their food is grown, and trust that person. Trust is worth much more to people these days when it comes to their food and what they put in their bodies.”

As new parents and new farmers, Katherine and Zach Wilbur, enjoy the benefits of settling down in a rural community. They used State Wide Real Estate of Hawks to find their land for New Sun Farm and Woodland Confectionary in Rogers City. Neither of them grew up in agriculture. “I never tasted fresh spinach until I was 22,” says Katherine. “We’re adamant that our kids don’t live like that.” They have two children: Eric, 3, and Penelope, 1. “Eric is wandering around eating things he picks from our garden. With livestock, he is so aware that the meat he eats comes from our animals that have been raised the way we want. It’s a different understanding of the world.”

Every time you spend money, those dollars represent your values. Beginning family farms in the Northeast are invested in the future of the region. Supporting small food business owners reinstills trust in our food system. Every time you eat, this is an opportunity to have a direct impact on farmland, our environment, our livelihoods for generations to come, including for your own children.