Small Farm Spotlight: Crossroads Farm and Garden

In this series, get to know more about the small farm operations that are using sustainable methods to help meet the local demand for fresh food. And meet the farmers that are making it happen!

Crossroads Farm and Garden, LLC, located just outside of Alma, is a Certified Naturally Grown operation with approximately 1/3 acre of growing space currently in use.

Andy Douglas recently transitioned into full time farming earlier this year. For the past three years, he has been farming part time, slowly building up the infrastructure, tools and experience he needed in order to be able to make the shift.

Having grown tired of the corporate world and presented with the idea that farming could be profitable, Andy began building the farm with the intention of eventually leaving his job with the railroad. In April of this year, Andy was laid off - providing him the opportunity to make his move into full time farming.

“I was laid off at the end of April,” Andy explained. “I’ve been enjoying every minute of it! I was in the position of being about to make the decision myself. It’s been a good transition period.”

“I really got started farming toward the end of last year ... making sure things are going to grow and making enough to sell, that kind of thing … and that got us to where we are now. I’m really enjoying it.”

Andy has started out small with plans to expand the farm in the coming years. Ultimately, he plans to grow crops on two to three acres and there are plans to expand the chicken operation, as well as, adding pastures for larger livestock down the road.

“Initially (farming) started out about the money,” Andy said. “I have a family, I have bills to pay, so I need the money. But then the more I realized how ‘dirty’ your conventional food is - it kind of changed course to ... we’ve got to get some better food to people. To my family, first of all, and then to my community and everyone else.”

“So then it became more about - I’ve got to figure out how to grow this right to make it better for everybody,” Andy continued. “And in the long run, it’s a lot more work now, but eventually, this starts taking care of itself. You don’t have to put as many inputs, you don’t have synthetic chemicals and fertilizers coming out here.”

Andy doesn’t have a farming background, but he has learned a lot by networking with other farmers and through trial and error on his own farm. “I’ve networked so much and you learn so much that way… it’s amazing how you network with people and they’re so helpful” “I really didn’t have any experience,” Andy said. “I knew about nematodes and I knew they were bad - that was really all I knew about growing.”

The farm currently produces seasonal vegetable crops and fresh eggs. You can follow them on Facebook. Crossroads Farm and Garden, LLC is a member of the Way Green local food coalition and their products can be found through the Way Green

markets.

Andy Douglas with wife Erin and daughters Abigail and Aubrey