Experienced grower seeking land in Southwest Michigan to establish a diversified organic orchard with integrated livestock grazing and agritourism. Vision includes a wide variety of fruits, rotationally grazed cattle and pigs, and community-focused experiences like U-pick and cider. Looking for landowners interested in sustainable, regenerative farming and long-term stewardship.
Preferred location: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ottawa, St. Joseph, Van Buren
Desired Transitional Agreement: Lease to buy
Sep 1, 2025
Desired Acreage
- 5-10 Acres
- 11-25 Acres
Desired Infrastructure
Desired Land Usage
Goals, Values, Vision
My family and I are dreaming of building a farm in Southwest Michigan that blends community, nature, and good food. Together with my wife and our 5-year-old, I want to create a diverse organic orchard with everything from apples and peaches to pawpaws, gooseberries, and juneberries. Between the rows, small cattle and pasture pigs will rotationally graze, keeping the land healthy and the soil alive.
We imagine families visiting for U-pick, wagon rides, and cider, while also experiencing a farm that shows how people and nature can thrive together. With years of experience in organic cultivation and a background in permaculture, I bring the skills to make this vision real—but at its heart, this is about creating a place where our family, and the wider community, can grow alongside the land.
Farming Status
Current Farming Status
Full Time
Farm Experience/Education
Farm employee, Farm internship/apprenticeship, Farm owner, Farm management
Farming Plans and Practices
Farming Method
Certified Organic
My farming approach is rooted in regenerative and organic practices. Orchard rows will be planted with diverse fruit species, using appropriate spacing to balance airflow, sunlight, and efficient harvest. Livestock—small-frame cattle and heritage pasture pigs—will rotationally graze alleys between tree rows, reducing mowing costs, cycling nutrients, and improving soil structure.
I will use cover crops and perennial groundcovers for erosion control, pollinator support, and nitrogen fixation. Soil fertility will be managed through compost, rotational grazing, and mulching rather than synthetic inputs. Pest and disease control will rely on integrated strategies: resistant cultivars, beneficial insect habitat, and targeted organic-approved sprays only when necessary.
The goal is to integrate fruit and livestock in a system that is both ecologically sound and economically viable, reducing outside inputs while increasing long-term productivity.
