Ron Ellerman

We are looking for 40+ acres in Northern Michigan to build a working homestead focused on healthy soil, responsible animal care, and long-term land stewardship. We currently spend our summers in Northern Michigan and are planning to relocate there full-time as we establish this next chapter.

Our plan is to use regenerative farming practices in a way that improves the land instead of wearing it out. We want to rotate animals across pasture to naturally fertilize and rebuild soil, reduce chemical use, and encourage biodiversity. We plan to raise pasture-based chickens for both eggs and meat, followed by pigs managed in a way that supports wooded areas and open pasture. Over time, we would like to add cattle suited to Michigan’s climate and grazing seasons.

We also plan to grow a wide range of vegetables and fruits for both personal use and local sales. This includes garden crops, berries, and cold-hardy fruit trees. We are interested in planting orchards and maintaining forested areas for long-term timber, wildlife habitat, and natural wind protection.

The ideal property would have a mix of open ground and wooded land, good soil for growing, and access to reliable water. We are especially interested in land that has not been heavily chemically treated and that offers room to develop rotational grazing and simple farm infrastructure over time.

We are new to homesteading and are actively seeking land along with mentorship opportunities to help us learn and grow responsibly. Our goal is to build a diversified, family-run homestead that produces food, improves soil health, and respects the land for future generations.

I do have some farm experience albeit as a kid being raised in a farming community and working on local farms with cows, pigs and planting crops. 

My wife and I both worked in the EMS field in the Detroit area for many years before moving to the Gaylord area in 2017 working in the local hospitals. We have been traveling full-time for the last 4 years as my wife works as a travel nurse. The last 2 years have been exclusively between Northern Michigan and Arizona. I have owned a mobile RV repair business for 2 years with service areas in North central Arizona and Northern Michigan servicing all areas from Gaylord to traverse city and Mackinaw to Cadillac. 

We are now ready to return to northern Michigan and start this new chapter in our lives.