Ottawa County’s Breakfast on the Farm is right around the corner

Mary Dunckel, Michigan State University Extension - June 14, 2017

Michigan State University Extension, Ottawa County Farm Bureau and the Van Dyke family invite you to a day of learning and fun at J&J Dairy in Marne, Michigan on Saturday, June 24.

Photo by Michigan State University Extension

Now in its ninth year, Breakfast on the Farm organizers are getting ready to welcome visitors to the 36th event in Michigan. Breakfast on the Farm is a free, fun and family-friendly event for people of all ages to enjoy. In fact, since its inception, 80,854 visitors have had the opportunity to see first-hand how farmers take care of their animals and the environment in order to produce safe, wholesome and nutritious food.

J&J Dairy is owned and operated by brothers, Dave, Daniel and Tim Van Dyke and their wives, Cori, Cindy and Sharon. Purchasing the farm in 1991 from their parents, the brothers are the second generation on the farm which has a milking herd of 650 cows. To feed the cows, they have 1,000 acres of land planted in corn and alfalfa. J&J dairy is a great example of a modern dairy farm in Michigan.

Breakfast on the Farm begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 1 p.m. The farm-cooked breakfast will be served until noon. Breakfast on the Farm is free, however tickets are required to eat breakfast. In Southwest Michigan, tickets are available at Farm Bureau Insurance and MSU Extension offices and at Macatawa Bank branches. Tickets are also available online. For a more detailed list of locations or to get online tickets visit the Breakfast on the Farm website.

On a special note, visitors planning to attend Breakfast on the Farm are asked to exercise caution as bicyclists participating in the MSU Gran Fondo or “Big Ride” event will be sharing the roads throughout Ottawa County.

Rain or shine, MSU Extension, Ottawa County Farm Bureau and the Van Dyke family are looking forward to seeing you at J & J Dairy on June 24! For more information about Breakfast on the Farm, contact Mary Dunckel (989)354-9875 or dunckelm@anr.msu.edu or Ashley Kuschel (586) 469-7616 or kuschela@anr.msu.edu.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).