Farm Field Trips

Students walk along a dug pond where wild wetland plants are being cultivated at WildType Nursery — Touring Wild Type Nursery, which specializes in wild harvested native plants for prairie restoration and pollinator support.

A group of people standing in a hoop house, around a table of baby lettuce transplants. — Akello Karamoko (2nd from right) leading a 2019 tour of the Keep Growing Detroit farm for beginning farmers in the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program. From left: Devan Spence, Christian Frink, Heather Fuson, Heidi Bombrisk, Mikayla Rowden, Daniel Seggebruch, Bonnie Cheyne, Abby Chudnovsky, Akello Karamoko, Kristen Hoffman

Expect field trips to 20+ farms in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Southwest Michigan and a weekend trip to Traverse City. OFTP participants often list these field trips as a highlight of the program, giving them insights into many different ways to approach infrastructure, growing methods and other farm techniques. Each year, participants vote on farms to visit, but below is a list of typical farms.

Detroit

Keep Growing Detroit - Grows transplants for 2000 gardens in Detroit!
Fisheye Farms - No-till vegetables
D-Town Farm & Detroit Black Food Security Network - National leaders in addressing racism in the food and farming system
Tollgate Farm - Vegetables, livestock, education, events

Ann Arbor

Raindance Farm - U Pick flowers and U Pick vegetable CSA
Green Things Farm Collective - 5 Farm Owners collaborate to grow 3.5 acres of no-till vegetables & seed crops, beef on pasture
Nature & Nurture - Seeds!
Tantre Farm - 35 acres of vegetables and a mushroom forest

Lansing

Magnolia Farms - Urban farm, vegetables, medicinal herbs
4H Children's Garden - 1st children's garden in the US
Wildtype - Native plants & ecological restoration
Two Sparrows - Herdshare dairy, beef, hay

Grand Rapids

Green Wagon Farm - Vegetables, lean farming techniques
New City Farm - Vegetables, youth education, on-farm cafe
Shady Side Farm - Dry beans, lamb & beef on pasture
Crane Dance Farm - Animal Welfare Approved, rotationally-grazed livestock

SouthWest Michigan (Battle Creek/Kalamazoo)

Green Gardens - Vegetable farm and successful wedding venue
Tiller's International - Animal tillage and traditional skills, workshops, international tool research
KVCC ValleyHub - Hydroponics, auquaponics, food hub, education
Kellogg Biological Station - Pastured dairy with robotic milking equipment, cover crop research

Traverse City

Coveyou Scenic Farm
Bear Creek Organics – Microgreens, transplants, garlic, honey and vegetables
Spirit of Walloon – 1.5 acres of intensive vegetables & cut flowers
Providence Farm – Tractor-scale vegetable & livestock farm with on-farm deli
Buckwheat’s Market Garden – Vegetable farm
9 Bean Rows – Vegetable Farm with an on-farm bakery and café
Green Bird Cellars – Organic vineyard and winery
Birch Point Farm – farm owned by MSU Student Organic Farm’s first farm manager
Loma Farm – Vegetable farm with a nearby farm-to-table restaurant
GrowBenzie – Community non-profit with an incubator farm and farmers’ market onsite
May Farm – Pastured poultry and rotationally grazed sheep