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

 

Although most class days are spent at the MSU Student Organic Farm, expect field trips to visit 20+ farms during day trips to 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.

 

Detroit

  • Keep Growing Detroit - Grows transplants for 2000 gardens in Detroit!

  • Fisheye Farms - No-till vegetables

  • 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

  • p>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 

  • 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

About

Student Organic Farm

Farm and Farmer Development

Food Systems: Planning and Policy

Land and Credit Access