Leelanau’s newest cherry farmers laud farm diversification

By Abby Chatfield

Sun contributor

In Leelanau County, the first question usually asked after meeting another resident isn’t “What do you do for a living?” Instead, an initial greeting is often followed by, “How long has your family lived here?” Just read the opening of most local politicians’ bios next election to understand the importance many people around here attach to this information. What constitutes “local” is an entirely different discussion according to who you ask, how long their family has been here, and in what capacity. If you are familiar with any of this, then you may understand my surprise upon first meeting Sarah Hallstedt of Hallstedt Homestead Cherries (HHC).

It was midwinter and I was sitting in her kitchen with a group of strangers, waiting for one of Sarah’s popular sourdough bread workshops to begin, when she presented us with her opening question. “How long have you lived here?” We took turns answering this simple question with long-winded answers as we each tried to explain our connection to the area. I was caught by surprise when Sarah shared that the HHC is a first-generation cherry farm established less than two decades ago. I had assumed they were old timers with roots deep in the local soil, probably because they own a working farm nestled in a pocket of Leelanau County known as home to some of its oldest commercial farms. What really caught my attention was the Hallstedt’s crop of choice: a fruit that has suffered over the last decade or more, and that many local farmers are choosing to leave behind, not adopt as a centerpiece in their lineup.

The cherry industry took off in Leelanau around the turn of the 20th century and began to dominate the landscape. Although the dominant crops have phased in and out of production over time, with different varieties taking the lead and changing the local landscape’s aesthetic, everyone alive today with a connection to Leelanau County is also connected to the cherry tree. Blanketing the land here for over a century, the cherry worked its way into the center of popular perception, lodging itself in our collective memories, dreams and visions of this place. Before cherries, it was something else that took the spotlight and changed the land over time by its very existence.

First generation cherry farmers are an anomaly in Leelanau these days. As far as they are aware, the Hallstedts were the “last in before doors slammed and prices dropped.” They knew most of the challenges involved with cherry farming in the early 2000s, when they began to look for the right piece of property to start their retirement career as farmers, but at the time it did not deter them. They performed a business case with MSU extension, local growers and fruit distributors from around Michigan. As Phil put it, “We felt we had a good business plan, but that was in 2006. We fell in love with the fruit and the community, and we are just stubborn.”

After purchasing 53 acres of agriculturally zoned property in northern Leelanau with decrepit tart cherry orchards on it, the Hallstedts began work transforming it into their future home. They traveled over 400 miles north from Indianapolis, young kids in tow, to work the new property. On weekends and long “vacations” up north, old orchards were pulled, piled and burned. Tons of rocks were collected, mostly by the kids as they ran behind a tractor for miles. Then the soil was disced, leveled and planted with several turns of cover crops. Four years later, the land was finally ready for planting the new tart cherry orchards, which then took two years. The Hallstedts questioned along the way but, after all that work, started harvesting in 2015.

Although transplants to the county, the Leelanau farming community instantly welcomed them. The Hallstedts were mentored by neighboring farmers, researchers from Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center near Bingham Road, and other locals with knowledge of what it takes to farm cherries. “The farm provided an immediate community,” Sarah said. “The Leelanau farming community works well together. They’re collaborators.”

In 2018, labor costs became restrictive and the cost to farm was increasing. According to Sarah, cherry prices came down due to bumper crops from the west coast flooding the market. Then Covid-19 emerged, which triggered the start to their new model of farming. By 2020, HHC transitioned to all u-pick.

“No one could predict labor costs skyrocketing, weather changes, costs going up. Then the global pandemic threw an extra wrench into it,” shared Phil. Although HHC’s official motto is “One Fruit, Many Memories,” they now offer a variety of fruit, flowers and other goods as well. No longer a wholesale cherry farmer, their business is firmly rooted in agritourism and direct farm-to-consumer retail. The u-pick business grew to eight varieties of premium sweet and tart cherries, thornless raspberries, and over 100 varieties of flowers. The couple picked up part time jobs off the farm, at the same time adding even more work to their farm business by vending at the weekly farmers’ market in Northport, selling their handmade wreaths during the holidays, offering workshops, managing a flower and cherry CSA program, hosting a speaker series by firelight, coordinating small and private events, and developing new products. The farm hosted an 800-person event for NYT Cooking in summer 2023. Sarah said, “We are set up to do that. It wasn’t loud. There was no alcohol. People are still mentioning that to us.”

In 2024, HHC plans to announce a new product they have been working on for a while. Phil calls it a “value-added product that we could collaborate with other farmers to increase their pricing long term,” although the Hallstedts are not yet announcing what it is. “We would use their cherries as well as ours and give them a better price than what is on the market. Long term, the goal is to help local farmers secure better pricing for their fruit.”

The Hallstedts are not unique as farmers who must work off farm to supplement their main livelihood. As Phil said, “We need commodity farming, but the economic pressures are such that we need to have ways for farmers to diversify farming income on the farm. 70% of farmers have to work off the farm.”

They believe that part of the solution is farm stays, defined as any form of accommodation on a working farm. With input from MSU, the Hallstedts have already worked over four years to change their (Leelanau Township) township’s policies regarding overnight stays on agriculturally zoned land. Centerville is the only township in Leelanau County that allows camping on agricultural land, and this just happened in the last couple of years. They are interested in working with other farmers in other townships to get it passed across the board.

“The agricultural properties, people want for them to be viable and strong, but they don’t want high-impact, high-density events. What we’re striving to do is come up with ways that small farms can come up with low density operations. We can remain farmers through low impact, low density activities. Like four campsites on 50 acres,” Phil proposed. “We have to work with local planning commissions and submit recommendations to allow this to happen.”

If you’d like to get to know HHC, visit the farm’s website to see its calendar of happenings from now through end of summer: hhcherries.net/visit/events/ Visit the farm at 8227 N. Matheson Rd. in Northport.

HHC accepts volunteers of all experience levels and show their gratitude with perks such as picking wild edibles on the property, making maple syrup and an abundance of free cherries and flowers. Phil said, “We value land, we value access, and joy. That’s what we’re about.”