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Join Us for a Winter Escape: Greenhouse Tour & Planting

Are the winter blues getting you down? We have just the remedy!
Join us for an exclusive Winter Escape: Greenhouse Tour & Planting event, where you can step into our cozy greenhouses and leave the winter chill behind.
Discover the hidden wonders of our vibrant winter garden, get hands-on with planting your very own microgreens to take home, and learn about the fascinating world of indoor gardening.
Date: February 15, 2025
Time: 10:00am
Location: The Greenhouse – 12251 Tyler Street, Holland, MI 49424. (Please note this is a different location than our main farm.)
Cost: $15.00/person
What: I will be giving a tour of our greenhouses to a small group of people.  Then you will have the opportunity to get your hands in the dirt and plant your own pot of microgreens you will be able to take home. I expect the tour/planting to be about an hour long.
Get your tickets HERE.
Don’t miss out on this unique winter adventure! Embrace the warmth, breathe in the fresh greenery, and take home a piece of the experience.
Tickets are very limited so order now and secure your spot for a fun winter escape.
I look forward to seeing you there!

Memories & Growing: A Family Farm Story

Last week I spent some time at my grandma’s house.  We were chatting and ended up talking about family history and she got out a box of pictures.  We spent a couple of hours looking at all the pictures dating back to the late 1800’s. We even found an original marriage license from 1876!
Old photos have a way of telling powerful stories – it reminded me how deeply rooted farming traditions can be. Today, I’d love to share a piece of Crisp Country Acres’ history with you.

The VanderZwaag Homestead

The family settled on this piece of land after the civil war.  It is thought that Bartelt VanderZwaag used the money he made from fighting in the Civil War to purchase the land on 120th Ave, just down the hill in Crisp, Michigan

The VanderZwaag Homestead

This is the second barn, as the first one burned down.  Do you recognize it?  It is still there today!  Next time you are at the farm look at the peak of the barn, you can see the year 1899 carved into it.  This barn has seen alot of changes over the years.  Now it holds our coolers and cold storage.

Since immigrating here from the Netherlands in the 1850’s the family has been farming! They raised hay, wheat, corn, soy beans, pickles, beef, pork and it was even a dairy for a while.

Today, we are still farming the same fields that our ancestors did almost 150 years ago. I often look at the pear tree that is on the side of the field.  Wondering how many generations ago that it was planted.  Wondering how many of our family rested under that tree, enjoying the tasty fruit. We will forever be grateful for the generations that worked so hard for this farm.

In 2013, we started Crisp Country Acres with a simple mission: connecting families with fresh, delicious and trustworthy produce.
What makes us different? We don’t just want to grow food.  We want to grow HEALTHY food. 
 Food that is full of nutrients and flavor. While there are several things that we are focusing on this year Regenerative Farming is at the top of the list.
I will be sharing more about how we are doing that over the next few months.  We want to make sure that our produce not only tastes good but is full of the nutrients that your family needs.  All the while, taking good care of our soil so that our family can continue to farm here for the next 150 years.
THANK YOU for your support over the years!  We are looking forward to a fantastic growing season.

🌟 Join Our Elite CSA Members This Summer! 🌟

🌟 Join Our Elite CSA Members This Summer! 🌟 Want to be part of our CSA and pay upfront for the entire season? Here’s your chance! Sign up early to become one of our elite members! Early sign-ups will receive a gift card in the mail to use at any of the markets ($40 gift card for weekly shares & $20 gift card for bi-weekly shares). Plus, enjoy special discounts and surprises throughout the summer season. 🎁💌 2025 Summer Sign Up Form

By supporting local agriculture, you’ll enjoy the freshest, in-season produce by joining our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Receive a diverse assortment of our farm’s finest vegetables and fruits, straight from our fields to your table, throughout the growing season. The summer CSA program will be 26 weeks – running the week of May 4 – the week of October 27, 2025. How It Works:

  1. Complete and Submit the 2025 Summer Sign Up Form: Fill out the form and mail it along with your check to: 12251 Tyler Street, Holland, MI 49424. Alternatively, you can drop off the form and payment at the farm: 5888 120th Ave, Holland
  2. Check Your Email: You’ll receive a confirmation email from our CSA software, CSAware. 💌

Note: This offer is exclusive for members paying for the full summer upfront with cash or check. If you prefer to pay weekly with a credit card, no worries! We’ll roll out those signups soon and notify you via email. 📧

The deadline for this offer is February 8, 2025.  The regular CSA sign up will begin the following week.

Looking forward to a summer filled with delicious fruits & veggies!🍓🍅🥦

Snow Day Coloring Pages

Hey there, snowed-in families! We know cabin fever might be setting in, so we’ve got just the thing to keep the kids entertained—and give parents a bit of a breather.
 
🖍️ Here are some fun coloring pictures for your kids. Download, print, and let them color their hearts out. When they’re done, bring those beautiful creations back to our farm or markets.
 
🌟 By returning the colored pictures, your kids will have a chance to win a prize in our special drawing. Add some excitement to these snowy days!
 
Stay warm and keep coloring! ☃️

Inside the Greenhouse: Beating the Winter Chill

I hope this email finds you well and warm during these chilly winter days.
While winter has its firm grip outside, inside our greenhouse, it’s a whole different story. I’m excited to share some updates and photos sharing the vibrant growth happening in our cozy corner.

 

This beautiful red lettuce is used in our salad mix.

 

Radishes growing in the greenhouse.

 

Check out these tomatoes!  They are the first group we have growing in the greenhouse.

 

Now harvesting fresh celery & green onions from the greenhouse!

 

These are the frist

Give this root vegetable recipe a try!

We are deep in the middle of root vegetable season, and I wanted to share a simple and delicious recipe you can try with our current harvest.

Roasted Root Vegetable Medley
Ingredients:
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium-sized red onion, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and red onion.
Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and golden brown, stirring halfway through.
Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Pick up all these root veggies at the markets this week to give it a try.  Let us know what you think!

Welcome to the club!

Happy New Year! The holidays were great, we enjoyed a couple of slower weeks, but I am looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule and knowing what day it is. 🙂

I wanted to send out a message and let you know that our Market Club is open to new members!

Imagine having access to the freshest, locally-sourced produce and enjoying exclusive savings—all while supporting your community. By joining our Market Club, this is exactly what you’ll experience. Join now!

Here’s how our Market Club benefits you:

  • Farm-Fresh Produce: You are able to use your Market Card on all of the products we have available.
  • Convenience at Its Best: Shop at your convenience using your Market Club card at the Market at the Farm, Muskegon Farmers Market, Kalamazoo Farmers Market, and Kalamazoo Winter Market.
  • Exclusive Savings: You will receive 5% added to your card—just our way of saying thank you for your loyalty. So, if you purchase a $400 card, you will receive a card with $420.

Seasonal Updates: Stay informed with monthly emails detailing what’s in season and featuring delicious, farm-to-table recipes to inspire your cooking.

There are 3 size to choose from:

  • $600
  • $400
  • $200

Don’t forget, 5% of your purchase price will be added to your card! The card will never expire.

How It Works for You:

  1. Join the Club: Sign up effortlessly on our website.
  2. Get Your Card: Your Market Club card will arrive within a week, ready for you to start shopping.
  3. Enjoy the Best: Use your card at any of our locations to purchase the finest farm-fresh products.
  4. Reap the Benefits: Take home delicious, healthy food and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly where your food comes from.

Sign Up Today: Take the next step towards a healthier, more delicious lifestyle. Visit our website to learn more and join the Market Club today!

What is my farmer’s least favorite thing to do?

Sitting behind a desk! (Well, that and going to the grocery store, but that’s a story for another day!)

He would so much rather be working in the field, taking care of the crops or fixing equipment.  But this time of year, time in the office is needed.

It’s time to place our seed orders. He spends countless hours poring over five different seed catalogs. When choosing seeds, there are several important factors to consider:
Day Lengths: Different varieties mature at different times. For instance, this year we’re growing three types of white cauliflower. Twister takes 77 days, Freedom takes 70 days, and Carlota takes just 55 days. This difference is significant, especially early in the season when we eagerly anticipate fresh cauliflower. So, when you see the first white cauliflower at our market tables next summer, you’ll know it’s the 55-day Carlota!
Features: We consider various qualities like color, size, disease resistance, and other characteristics. For example, Twister Cauliflower is self-wrapping, meaning the leaves naturally twist around the head, keeping it that beautiful white color. We love this feature because it saves us the effort of tying the leaves around each head.
New Varieties: Each year, seed companies introduce new varieties with improved features. It’s essential for us to evaluate these and decide whether to incorporate them into our crops. Additionally, trying new seeds is crucial as a backup plan in case of crop failures, which can sometimes prevent us from getting our usual seeds. For instance, last season, there was a seed crop failure of our favorite greenhouse slicer tomato, leaving us without seeds. Thankfully, we had tested a few other varieties and knew which ones we liked, providing us with backup options.
Cost: Seed costs can vary significantly between companies. Given the volume of seeds we order, comparing prices is crucial. This practice saves us thousands of dollars each year.
Changes: We also consider whether there are crops we want to reduce or increase in quantity. For example, we plan to plant more rutabaga this year, so he needs to order more seeds than last year.
Once Mitch decides on the varieties, it’s time to create a seeding schedule. We plan week by week, determining which varieties of each crop to plant. As a planner, I love having the entire year’s seeding schedule mapped out.

Each seed variety has a unique name. Some of my favorites this season are Jwingma Cabbage, Box Fish Spinach, and Sparkle Cherry Tomatoes. Then there are names like SV2146VB Spinach, which make me wonder how they come up with these names!

Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at ordering seed.  It’s a pretty big deal around here. And my farmer is VERY thankful to have it done so he can move on to more fun winter projects. 🙂

PS: We will be at the Kalamazoo Winter Market & Muskegon Farmers Market again starting January 11.  If you need any veggies before then stop out at the Market at the Farm!

Avoid the busy lines, shop at the farm!

As the holiday season gets busier, we’d like to offer you a stress-free alternative: Shop at the Market at the Farm!

Kathy has created great gift ideas, ready for you to pick up. You can also choose some of your favorites, and she’ll gladly arrange and wrap them up for you.

Here’s what you’ll find at our farm:

  • A variety of fresh veggies
  • Apples & frozen fruit
  • Milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, & egg nog
  • Soups
  • Take & bake pizzas
  • Quiche
  • Beef, pork, chicken, & fish
  • Beef jerky, summer sausage, & meat sticks
  • Bread, cinnamon rolls, & muffins
  • Canned Goods
  • Pies
  • Granola
  • Chips & soda
  • Raw honey
  • Maple syrup
  • Pasta & pasta sauce
  • Coffee & tea
  • Kettle corn & cotton candy
  • Homemade fudge

Our hours this week are:

  • Monday: 8am – 7pm
  • Tuesday: 8am – 4:30pm
  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: 8am – 6pm
  • Friday: 8am – 6pm
  • Saturday: 8am – 5pm


And don’t miss out on a special visit from Santa on Monday, from 5 – 7pm! Come to the farm to meet Santa, make Christmas ornaments, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, and visit the animals in our beautifully decorated barn.

Thank you for your continued support this year. We can’t wait to see you at the farm!

Merry Christmas!

Celery Root

I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to one of the hidden gems of our farm: celery root.

Celery root is an incredibly versatile and nutritious vegetable that often goes unnoticed. With its mild celery flavor and a hint of nuttiness, it can add depth and richness to a variety of dishes. Whether added to soups, roasted, mashed, or used raw in salads, celery root is a fantastic ingredient that can elevate your culinary creations.

Here’s a simple and delicious Chicken Noodle Soup recipe idea to get you started.

We believe that once you try our celery root, you’ll love its unique flavor and versatility. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you’d like more recipe ideas.

Pick up some celery root at the markets this week!

  • Market at the Farm:  Monday – Friday, 8am -6pm & Saturday, 8am – 5pm.
  • Muskegon Farmers Market:  Saturday, 8am – 1pm.
  • Kalamazoo Winter Market: Saturday, 8am – 1pm.

Thank you for supporting local agriculture!

PS:  Shop at the farmers markets this weekend.  HERE is where you can find us.