About
After spending years driving around Northern Michigan and learning about the variety of small towns, land forms, soil types, and micro-climates, we fell in love with a tiny little schoolhouse at the corner of two fairly busy roads. The land is beautiful, and following the road's namesake, the view certainly is pleasant.
After digging deeper, it appears that this was once a large family farm, spanning nearly 600 acres. With a mix of woods and fields, livestock pasture was the primary agricultural exploit. Utilizing the landforms and topography, combined with scientific advances, we hope to have an orchard, vineyard, grazing land, maple syrup production, and sustainably managed wood harvesting.
This site is to serve as an outline, resource, and diary of the incredible experience of combining old and new, experimenting in agriculture and utilizing an otherwise abandoned landscape for beautiful fresh food production and healthy living.
History
This schoolhouse, originally known as the "Ely School" was built sometime in the 1860s. It was used as a school until the 1930s, when Pellston Schools consolidated. The building was used as a Grange Hall, connecting nearby farming families over the following five decades. An Ohio family with a cottage on Lark's Lake bought it in the 1970s, utilizing it for storage with long-term plans to restore the structure. During this time it was boarded up and well secured. They bought the surrounding 18 acres from a nearby farmer who needed funds for a project. The structure largely sat dormant during this time.
In 2017 we saw the structure had been listed and had a drastic price reduction, only we were travelling in another continent. The weekend after our return, we inspected the place and immediate placed an offer. The rest is history!
The future
I’ll only work with the best materials available and provide a 1 year guarantee on all labor. I never compromise quality for time and give my clients realistic schedules that accommodate their lives. I strive for honest customer service, so contracts are only paid in full when the finished work is to your complete satisfaction.
SEE the progress
About Us
Darin and Suzanna
We're a young couple who met on an urban farm just outside of Downtown Detroit. We've adopted 4 "Detroit Dogs"