A Keweenaw Peninsula farm is expanding its direct-to-consumer market with help from a state grant aimed at strengthening regional food systems.
Troemner Farms received $99,950 from Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as part of $2.3 million in Underserved, Value Added, Regional Food Systems and Supply Chains grants awarded statewide.
The funding will allow the diversified vegetable farm to transform its current farm stand into a larger farm store that will serve as a hub for local food producers and consumers seeking fresh, locally grown products.
“So currently we have a farm stand, but the farm store will be much larger,” said Claire Troemner, owner of Troemner Farms. “It’ll have two produce fridges, two freezers and lots of merchandising space. So we intend to carry local producers of all sorts of stuff, not just produce, but things like jams, granola, sweets, sourdough, eggs, all the good stuff.”
Troemner Farms practices regenerative farming techniques to improve soil health and nutrient content. The operation prioritizes pollinator health and soil microbiology while avoiding synthetic chemicals entirely.
“We do not spray any toxic chemicals. We don’t use them anywhere in the garden,” Troemner said. “Everything that touches our soil is organic. Even the chicken feed that we feed our chickens is organic, corn and soy free.”
The farm collaborates with multiple community programs, including food assistance initiatives with Aspirus, Copper Shores Meals on Wheels, and the Copper Country Intermediate School District’s Farm to School program. During winter, Troemner Farms visited Jeffers High School to educate students about regenerative agriculture and its environmental benefits.
“We visited them over the winter and talked about our regenerative farming here and how we take care of the planet and our plants,” Troemner said. “We did a hands-on exercise too. We made some of the value-added good cookies that we make. It’s really important to see small town agriculture as a viable option for these kids.”
The new farm store will extend access to locally sourced goods beyond traditional farmers market hours, addressing a unique challenge in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
“I think that we’re in a unique position up here where we’re remote,” Troemner explained. “So it’s important to get produce that is truly freshly picked. It loses nutrient density as it’s shipped, and folks here, they care about the customers that they see daily at market. And they have that conscience built in when they see the farmers or when they see the customers.”
When the farm store opens, it will showcase not only Troemner Farms’ products but also items from other local food producers, strengthening the Keweenaw Peninsula’s close-knit agricultural community. Learn more about the MDARD Underserved, Value-Added, Regional Food Systems and Supply Chain Grants here.
