SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — Michigan in summer is one of the great destination spots for travelers.
Why?
Let's count the ways...
Golf...check.
Watersports...check.
Resort life...check.
Cherries...check.
While you are counting the many opportunities to enjoy yourself, don't rule out blueberries! There are dozens of blueberry farms in southwest Michigan, but few have the outreach and popularity of DeGrandchamp Farms.
Legacy farmer Mike DeGrandchamp will tell you that Michigan blueberries aren't just good...they are the best in the world.
"Well, you've got the proper conditions here. We got the naturally sandy acidic soils that are along Lake Michigan. We've got Lake Michigan giving us a microclimate on this side of the lake, so we have ideal soils and growing conditions for blueberries," DeGrandchamp said. "That's why the blueberry industry started right along the lakeshore here back in the '30s, and it's continued ever since."
PHOTOS: DeGrandchamp Farms
DeGrandchamp isn't stretching the truth. The farm is a one-stop-shop for "You-Pick," retail purchasing, production lines and even sending blueberries from other farms to stores across the country. The family takes that responsibility seriously and has built generations of customers. They serve families that have visited for decades and families that work for them. Through all the changes, DeGrandchamp said it is the continuing dedication of new generations of family members that make this all work.
"My folks bought this original farm right where we're standing, 1958. So, these bushes behind us here, were there in '58, I got a picture of my grandmother and a Dominican nun, probably standing right here in 1958, and they're way over the head. So, we're estimating these bushes here, about 85 years old now," DeGrandchamp said. "There's the old Jersey variety, which was originally planted in Michigan, some of the first varieties that were ever introduced. We got a great third-generation coming up, all interested in the farm and work. They've worked on the farm as they grew up. You know, all our kids had to work. And so you work for Uncle Mike or Uncle Joe, and we put you to work, you know, in 'You-Pick' or in the market or anything. And so I grew up, and thankfully, they all want to be in the business."
This third-generation runs the store, the production area in the main building and even supervises the careful, modern machine picking of the fields with huge machines that treat the blueberries gently despite the roar that can be heard for miles.
Katie Craig had been living out of state for a while, but the appeal of her family and of getting back to Michigan was overwhelming. She's back, managing production and looking at an operation with 42 acres of berries and 94 pickers, as well as folks in packing those blueberry pallets. They pack berries for Midwest stores like Costco and Kroger, and even though the operation constantly changes, Craig said she loves the family involvement in making the business work.
"We've been farming for 65 years. I'm third-generation, so we're carrying on the family tradition," Craig said. "I grew up on the farm, and I loved being here as a kid, spending time here, even being away. I always felt drawn to come back, so we got to keep the tradition alive."
They are. Like most businesses, DeGrandchamp Farms is seeing an end to the lag in business from COVID-19 and is doing well. A look at the "You-Pick" parking lot brings license plates from many states, including Indiana.
This legacy business is one of the draws to this part of Michigan. It's more than just sweet-tasting berries: It's a reflection of a love of cousins to keep family close through a business.