They’ve been to Dearborn, Frankenmuth, Reese, Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, Mackinac City, Petoskey, Ellsworth, Manton, Traverse City, Hart, Shelby, Mears, Grand Rapids, Gobles and South Haven.
They’ve been everywhere, man.
Crossed the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, man.
For six days, 53 Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) members did their best Johnny Cash impression and toured much of Michigan, including agriculture stops at flour mills, pickle farms and apple orchards. Each year, the group travels to different parts of the country to learn about agriculture.
For the Alabama farmers of peanuts, cotton, timber and specialty crops, Michigan is more diverse than they thought, said Hope Cassebaum, ALFA’s Baldwin County president.
“We have enjoyed meeting the local farmers and learning about their operations,” Cassebaum told Michigan Farm News. “I have learned some new practices to take back to Alabama.”
Cassebaum grows 100 acres of vegetables, including sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, peas, butter beans, squash, and cucumbers, among others.
“The thing that stood out to me (about Michigan) was the varying temperatures,” Cassebaum added. “It was cold in some places and in the next, it was hot. Also, everyone was so nice and friendly in Michigan.”
Wearing zip-ups and fleeces during a Michigan summer, the group stopped at Laracha Farms in Reese, where the Bauers harvested cucumbers. The process reminded the Alabama farmers of peanut farming.
“It was interesting learning what they do on their end with how they produce peanuts,” said Ted Bauer, an operator at the fifth-generation family farm. “I’ve never been exposed to that and their interest in how pickles are grown.”
Cucumber harvest happens 45 to 60 days after planting. Bauer said this year’s yields are in the 150- to 500-bushel range. Depending on the variety, harvest can last two days.
“It's been good and bad,” said Bauer, whose Laracha Farms also grows sugarbeets and dry beans. “We've had some phenomenal yields, and we've had some serious losses — fungus has been really bad this year.”
Star of the West’s flour mill, a vegetable processor, and a Christmas store larger than a Costco: They’ve been everywhere, man.
Of travel, they’ve had their share, man.
Like their stop at the Michigan Freeze Pack, an Oceana County farmer-cooperative that processes frozen vegetables.
“As farmers, we’re working to maintain profitability and survive,” said Darrin Driskell, an Alabama farmer.
“Alabama folks are in a similar position. A group of my peers launched a cooperative recently as well — a shelling company for peanut growers. During that stop, we learned a lot about asparagus, which most had never seen harvested or understood the commodity.”
They’ve been everywhere, man.
They’ve been everywhere.