About Our Farm
Our
Story
Fruit Haven Orchards is a family-run farm located in the quiet countryside of Lawrence, Michigan. Our story starts with a simple idea: to grow good fruit and vegetables, take care of the land, and share the results with people who appreciate real flavor. For many years, our work was behind the scenes. We focused on wholesale production, supplying fresh fruit to Michigan packers, stores, and local buyers who depended on reliable quality.
As the seasons went by, our farm changed and so did we. What began as a few acres of trees has grown into a diverse operation that includes apples, peaches, cherries, plums, and a wide mix of vegetables. Some of what we grow are old, time-tested varieties that have nearly disappeared from modern orchards. Others are brand-new releases that represent the next generation of fruit breeding in the Great Lakes region. We like to think of our fields as a bridge between tradition and innovation, honoring what came before while experimenting with what comes next.
The farm has always been a family effort. As Dan writing this, my dad has been in the orchards since long before I can remember, and I grew up surrounded by fruit bins, tractors, and Michigan weather in every form. What I once saw as routine work eventually became a calling. I learned that farming is part science, part patience, and part faith. You can do everything right and still depend on the sun, the soil, and timing. That’s what keeps it humbling and keeps us learning every season.
A few years before I was born, we decided it was time to bring Fruit Haven closer to the community that supports us. Now you can find us at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market each week, at our small farm stand in Lawrence, in school lunch rooms, in food pantries, in restaurants and in your kitchen. We don’t host events or tours, but we love meeting people at the market who care about where their food comes from. Those conversations remind us why we do this, not just to produce crops, but to build something that connects people to the rhythm of Michigan’s growing season.
At Fruit Haven, everything begins and ends with the land. Every tree, every crop, and every decision is shaped by our respect for the soil that sustains us. We’re proud of what we grow, but even prouder of the care that goes into it. The world changes fast, but good fruit still takes time, and that’s something we’ll never rush.
Our History
1990s - today
Transition to retail
In the mid 1990s, the farm transitioned into a more direct retail and large order fulfillment model, with most sales being delivered via 1970s Ford F-250 trucks. In the 2000s, Bob transitioned the farm to offer more diverse and unique offerings such as vegetables and small summer fruits for the first time. In the mid 2000s, melons, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, eggplant, hot peppers, okra, sweet corn, and tens of other vegetable types were added to the farm. In addition, the farm expanded its fruit selection from Red Delicious and Gala etc. to over 20 varieties of apples, 10 varieties of plum, 5 of pear, 20 of peach and additionally expanded in unique offerings such as saskatoons, haskaps, chestnuts, fresh tart cherries, carolina reaper peppers and experimental apple varieties. The farm currently operates at the Kalamazoo Farmer's Market during their outdoor and indoor seasons, and at the farm stand, July through January.
1920s -1985
Fruit production begins and expands
In the 1940s, we expanded our offerings to include peaches and expanded our apple and cherry acreage, made possible by advancements in refrigeration and harvesting technology. As our fruit gained traction in the market, we shifted from local sales to wholesale, resulting in substantial growth fueled by the increased revenue from our endeavors. This led us to install substantial refrigeration capacity in the 1960s that allowed us to hold apples and peaches before transport via semi.
1913-1920s
The farm was started in Lawrence, Michigan, in 1913 on the hopes the fertile ground and good drainage on the numerous hills would yield well. Originally, the farm grew grain and vegetable crops. It was difficult to grow on the steep hills which led to home innovation in terraced plantings and irrigation via gravity. The grain would be sold locally where it would be transported by rail car or truck.
