Brokaw Family Farms

Imagine rolling pastures, a run down barn, and a farm that has a whole legacy to tell. This is how it all started for Brokaw Family Farms. Located in the hills of Central Michigan, BFF was a diamond in the rough so to speak. With acres of opportunity awaiting, it was time to bring this beauty back to it's glory, and then some. 

In 2018, our passion has led us to bring back the Heritage of Brokaw Family Farms. BFF is now a diverse heritage farm in the beginning stages of becoming a truly amazing asset to the local community. We grow over 100 varieties of plants, including heirloom vegetables, herbs, flowers and wild varieties. We raise heritage breeds, use biosecurity, and harvest year round. Oh, and did I mention the animals on the farm are spoiled? We have so many things planned in the next few years and can't wait to include you on all our new endeavors.

We are also in the process of becoming certified organic. We only use natural, environmentally friendly practices on our farm without the use of chemicals, pesticides, or GMOs of any kind. We anticipate the seal of approval in early 2019.

Meet the Farmers

Andy Brokaw - Andy grew up in the rich cultural heritage of his families dairy farm. A fourth generation farmer, he learned all the tips and tricks from his favorite farming partner, his own father. As a boy, when the morning sun peeked over the horizon, he would follow his father into the barn and help milk their small herd of 30 cows. The frosty air was crisp and cool in those early hours as he brought the cows in from pasture. It's there that he learned the time honored traditions of being a true farmer and how to focus on quality instead of quantity. He learned what to feed the cows, how to make them comfortable and things to look out for. In return, they would give the most delicious milk, so sweet and creamy. Those time honored traditions stayed with him as he got older. When his father stopped farming, Andy couldn't help but feel as though something were missing. Starting a family fueled his passion even more and Brokaw Family Farms was ready to come back with might. Keeping true to his heritage, those family traditions are now stronger than ever. On any given day, you may see him in the fields, judging the quality of his hay by merely running his finger over a single stalk. Or, perhaps in the barn, teaching his own little ones how to milk the cows and feed the calves. Being one of the lead farmers, Andy is bringing Old Fashioned Values back to produce some of the best quality foods.

 

Piper Brokaw - Piper is considered a first generation farmer. As a kid, she grew up surrounded by the city, and with it she grew up knowing all the problems that came with inner city food, including cheap fast food restaurants and GMO laden ingredients. Watching all those around her, she started realizing what the industry was doing. As she got older, things started to change. It all hit home for her as an adult when her first daughter started showing signs of puberty at the tender age of 2 1/2 years old. Yes, you read that right. After learning it was all caused from food (and the added hormones in milk/meat products), Piper decided she wasn't going to just let this pass. She switched all the food in the house to organic and started researching ways to stop this (spoiler alert: She stopped the process. Her daughter is now 10 and a healthy happy girl thanks to organic foods.) Since then she has joined organic alliances, helped 42 other families going through the same situation, graduated college with a degree in renewable energy, visited over 400 farms, lived in Spain, and returned to start her own farm. After just three years running her own farm, she met her husband and plans were put in place for an even grander adventure. Following her new found passion, Piper set out on a mission to help others. She is now one of the main farmers at Brokaw Family Farms and is bringing a new flair to the farm by using Aquaponics to grow year round-natural produce. In her free time, she loves to spoil all the farm animals with treats and loads of attention. She loves hanging out in the barn. Any other time, you can usually find her at the farmers market with a friendly smile on her face.