J & L GREMEL FARMS
Joel and his wife, Lyndsay, proudly grow wheat on the farm that’s been in their family for three generations — it’s now a fourth-generation farm with the help of their kids!
What is your family’s history with the farm?
Farming is something that’s in our blood. The farm has been passed down for three generations, with our kids, Erica and Grant, now being the fourth. We want to continue what our great-grandparents started and strive to make it better, and being able to work the same land they began with nearly 100 years ago is a very neat thing.
What is it like working with family?
We’re very fortunate to get to work with each other every day; there are a lot of families that don’t get to see each other often or make decisions together like we do. Erica’s been going on the tractor since she could walk, and she first drove it by herself at twelve. This has been a way of life for our great-grandparents and grandparents, and now we hope to pass it down to the next generation to keep it moving forward.
What does a typical day look like?
There isn’t really a “typical” day on the farm. There are tasks that have to be done throughout the year, but no two days are alike. The weather usually dictates what has to be done. Harvest season is one of our favorite times on the farm. After raising the crops all year, harvest season brings the satisfaction of completing the job.
What do you like about working with Triscuit?
It’s very cool knowing that some of the Triscuit crackers in grocery stores have white winter wheat in them that was grown right here on our farm, in the Thumb of Michigan.
How do you feel about your role in nourishing America?
It’s our sole responsibility as farmers to put quality food on tables across America. It’s a special sense of pride and satisfaction. Crops that are grown right on our farm feed people across the country, and that’s something we’re very proud of as a family.
JADE FARMS
This unique family farm is actually a combination of two different farms — neighboring families that partnered together decades ago to pool resources and grow together.
What is your family’s history with the farm?
JADE Farms was started as a partnership between two neighbors, Douglas Yackle and James Licht. The neighbors saw an opportunity to pool resources and become more efficient,so they merged their family farms in the 1990s, and over the years business has grown. Now Doug’s son and nephews have become partners, and they will continue the farming tradition into the future.
What is it like working with family?
During the busy seasons, time management can be difficult and sometimes you need to make sacrifices, like spending less quality time with your family. However, it also means that your family can work closely with you, and you can get through the busy seasons together.
What does a typical day look like?
Every day is different. In the growing season, we’re constantly scouting fields to assess their health. We do equipment maintenance to make sure work can get done in a timely manner. We also look at daily market activity to take advantage of any pricing opportunities that arise.
What do you like about working with Triscuit?
We really value the direct farmer-to-customer relationship we have. It gives us a great sense of pride and accomplishment to know that our white winter wheat is going into a brand that is trusted and enjoyed by so many people.
How do you feel about your role in nourishing America?
Feeding the country is the reason we farm. I always feel a sense of pride knowing that my wheat is going into a consumer product. Since our business began with the farming our ancestors did, I feel a great responsibility to pass that heritage down to future generations.
CC FARMS
The Timmons family has been farming their land for three generations, with grandfather Charlie, son Chad, and grandson Connor all working side by side every year to bring in the crops.
What is your family’s history with the farm?
It begins with my parents. Both my parents are from Michigan, and they got married in 1940. They met working on the same farm, and then bought this farm in 1946, because they wanted to get away from the city and back to the Thumb of Michigan. They started with 40 acres of land that they bought for $6,500. In 1966, my brother and I bought some land of our own and took over the rest of the farm. I eventually took over the farm until my son, Chad, began working with me full-time in 2001.
What is it like working with family?
I love it. Chad is very involved in the farm, and we are also helped during the busy planting and harvest seasons by my two daughters; Chad’s wife, Jen; and my wife, Margaret. My granddaughter, Meleah, attends college but helps out when she’s home for the summer. And my grandson, Connor, attends high school but helps after the school day. Connor’s great with the GPS programs, because he’s better at technology, and overall he’s stepping into his grandpa’s shoes, since I’m reaching retirement. I love working with my family, and they’re who I trust to take over the farm, since they’ve all grown up with it and know it inside out.
What does a typical day look like?
With farming, no two days are ever the same, which is what we enjoy most about it — it never gets boring. Depending on the season, we may be spraying, working the ground, planting, fertilizing, harvesting, or fixing equipment.
What do you like about working with Triscuit?
It’s very rewarding to know the white winter wheat I’ve grown here in the Thumb of Michigan is made into Triscuit crackers to feed people nationwide. Triscuit is a brand we enjoy in our own household, so it’s special to us knowing that they are taking the extra steps in order to reach out to the farmers who stand behind their product.
How do you feel about your role in nourishing America?
We’re feeding the world with the wheat and other commodities we grow. It gives us a sense of pride to know that the hard work we put into our small family farm operation positively benefits the lives of so many others.
