A Lifestyle Worth Living
Scott Harris, owner of Harris Blueberries in Bloomingdale, Michigan, radiates pride for his product, his operation and his livelihood.
Scott, along with his wife, Marcy, and his Uncle Al, started Harris Blueberries in the late 70s with a dream to grow a sustainable full-time blueberry operation. However, Scott’s dream of operating a blueberry farm started much sooner, when he was working for a local blueberry farmer at age 12.
“He told me if I planted 10 acres of berries here, that’s all I would have to do, and I could retire on that. That’s what started it for me,” Scott said.
Harris Blueberries has expanded well past 10 acres of farmland, but Scott doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Harris Blueberries now spans 265 acres, and they hand pick and pack over 1.2 million pounds of fresh blueberries a year.
Uncle Al, a patriarch of the farm who is now in his 90’s, still eagerly manages the operation’s nursery and oversees more than 80,000 new blueberry plants until they are mature and ready to be planted.
For the family, raising and packing fresh blueberries is more than just a job.
“This is our livelihood,” Marcy said. “A lot of people don’t realize this is more than a job. Farming is a lifestyle to us, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The Challenges of Operating a Blueberry Farm
Michigan’s fair summers, lake effect weather and sandy soil conditions prove to be the perfect atmosphere for producing blueberries. However, their growing season doesn’t come without its own set of challenges. Uncharacteristically hot and humid summers, unpredictable weather, sporadic temperature drops, and seasonal pests all affect the harvest and can take a toll on the yield of fruit they produce every year.
The family has also had to adapt to changes in demand from consumers. The ongoing challenge of supplying the market with new varieties can be a risky endeavor.
“We’re seeing a demand now for larger, crispier berries,” Scott said.
This means planting new proprietary varieties of berries, which take time to mature and develop, posing a potential risk that may not pay off in the end.
The Value of a Reliable Partnership
It’s these unique challenges that underscore how important it is to have a trusted financial partner, like GreenStone Farm Credit Services, in your corner.
“GreenStone understands us, because they understand ag,” said Scott.
When they first considered taking their operation full time, they knew they needed the support of a trusted lender, and one who understood the agricultural landscape.
“GreenStone really allowed us the opportunity to take our operation from part time, as something we were doing on the side, to full time. Because of their ag knowledge, they were able to help us purchase land that we needed for investing in more plants, and we were able to go full time with the business a little over 20 years ago,” Scott said.
“They believed in us, even with all the challenges that we faced along the way. They’ve been a big part of our growth, and it’s been a great partnership for Harris Blueberries.”
This article was originally published by GreenStone Farm Credit Services.
