About
Frog Holler Organic Farm
Frog Holler Farm has been selling organic produce at the Ann
Arbor Farmer's Market since 1972. We start the season with a large
selection of organic vegetable and herb seedlings, specializing
in many heirloom varieties. We start harvesting greens in May
and continue to offer a wide selection of vegetables, some fruits
and our specialty salad mix right through October, and sometimes
up until Thanksgiving.
We are a family farm with our three sons supplying major "hoe
power." We have had lots of help over the years from friends
and young people interested in learning more about organic growing.
We like to build community through our regular customers at the
Market and through regular Open House/Barn Dances at the farm
where we can share, food friendship, music and our beautiful setting.
In September, 2007, we celebrated 35 years on the farm with
a two-day party/music festival which we dubbed Holler Fest.
When everyone started talking about "next year", we
realized that Southeast Michigan could benefit from a regular
event in celebration of good food and local culture. Holler Fest
2012 is scheduled for August 24-26. Join us! www.hollerfest.com
Frog Holler Story
The Frog Holler story begins in 1972 when Ken King was co-owner
and head cook at Indian Summer Natural Foods Restaurant in Ann Arbor.
Ken had already been thinking of having a farm to grow food for
the restaurant when word came about that an elderly lady was selling
her 165 acre wildlife sanctuary 30 miles from Ann Arbor. This turned
out to be not a farm per se, but an irresistible piece of wilderness
snuggled in the Irish Hills of southeast lower Michigan. Irresistible
at least to Ken and his partners who, with a promise to Mrs. Cora
Gesell that they would keep the farm in the spirit that she had
kept it (and to keep the name Frog Holler), were in fact able to
buy the land.
One of the partners, by the way, was Rick Peshkin, who was then
the food purchaser for Indian Summer and who was already looking
for ways to develop and expand in that area. Rick did go on to create
what is now Ann Arbor's premiere produce wholesaler, Frog Holler
Produce, and also The Produce Station. Rick's trucks are quite visible
around Ann Arbor and it seems an endless source of confusion (but
certainly not ill will) as each of us goes on trying to explain
two Frog Hollers.
Anyway, as Rick's business began to develop and expand, and as
another partner took on more restaurant responsibility, and as Ken
felt a deepening connection and commitment to the farm, it was inevitable
that the original partnership would break up, as it did around 1975.
From that time on, Frog Holler is the story of Ken and his wife
Cathy (former Indian Summer salad maker) and their three sons Billy,
Kenny, and Edwin.
During their first years as organic truck farmers, Ken and Cathy
experienced the proverbial steep learning curve; but their needs
were small, Ken made apple cider for natural food's stores in Ann
Arbor, and they were able to obtain a stall, and find a niche as
the first organic growers at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market. From
that time on, it has been full tilt trying to keep the customers
healthy and happy.
At present, Frog Holler is held in trust by all five of the King
Family with the idea of keeping it clean and beautiful and organic.
