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.