business

Farmer’s Markets have always called to me. I am not sure if it is the bright colors of the produce, the smell of earth, or the gratitude I have, knowing what it takes to get this food to a table. Perhaps it is genetic, stemming from the deep farming roots which run through my father’s side of the family.

I don’t know why specifically I seek these attractions out, I just know that I could spend hours lost in the discovery of everything which a Farmer’s Market offers. Fresh produce, herbs, flowers, jars of homemade produce, all seem to ground me a little, to the earth which they are grown. It was no surprise then, that while researching things to do in the Petoskey area, I was drawn to “Bill’s Farm Market”. It had been rated 17 of the top 37 things to see/do in this location. Sometimes small towns are limited in what they offer, so I didn’t have high expectations but we were determined to fulfill our alphabet goal on this trip, so we selected the “Farm Market” as our letter “F”.

Driving along the quiet lane, the popular city soon turned into the rolling fields of farmland, which surround the area. It was easy to imagine that we might have taken a wrong turn. With just a touch of fall chill in the air, the fields glistened under the morning dew. Here, there was no traffic. It was so peaceful and was proving to be a beautiful drive, along a yet another road we wouldn’t normally travel if it wasn’t for an ABC Adventure.

Still, I couldn’t imagine how this site had gained so much popularity, every review on a popular travel site had sung the praises, still I was a skeptic. Surely this market, located nearly 8 miles away from any town, didn’t attract nearly the population which went out of the way to rave about it. As we crested the final half mile, traffic came to a standstill.

I have been to many Farm Markets over the years. I never imagined that we would find a traffic back up, waiting to enter the popular location, especially on a Monday! I was like a child heading to an amusement park as we waited for a parking space to free up. This place promised to be something extraordinary!

I had read that the high hoop tunnel, holding the market was directly attached to the farmhouse. “Bill” had taken it over in 1982. He and his brother Don still reside in the home where they had been raised. In fact, the farm has been in the family for over 100 years!

The market bustles with activity from June through December. It quietly moves through the seasons as it offers over 20 varieties of fresh flowers, 10 kinds of herbs and too many varieties of foods to mention, all grown in front of the house and in the beautiful valley which wraps around like an embrace, dotted only by cows quietly grazing on the hills.

On this August day, the smell of fresh peaches mingles with the cow manure, drawing throngs of people into the covered high tunnel. I am transformed to student, determined to learn the secret of the super sized produce filling the bins.

I stand transfixed, marveling at the 20 varieties of fresh flowers recently picked from the farm. Cow poop and clean air, I am told are the magic which makes this happen. Soon the fields will be full of pumpkins and gourds as the season moves into fall.

Perhaps we will take a fall drive to see the pumpkins and gourds which will soon fill the fields. A hay ride might just be the way to pass a few hours. Or maybe, as the snow begins to turn this setting into a Currier and Ives postcard, we will return for a Christmas tree, wreath or sleigh ride.

With a final glance out over the valley, which surrounds the farm, I imagine the snow beginning to fall here this winter, transforming the scene to a Currier and Ives postcard. Each season offers its own unique adventure of food, flowers, hay rides, sleigh rides, wreathes and trees. For now, I will simply revel in the beauty of this location, content to have discovered this fabulous place.

As I file my letter “F” away, this adventure now complete, “We will be back”, I whisper, to no one in particular.

Bill’s Farm Market 4450 East Mitchell Rd., Petoskey, MI 49770 (231)-347-6735

Since Covid restrictions and lock downs, it has been a while since Alan and I have traveled, let alone stayed in a hotel, about 2 years to be exact!

On our most recent ABC Adventure, we chose to stay at the Apple Tree Inn. There were likely more modern places we could have chosen, but we wanted to stay here because it had always been Alan’s parents favorite hotel, when they had traveled to this area. We arrived just as the sun set. The day had been hot and very humid as we explored Kalkaska, Grayling, Gaylord and Boyne City, before finally arriving in Petoskey, Michigan. The twinkling lights, which welcomed us as we approached the property, gave an inviting and magical glow to the trees surrounding the property.

Before our arrival, I had messaged the staff that we were retracing the steps of my in-laws, who had stayed here some 15 years before. I find that this personalization often leads to room upgrades. As the clerk handed Alan our keys, he said, “I thought that name looked familiar.” I like to imagine that he had remembered these two very special people. Entering our room, we were pleasantly surprised to find a large Jacuzzi and king size bed.

I am not sure if the room had been an upgrade, but the room was lovely. While perhaps a little more worn than its glory days, it was easy to understand how Leslie and Josie had fallen in love with it. The air conditioner, pre-set by the cleaning crew to a frigid 60 degrees, soon forced me out to the balcony to warm up! It was also a great opportunity to enjoy a wine cooler and appreciate the bay view.

Alan’s parents have always been two of my favorite people. Their love for each other reflected daily, in the 54 years of marriage, which they had shared. As Alan and I settled on the balcony, we reminisced about this love and our shared passion for travel. These people had taught us the value of play in a marriage. Perhaps this is why Alan is always a good sport about embracing every adventure with me. He has always held the best qualities of both of his parents. My Father-in Law passed away over a decade ago, but I can still picture him sharing a quiet waltz with his “girl” as they dance across this balcony under a rising moon. There’s was a love to admire and the memories will always be the jewels I carry as my greatest possessions.

Following our own waltz on the balcony, we finally return to the room, ready to settle in for the night. Simultaneously Alan and I begin to laugh, sheets, blankets, mirrors and wall were all dripping wet with the humidity which had built up as soon as we turned off the air conditioner!

So what is one to do? Crank the air conditioner, pull back the blankets and laugh at ourselves for being so foolish. Even after 38 years of celebrating our own marriage, we try to end every day with a smile, another lesson we had been well taught.

Apple Tree Inn 915 Spring Street, Petoskey, MI 49770 (231) 348-2900

ABC Explorers

Creating stories and living life, one letter at a time

“F” is for “Finding a Fabulous Farm Market”-Petoskey, Michigan

“A” is for “Accommodations at the Apple Tree Inn”-Petoskey, Michigan