Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Gallert.
Hi Alex, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Rooted in tradition…
– My grandfather is the one who inspired me to farm. He established our family farm in 1950 & it’s the same land we farm on today.
– He called it Derby Acres & grew a variety of fruits & vegetables like grapes, strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, & more.
– I’ve always looked up to my grandfather, watching him work from dawn to dusk out in the fields & helping him along with the way. I loved working on tractors with him & they’re still running today.
– I started farming when I was 13 years old (I’m now 36), using a wagon to sell vegetables on my grandfather’s farm.
– Since then, the farm has evolved into what it is known as today, Alex’s Veggies – moving beyond my childhood wagon to owning & operating my own stand.
– Our farm is rooted in tradition. I enjoy continuing my grandfather’s legacy & keeping the farm in the family.
– After taking over my grandfather’s farm, I’ve been able to farm a greater variety of produce like eggplant, squash, pumpkins, herbs, wildflowers, green beans, & asparagus.
– Eleven years ago, I decided to open an old-fashioned Christmas tree lot. I’ve always loved Christmas & realized that we have many Christmas tree farms in the area, but not a lot of tree lots. Once the Christmas tree lot gained momentum, I was able to implement The Christmas Tree Project: Lighting Up The Community. With the help of local businesses, each year we donate a dozen Christmas trees & decor to local families who may be going through a difficult time or just need a helping hand, to ensure their holiday season is merry & bright.
Here’s the verbiage from our bio on Facebook:
Family-owned & operated, Alex’s Veggies has been growing farm-fresh produce for the community for over 60 years.
Our prices vary according to seasonal conditions, but it is our goal to be affordable & reasonable.
We offer a variety of seasonal vegetables that are picked fresh daily, just for YOU:
– Eggplant
– Farm-Fresh Chicken and Duck Eggs
– Freezer Corn
– Green Beans
– Peppers
– Pickles
– Summer Squash
– Sweet Corn
– Tomatoes
– Zucchini
– And more!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Farming as a profession has its difficulties. Every season is unpredictable when it comes to weather.
We focus on our connection with the community. Our customers mean the world to us & with us being a family operation, our customers are just that, family. We like to call them our farm family.
It’s always a challenge competing with chain grocers in regard to providing a wide variety of produce at competitive prices, but nothing beats the freshness & quality of produce bought straight from the farm. You’re purchasing produce that was just picked, fresh for you. From our farm to your table.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Farmer, owner & operator. Specialize in growing vegetables like asparagus, sweet corn, dill, winter squash.
Always being that friendly Mullet Man who is goofy but always willing to help everyone.
All the amazing people that have showed me and my family love over the years.
Social media presence. We try to create engaging posts, including videos & even mascots like PIG & Corn. We do different fun things like our Mystery Box, where you buy a box full of seasonal fruits & veggies along with local gift cards. The contents vary each week.
Our customers are our farm family; we enjoy connecting with them & getting to know them. From seeing them at the stand on a regular basis to engagement on social media…they’ll send us photos of dishes they prepared with the produce they bought, they’ll share recipes, some even bring us food to try. It truly feels like family & I feel like we get to play a role in some of their traditions when it comes to providing them with fresh produce to make the recipes they love & cherish.
Community engagement with locally owned businesses.
I strive to be involved in every facet of the farm, from working in the fields to planting seeds, to picking produce, to stocking the stand, & working with customers.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I like…
– The close-knit community.
– Local businesses are willing to support one another & work together to help our village thrive. We have several chefs from local restaurants who purchase produce from our stand & use it in their dishes, even mentioning it on social media. It’s those kinds of relationships that are so essential, when people work together to help each other succeed within their own fields.
– My family & I were born & raised in southwest Michigan & to be able to provide our community with farm-fresh produce each year, we’ve only been able to do that thanks to the support of our community. You truly feel that sense of connectedness & collective support from our customers, our farm family, & local businesses who want to see our community thrive.
In southwest Michigan, we’re so lucky to live near so many local farms & farmstands. In addition to us being known for our breweries, wineries, agriculture, & the lake & beaches, within the agricultural field, I hope to see farmstands gain more recognition as an important part of what makes our community so special.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.facebook.com/alexsveggies
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexs_veggies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexsveggies
