Check Out Katelyn Smith’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katelyn Smith

Hi Katelyn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We (Katelyn and Connor Smith) have taken over our families Centennial Angus Farm, which was established in 1884. We are small, local farm that raises grass-fed and finished black Angus cattle and farm fresh chicken. When we first bought the farmhouse on the farm property, we were fresh out of college and still figuring out our long term goals here on the farm. So far, we have significantly grown our customer base and cattle herd, we take pride in engaging with and serving our community, have a roadside farm store where we sell our handmade goods, and attend many farmers markets in the summer season.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing in the farm world is “smooth sailing”. We are faced with adversity every day. We have had to upgrade and renovate many of the outbuildings on our property to meet our needs, fix and repair equipment in order to operate our cattle operation (feeding cattle, producing hay for feed, etc.). We often have to get creative with our resources as there are not many funding opportunities for small farm operations. Cattle often get out of the pasture in the summer months due to fencing being down or just curiosity of the calves. Calving season always comes with potential challenges. Farming comes at a very high cost, financially and emotionally.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My husband and I are very proud of the farm fresh meats we offer. It is hard to come by local grass fed and finished beef in northern Michigan, specifically at an affordable cost. We are also known for our fresh sourdough bread and baked goods, which are all made right here in our home kitchen under the cottage food law. We hope to expand this part of our enterprise in the near future. Most importantly, we value the connections we have made with community members and look forward to the future of possibilities with our communities support.

I (Katelyn) have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and that is where my love for serving our community came about. I had the opportunity to work for a few years out of college and when I got pregnant with our first child, we made the difficult yet rewarding choice for me to stay home and raise our baby. This has opened a lot of doors and opportunities for us. I have been able to spend time establishing clientele through my micro bakery business and social media marketing, learning how to make a variety of homemade product that we now sell at our road side farm store for extra income, learning successful gardening practices so that we may offer farm fresh produce, and much more!

My husband (Connor) still holds a full-time job outside of his full-time job here on the farm. Weekends and evenings are never long enough. We have a never ending to do list! His job is essential for holding our monthly benefits like insurance coverage and providing financial stability while we continue to grow our farming operation. Without him, our farm would be nothing near what it is right now. Raising cattle and being on our farm brings him the utmost joy! Our long term goal is to have him full time, here on our farm.

We are most proud of the quality of products and meat that we offer. The industrial farming practices, large scale grocery stores and current food production, and fast food chains have significantly taken over our food source, our perception of “healthy” foods, convenience, and access locally grown foods. Our mission is to help our society get back to supporting local, where they have access to healthy and quality foods. Back in the day, sourcing local and healthy food wasn’t a challenge, it was at your fingertips (and better yet, delivered to your doorstep!). Close community connection and resourcing is incredibly important to our overall health and well-being.

What are your plans for the future?
Our plan for the future is to continue with exactly what we are doing- creating community connections and offering local, farm fresh goods! We look forward most to the possibility of growth on our farm and expanding our offers/cattle herd. We want to meet as much need as possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Bonnieviewfarms.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bonnieviewfarms/