Groundswell Community Farm surging forward

"ground¬swell [ground-swel]: noun - any surge of support, approval, or enthusiasm, especially among the general public"

Groundswell is not a word that you would typically associate with a farm, but in the case of West Michigan-based CSA Groundswell Community Farm, the definition and sentiment is a perfect fit for the growing CSA, which is enjoying "a surge of support, approval and enthusiasm."

According to Katie Brandt, co-owner of the farm, it's been a surge of support from an enthusiastic community that has propelled the organization forward over the last eight years. "Our sales have increased about six-fold from our first season," she says.

Brandt says in 2006, they started with 25 members, two full-time farmers, one part-time farm worker, and sold their products at one farmers' market.

Now, Groundswell boasts 147+ members for the 2014 season (and is still accepting new membership), 30-60 winter CSA members, products being sold at two farmers' markets and five health food stores, a wholesale garlic seed business,  two full-time farmers, two full-time farm managers, and five full-time and one part-time farm workers.

And they do all this on just over seven acres of land.

One of the most recent employes is Jenna Weiler, who started working a full-time position on June 3. Weiler will be working at the farm and coordinating the CSA pickups in Holland.   

Weiler will also be developing some new food initiatives to help people understand the opportunities that a CSA provides. "I'm really wanting to create more entry points for people to eat healthy local food," she says. "Sometimes getting a CSA share can feel overwhelming. When I first became a member there were vegetables that I had never seen before. The project I'm launching this summer I'm calling The Salad Club; details are still being worked out, but I'm hoping it will be a way to promote health, support local farmers and eat wonderful West Michigan-grown food."

Weiler is very optimistic about the direction of Groundswell. "Anna Hoekstra and Katie Brandt started Groundswell in 2006 with 25 CSA members. We leased 7 acres of bare land and had to build a greenhouse, toolshed, walk-in cooler and put in a well that first season. We've added members every year, and now sell to Harvest Health, and at both Fulton Street Market in GR and Holland Farmers Market," she says.

To learn more about Groundswell, you can visit their site here or their Facebook page here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor