The days of supporting a family on 40 acres and three cows are gone, but stability and profitability can return by developing diversified market streams
Our story began like many farms do. Nearly 200 years ago, a brave couple moved west with their kids with the hope of making a better life for the family. Azariel and Mary Smith settled in what was to become Addison, Michigan, and began subsistence farming.
Over the years, the farm morphed into a couple of cows and 40 acres to grow oats and corn for feed. In the 1950s and 60s, my great-grandfather spotted an opportunity as neighbors shifted away from dairy. He purchased their smaller parcels and cows, expanding operations while teaching my grandfather the business.
The dairy herd hit its peak with around 150 cow-calf pairs. By the time my dad, Brad Smith, took over the farm in 2012, the cows were gone but the farm had grown to 2,300 no-till acres. A couple years later, with low corn prices prodding deeper discussion, he decided to try raising teff grain on the recommendation of a friend. Acres U.S.A. profiled our farm and our first attempts at commercializing it in an article in 2018. I wanted to be involved in this new venture and developed a granola using the whole teff grain. I began selling Teffola to local stores and farmers markets in 2017.
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