Located between Lake Leelanau and Suttons Bay, this five generation, 184-acre farm was homesteaded by Johann Bremer in 1865.  Bremer was the great-grandfather of Christi Bardenhagen who was raised on the farm.  She married Gary Bardenhagen,, also a Leelanau County native, and after living in New York state where Gary worked for IBM they decided to return to Leelanau County to raise their young children.  At that time Christi’s father was considering retirement and offered to sell Christi and Gary the farm.  None of her siblings were interested, so Gary and Christi purchased the land in a 20-year land contract.  At the time they believed they could maintain the farm by working nights, weekends and in their spare time, but within a year they realized how impossible it was to do both and Gary quit his job to farm full time.   

The farm is now run by Christi and Gary’s son Steve, who graduated from MSU with an electrical engineering degree, but was also drawn back to Leelanau County and farming.  He and his wife Pam have taken over Bardenhagen Berries and have expanded their operation to include Homestead Hill CSA – an organic produce and flower program in addition to their incredibly popular cherry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry operation.  You can find Bardenhagen berries at the Farmer’s Markets, in select grocery stores and on our menu whenever they are in season.  For more information on Bardenhagen Berries visit: www.bardenhagenberries.com www.bardenhagenberries.com or follow them on Facebook at Bardenhagen Berries Farm.