The farm in the foreground was my grandparents home, Otto and Una Beard. They have both passed and the farm has been sold. The one across the road is my uncles, Otto (Sonny) Beard and his wife Bonnie Beard. They are both still alive and still reside there although they have torn the old house town and built a new one. Spent so much time at both of these homes. Many good memories there with the family.

My grand parents established a very well known upick and ready picked fruit and vegetable farm at this location near Burnips, Michigan. Today, my husband and I help run and operate this farm, Beards Produce, with my parents who sold their dairy cattle years ago. We raise 5 acres of strawberries, 20 acres of blueberries and about 3 acres of sweet corn. Asparagus was raised for years and is seen here, pictured around the farm, where it is ferned out after the growing season. I was raised in the house on the side of the road with the silos where we milked about 50 head of cattle before becoming fruit growers. Many hours and years of hard work were spent at both of these farms and continues today. I wouldn't trade any of the experiences and memories for anything! Farming is a very hard but extremely rewarding job!!