Special offer

Cascade Township's Wm Bos Farms ~ Celebrating 95 years of Local Harvests in Grand Rapids MI

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Westbrook Realty

Within minutes of the 28th Street Strip and Cascade Road here in

Grand Rapids MI is a 60 acre farm that is still producing corn, tomatoes,

 garden veggies, pumpkins and flowering plants for the local

citizens for the last 95 years.  Wm. Bos Greenhouse & Farms is an

old fashioned operation that requires hand picking the sweet corn

and tomatoes for harvesting.

 

 sweet corn                  garden tomatoes

 

 Many times I have stopped on the way home to get some fresh ears

of corn for lunch, or a few tomatoes or cukes for a fresh salad. They

offer many fresh vegetables and flowering plants for sale in season.

It won't be long and sweet corn will on the billboard out front. Anybody

who has lived here very long can tell you that -

 Bos sweet corn is simply " the best".

 

                                  Even the four legged corn eaters. 

 

                         sweet corn sign
 

 

They sell their produce to local stores and local citizens at their

own farm stand on site. They are planning a 95 year Celebration

with an Open House May 3rd from 11 am till  7pm, with 95 cent

specials, 5 drawings for prizes, and tours of their farm and

 greenhouses.

 

Most people know that buying local produce and supporting our

local farmers is the smart  way to eat well and keep our

environment green. Just how much is an unripe tomato shipped

3000 miles across the country contributing to our carbon pollution?

 And they don't even taste that good.

 

Support your local farmer - eat fresh produce that is locally grown.

 

 Copyright by Bonnie Westbrook 2008

Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Real Estate

Photos from Flickr photostream 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drumsnwhistles/348657839/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73459975@N00/943175053/ 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stechschulte/1083183497/

Posted by

Westbrook Realty 

Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Copyright 2011 All rights reserved

Comments (14)

Karen Webster...Grand Rapids, MI Realtor
5 Star Real Estate, Grand Rapids MI - Grand Rapids, MI
The raccoon sign is frickin' hilarious.  I might need to make room for this on my Saturday calendar.
May 05, 2008 11:03 AM
Eleanor Thorne
Equity Resources - Cary, NC
Advantage Lending 919-649-5058

WOW!  We ate CORN ON THE STICK at the NC RAMP Festival this weekend!  I must admit - I thougtht about you and Mike Jones multiple times - I hope to have the pictures tomorrow - Ramps are "unique" to the Mountains of NC and the local American Legion in Waynesville has a celebration each year.  The bottom is kinda like a scallion - the top looks more like a Leak (but it tastes kinda like a mustard!).  You could buy a BAG of fresh ramps for 3 bucks!  The festival was at the American Legion, and one band (named "Sweet Tatr") had a fella that played the WASH BUCKET(which is when I thought of Mike!)!  I am pretty sure I ate venison meat loaf - but I didn't want to ask...

Bonnie! THANK YOU for giving us such a GREAT GLIMPSE of your part of the country!!!

May 05, 2008 11:47 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Bonnie, I absolutely love fresh corn.  Pretty much I have to pick it up when I'm out East to get it, I don't see it in my area anymore sadly.  I used to love the wonderful stands to buy everything fresh and local.
May 05, 2008 12:21 PM
Terry & Bonnie Westbrook
Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner - Grand Rapids, MI
Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
Sign me up I love fresh produce the next few months are the greatest here in Michigan fresh vegtables then the fruit. It better be good for the cold weather and snow we have to put up with.
May 05, 2008 12:38 PM
Please Delete Account Please Delete Account
Please Delete Account - Barton City, MI
Bonnie, tThanks for the info.  I Knew they sold plants but I was not aware that Bos had a farm market to sell fresh produce.  I'll have to check it out!  There's nothing like fresh veggies.
May 05, 2008 01:20 PM
Kate Elim
Dockside Realty - Spotsylvania, VA
Realtor 540-226-1964, Selling Homes & Land a

Hi Bonnie...Some summer evenings we have sliced tomatos and cucumbers with olive oil and herbs plus fresh corn on the cob.  That's it and it is wonderful.  It can really hit the spot.

Cheers,

Kathleen

May 05, 2008 02:36 PM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Karen: I loved the sign too, anyone who lives in the country knows how much raccoons love sweet corn.
May 05, 2008 03:15 PM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Eleanor: The Ramp Festival sounds like great fun! Don't think I have ever had a " ramp. " A wash board band, I've heard and it is amazing how good they sound. Venison meatloaf is pretty good, pass the ketchup!
May 05, 2008 03:22 PM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Carole: I think everyone likes fresh sweet corn - how could you not? The super tender white or bicolor varieties are so tasty!!
May 05, 2008 03:24 PM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Terry: The fresh veggies are so good, it won't be long now. Asparagus from the garden tonite for supper!!
May 05, 2008 03:26 PM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Heidi: The trick is getting there before they sell out of corn for the day!
May 05, 2008 03:28 PM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Kathleen: We like those late summer repasts, too. The tomatoes are so sweet and juicy, cukes are crisp and firm, & the sweet corn is so good, it's addictive. I try to limit myself to 2 ears.
May 05, 2008 03:32 PM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

YUM!  Those tomatoes look great.  95 years, that's wonderful.  I don't live close enough to any farms (or even our farmer's market) to just stop by on the way here/there.  I'm going to have to start making an effort to go to the farmer's market at least once a month.  Thanks for sharing, Bonnie!

May 06, 2008 07:46 AM
Bonnie & Terry Westbrook
Westbrook Realty - Ada, MI
Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Chris: I tell myself the same thing. Our Farmer's market is about 10-15 minutes away and I never think about going - until it is closed, though I am suspiciously  driving by Bos's market in corn season quite often.
May 06, 2008 11:30 AM