Our Family's Story: From 1882 to 2008
We are a fifth generation, family-owned and operated farm. Our family
has been farming this same land since 1882 with the motivation of producing
food for Americans. We have recently become certified Organic; our
organic cheese will be available late summer of this year (since we are just starting to make the certified Organic cheese and it needs to age out to the proper taste).
In 1882, brothers Peter and John Meerman traded 80 acres which they
had cleared for this home 80 acres. They then cleared the land, built
a house and barn, and proceeded to farm the land with their families. The land was handed
down to Peter's son, Ernest and his wife Nellie, who farmed
it until 1972 and then still helped out wherever they could. At that time, Steve Meerman, the third generation and only son of the family, assumed responsibility
and, with his wife Sue, raised five happy and well-balanced children;
three of whom have families of their own. All three sons have made their homes and lives on the farm and are planning, LORD willing, on keeping the farm running with their families. The two daughters are married and followed their husbands: the older one, Heidi, has four boys to keep her busy; and the younger one, Bonnie, lives in Holland where she is still very much involved in the farm and cheese aspect of it.
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Ernest Meerman (2nd generation) and his wife Nellie (Gunneman) both grew up in Coopersville. Nellie taught as a school teacher before they married in 1936. They enjoyed traveling, taking their family in their 1952(?) DeSoto to 49 states, all the provinces of Canada, and Mexico. They were married 67 years and raised 4 children (Steve is the youngest) before they each went Home to be with their Savior, Jesus Christ, in 2000 and 2002. |
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The Parents (3rd generation): Steve (who is now with the Lord) was happy in his Ford TV-140 Versatile tractor (He could do just about anything with that tractor) and liked to putz around the farm, mainly doing tractor work and cleaning up. Sue enjoys her grandchildren, working in the cheese shop, and doing most of the bookwork. She is also in charge of the calves from the time they're born until they are weaned at about 4 months old. |
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Luke (4th generation), the eldest son, is the mechanic of the farm (he can fix anything with wheels and almost anything without) as well as one of the milkers and the PR man. He and his wife Vicky do foster care and right now have 4 children: three biological (Julie, Esther, and Anthony)(5th generation) and one chosen (adopted) daughter: Samantha. Vicky keeps busy being Mom and putting quite a few hours in the cheese shop packing orders, helping customers. The children love living on the farm and helping when they can.
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Heidi is the next oldest. She and her husband Kyle have 4 children (Elliot, Ethan, Eli, and Eddie). They've all been helping out on the farm since they've recently moved back here. |
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Jesse, the middle child, is the cheese maker. He also milks, takes care of the animals, and does quite a bit of marketing for the farm. He and his wife Betsy are in charge of marketing for the farm. Betsy helps out in the cheese shop when she can and also works for Metro Hospital in Meijer clinics as a Physician's Assistant. They love their two daughters: Sophia Marie (on left), who is two years old, and new baby Katy (on right), who was born December 30th, 2007! |
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Bonnie, the 4th child, is our webmaster, computer graphics and design technician (fancy name for playing around with the computer), takes our cheese to Holland Farmer's Market, and works with her mother on the bookwork. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and is an EMT. Andrew Esther, her husband, has Double Bachelors of Science Degrees in Computer Engineering and Computer Science and is working as an applications developer. They were married on June 23rd, 2006 in the Chapel that Ernest Meerman built on the farm. |
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Jay, 20 and the baby of the family, started his own grass-fed meat chicken and egg business. He now has joined his brothers in becoming a partner in the farm. He works on the farm full time taking care of animals, milking, repairing machinery, and tending anything else that needs to be done. |
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Chaeli Eno helps in the cheese shop and with feeding the calves and chickens. She is a great help wherever she is asked. |
Sue, Jay, and Vicky (and children) are the caretakers of our babies (calves) in the spring and summer. Luke, Jesse, and Jay have all decided to stay on the farm,
and all live on the original homestead in the three houses which
Ernest Meerman, the second generation, designed and built himself. Luke, Jesse, and Jay are co-owners
of the farm.
When Steve assumed the farm, it was supporting
one family. Then in 1991, we changed from confinement farming to grass-based pasture farming. Now it supports three+ families. God has graciously blessed
us with innovative ideas and adaptability.
In 2002 we started the cheese business, primarily to make better use
of the resources with which God has blessed us. Instead of sending all
our milk to a processing plant, we figured out that we can use a
small portion of it to make cheese! Previously, Jesse had gone to cheese-making
classes in Wisconsin and Vermont, and experimented for almost a year.
Then, doing all the work ourselves, we drew up plans and added a store
and small cheese plant onto our barn. We opened August 1st, 2002, and
now offer many more items than the cheese (you can find them on the
Price List page).
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