From the Ground Up
In Hemlock, a young couple grows organic produce, healthful visions of their future
Chickens come out of the shade as Tyler Shepherd moves their pens forward at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. The farm goes through around 2,000 chickens a year, Shepherd said. They started raising turkeys in 2019, and this year they have 150 that’ll be raised to sell the week before Thanksgiving.
Chickens come out of the shade as Tyler Shepherd moves their pens forward at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. The farm goes through around 2,000 chickens a year, Shepherd said. They started raising turkeys in 2019, and this year they have 150 that’ll be raised to sell the week before Thanksgiving.
Tyler Shepherd digs holes into soil while planting lettuce at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. A little behind schedule, planting the four varieties of lettuce for the farm’s Spring Mix was on Shepherd’s to-do list in August. He used a vacuum seeder to drop seeds in the cells but had to reposition some seeds with tweezers so they'd grow correctly. “This is my least favorite part of planting seeds,” Shepherd said.
Tyler Shepherd digs holes into soil while planting lettuce at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. A little behind schedule, planting the four varieties of lettuce for the farm’s Spring Mix was on Shepherd’s to-do list in August. He used a vacuum seeder to drop seeds in the cells but had to reposition some seeds with tweezers so they'd grow correctly. “This is my least favorite part of planting seeds,” Shepherd said.
Tyler Shepherd debones a chicken drumstick in his barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. The chicken, slaughtered the day before, was being deboned to be ground, Shepherd said. By the barn, Shepherd has a trailer he did all the installments for where he slaughters the poultry.
Tyler Shepherd debones a chicken drumstick in his barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. The chicken, slaughtered the day before, was being deboned to be ground, Shepherd said. By the barn, Shepherd has a trailer he did all the installments for where he slaughters the poultry.
Tyler and Hannah Shepherd pose with their son Adam in front of their stand at the Midland Farmer’s Market, 825 East Main Street, Midland, Michigan, Saturday, September 30, 2023. With most workdays starting around six in the morning, Tyler said a lot of his time on the farm is spent picking. On some market days, he is up as early as 2:45 a.m. to load his truck and trailer.
Tyler and Hannah Shepherd pose with their son Adam in front of their stand at the Midland Farmer’s Market, 825 East Main Street, Midland, Michigan, Saturday, September 30, 2023. With most workdays starting around six in the morning, Tyler said a lot of his time on the farm is spent picking. On some market days, he is up as early as 2:45 a.m. to load his truck and trailer.
Tyler Shepherd tosses chicken into a tub in his barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. Above the table hangs Shepherd’s hunting mounts, a hobby he enjoys during his off season. From November to early January or February, he takes a break before the next market season but still plants vegetables in hoophouses during the winter.
Tyler Shepherd tosses chicken into a tub in his barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. Above the table hangs Shepherd’s hunting mounts, a hobby he enjoys during his off season. From November to early January or February, he takes a break before the next market season but still plants vegetables in hoophouses during the winter.
Tyler Shepherd looks for produce to harvest at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. While working, Shepherd will listen to music or a ball game on his radio. After filling baskets of harvest in the field, he’ll drive them back to his barn to be washed and packed for sale.
Tyler Shepherd looks for produce to harvest at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. While working, Shepherd will listen to music or a ball game on his radio. After filling baskets of harvest in the field, he’ll drive them back to his barn to be washed and packed for sale.
A list of harvested items sits on a table in the barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. Nancy Shepherd, Tyler’s mother, accounted for the items she washed with this list. Nancy offered to help around the farm before her shifts at work since she knew Tyler was shorthanded. It was her first week helping Tyler on the farm.
A list of harvested items sits on a table in the barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Friday, September 22, 2023. Nancy Shepherd, Tyler’s mother, accounted for the items she washed with this list. Nancy offered to help around the farm before her shifts at work since she knew Tyler was shorthanded. It was her first week helping Tyler on the farm.
Tyler Shepherd sorts through totes containing the morning’s harvested produce in his barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. Depending on the time of year, Shepherd sells spring mix, tomatoes, onions, squash, microgreens, carrots, rutabagas, kale, cucumbers, zucchini, herbs, beets, eggs, chicken, and turkey. Everything is recorded in extensive paperwork, Shepherd said.
Tyler Shepherd sorts through totes containing the morning’s harvested produce in his barn, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. Depending on the time of year, Shepherd sells spring mix, tomatoes, onions, squash, microgreens, carrots, rutabagas, kale, cucumbers, zucchini, herbs, beets, eggs, chicken, and turkey. Everything is recorded in extensive paperwork, Shepherd said.
Tyler Shepherd adds more vegetables to the stand at the Midland Farmer’s Market, 825 East Main Street, Midland, Michigan, Saturday, September 30, 2023. Their customized tent Shepherd uses is new to their display.
Tyler Shepherd adds more vegetables to the stand at the Midland Farmer’s Market, 825 East Main Street, Midland, Michigan, Saturday, September 30, 2023. Their customized tent Shepherd uses is new to their display.
Tyler Shepherd holds his son Adam’s hand as his wife Hannah holds him at the Midland Farmer’s Market, 825 East Main Street, Midland, Michigan, Saturday, September 30, 2023. Tyler hopes to pass the farm down to his children.
Tyler Shepherd holds his son Adam’s hand as his wife Hannah holds him at the Midland Farmer’s Market, 825 East Main Street, Midland, Michigan, Saturday, September 30, 2023. Tyler hopes to pass the farm down to his children.
Tyler Shepherd walks to his coop to harvest eggs at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. Shepherd likes being his own boss. “I enjoy what I do because it’s not really work,” Shepherd said.
Tyler Shepherd walks to his coop to harvest eggs at his farm, 1673 Pruess Road, Hemlock, Michigan, Sunday, September 17, 2023. Shepherd likes being his own boss. “I enjoy what I do because it’s not really work,” Shepherd said.
HEMLOCK -- In five years, Tyler and Hannah Shepherd turned 14 acres of land into Shepherd Organic Produce & Poultry LLC, a United States Department of Agriculture-certified organic farm. As an organic farm, no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used on their products. 
Tyler, 27, began helping his dad slaughter chickens and planting in his parents’ garden around age 7. Starting a farm always interested him, Tyler said.
Nancy Shepherd, Tyler's mother, said as a child, Tyler took his passion of farming and went with it. 
“Ty was our little farmer growing up,” Nancy said.
Buying organically farmed land by his grandparents and uncle, Tyler said the Shepherds have grown produce and raised poultry since 2018.
The family sells on their farm and at farmers markets in Michigan. This year they went to market in Thomas Township, Northville and Midland. 
Produce such as potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce and herbs are sold among other plants and vegetables. As for poultry, the Shepherds raise chickens and turkeys.
Any extra vegetables they have are fed to their animals or composted and reused in their fields.
Being the first and last farm with unique products for sale is what the Shepherds strive for during the May-October market season.   
“The first and the last is the name of the game,” Tyler said.
As the market season came to a close, the workload increased; most of their summer hires return to school in the fall. Handling this, mother nature and insect problems are a few of the many challenges when running a farm, Tyler said.   
“There’s lots to learn and you never know it all,” Tyler said. “The one thing with farming is you never have it figured out.”   
Helping in the fields and running their social media accounts, Tyler’s wife Hannah, 28, also owns and manages the farm. As first-time parents to 9-month-old Adam with plans for more, Tyler hopes to pass the farm down to their children.  
With only nine of their 14 acres in use -- around six acres of produce and three acres of pasture -- the Shepherds plan on expanding their farm.  
Tyler said they want to offer more plant options and build more hoop houses, lengthening their growing season in the spring and fall. The Shepherds also hope to sell greater varieties of fruit and meat by starting a small orchard and raising lambs, pigs or cows.    
“[It’s] just a start to my endless ideas and dreams,” Tyler said. 

Project Description:
'From the Ground Up' was one of my projects for my class JRN 422: The Picture Story. I was tasked to find a farm family and tell their story. Finding the Shepherd's on Facebook, I was able to visit them at their farm and their farmer's market booth multiple times to learn about all the work that goes into owning an organic farm.
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