Homegrown in Kalkaska
About the Farm
Pine Ridge Farm is a 126-acre diversified, regenerative farm just outside of Kalkaska, Michigan. It started in late-2015 when Justin and Annie (Shetler) Olds decided to dig deep into their multi-generational farming roots to grow their own beef and pork products for their young family. It quickly turned into a much larger project than expected not only converting idle farm ground back into working pastures, managing the maturing white pine stands, growing our beef herd little by little each year, and turning the maple trees into sap running machines.
The farm is riddled with history from evidence of multiple homes from years past, the remaining railroad grade of the East West Rail Line that carried timber from the town of Sigma to Kalkaska, a 150+ year old dairy barn foundation left behind, and old fence lines indicating where cows once pastured.
We pride ourselves on raising healthy animals, sourcing feed locally, and producing healthy beef and pork by the quarters and halves, at an affordable price for our neighbors and friends alike. We know how important it is to know where our food comes from, how it’s raised, and the level of care it requires to raise healthy animals and therefore healthy meats.
Our Products
We keep it incredibly simple at Pine Ridge Farm. We offer beef by the quarter throughout the year and pork either whole or by the half each fall. All meat is processed in a USDA Certified slaughter facility and is available by pre-order only. Deposits are required. Read more details below.
Call Annie at (231) 735-4767 to check on availability or be added to a wait list for future shares.
Beef
We love having a colorful herd of cows! As we continue to slowly grow our beef herd of Hereford, Simmental, and Angus crosses, we also raise deacon Holstein calves (bottle babies) from local dairy farms. Our cows are grass fed year-round (hay in the winter, obviously) and eat minimal grain sourced locally. Regardless of the breed, our beef is lean and full of flavor.
Pork
While we’ve given up on breeding our own pigs, we typically source our piglets locally each year and they may range from your American Yorkshire, Duroc, Tamworth, or some variation of crosses. Our hogs are wood pastured; meaning they get to dig up roots, bugs, grass, and other fun things to keep them busy and cool during the summer. They are fed locally sourced grains, apples from our heritage apple trees, and other fun leftovers from local farms when available. Our pork halves are currently only available in mid-fall each year and our customers report that the meat is full of flavor, juicy, and leaner that what you’ll find in the grocery story.
Maple Syrup
not just yet, but hopefully soon! We currently harvest 8,000-10,000 gallons of sap from our maple trees each spring but do not have the means to process our own syrup. So, we sell it to Olds Brothers Maple Syrup where it’s processed, bottled, and distributed within their network of buyers.
The Farm Blog
Want to learn more about life on the farm? Check out our latest blog posts for fresh tips, stories, and updates straight from the fields!
Meet Our Team
We’re a small team of four who believes in the importance of animal wellbeing, land stewardship, and being involved in our community.
Justin (Jay)
Justin (Jay) was raised on the Olds Brothers farm a bit south of us in Kingsley where he grew up milking cows, schlepping sap buckets, and making hay in the summertime. The Olds Brothers family is most known for their maple syrup, beef operation, and now raising dairy heifers for another large dairy farm in McBain. When he’s not farming, Jay is a local land surveyor with Farrier Surveying of Kalkaska, and enjoys hunting, fishing, or foraging for morels or whatever else he can find out there! In addition, he stays busy assistant coaching Luke’s baseball and basketball teams.
Annie
Annie was raised just four miles East of Pine Ridge Farm on what became known as Shetler Family Dairy. She grew up learning to milk cows at a very young age, helping to make hay in the summers, and was later intimately involved in the bottling operation from start-up to early growth, to helping to wind it down 19 years later. When Annie’s not farming, she’s a small business consultant and lender with Venture North, a regional CDFI located out of Traverse City serving small businesses across the northwest Michigan region. Otherwise, Annie stays busy serving as a new 4-H Leader and on the boards of Networks Northwest and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.
Our Kids
Well, they’re just pretty cool! They aren’t shy to jump in and help move cows from one pasture to the next when needed. Otherwise, you’ll find Luke in his element on the baseball field each spring or basketball court in the winter and Evelyn spends every waking minute on the farm with the horses or whatever new babies might have made an appearance (and especially may need her assistance).
