MEET THE GROWERS

Jake TenHarmsel

Jake was born and raised in Holland, Michigan. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2009 with a  Bachelor of Science from a double major in both Environmental Science and Communications.

Ashley TenHarmsel

Ashley was born and raised in Calumet, Michigan. She also graduated in 2009 from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science  in Earth Science and a minor in Spanish.

Ashley and Jake met in 2007 while working at a flower production greenhouse in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

During the fall of 2009 the pair traveled to Missiones, Argentina where they attended Mama Roja, a sustainable living center. For two months they developed their knowledge about organic gardening, seed saving, adobe building and many other sustainable practices. After spending time in Argentina, they traveled up to Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador where they lived for three months volunteering with the Planet Drum Foundation. The primary focus of the project was the reforestation and recovery of the highly damaged and fragile Dry Tropical Forest ecosystem. 

In the spring of 2011 they moved to Silt, Colorado where they apprenticed at Peach Valley CSA and worked with farmers Ken and Gail Khuns. It was there that they learned how to grow vegetables on a several acre scale, raise hens for egg production and how to run a CSA. The following season they worked at Early Morning Orchard. There they focused on managing orchards and growing produce for several markets. After being away for some time, the pair decided to come home and put their education and passion into growing fresh and healthy food here in the Keweenaw. 

They started North Harvest CSA Farm in 2013 and continue to work hard to bring you high quality, fresh produce. In 2018 Ashley took on full ownership of the business. You can find her working in the field but also behind the scenes running the website and social media accounts, answering emails, managing the CSA, writing grants, keeping the books and being a part of several food systems committees, among many other things. You can find Jake working in the field, managing the irrigation system, creating all the beautiful bouquets, constantly repairing something, improving our growing systems, and sitting as Co-Chair on the From The Ground Farmers Market Collective executive board, among many other things.