Little Sprouts Garden started as a desire to teach our seven children, my little sprouts, how to develop life skills, take responsibility, form healthy eating habits, and foster a connection with nature through gardening. We wanted to provide our children with valuable learning opportunities and to teach them how to work hard for what they have.

Our gardening season starts when the very first seed catalog arrives. We strategically choose our seeds and plants from a wide variety of places, keeping in mind what our family and other families we provide to want on their plates. Each season is a little bit different when it comes to mapping our grounds. There are countless plots sketched out on graphing paper to optimize the land and space we have — none of which will be perfectly executed as planned because crop rotation and laying out irrigation makes it tricky. With hopes of a greenhouse in the future, perhaps just a dream, for now the grow lights have been hung, and the seedlings have been started. They hang out in my front entrance in my house until they are hearty enough to be kissed by the sunlight before being planted.

My journey began with picking and selling strawberries. The strawberry business has been in my family’s roots for over 75 years. My great grandfather, Arnold Eagle, owned one of the first pick-your-own berry farms in Alpena. My husband’s grandparents, of the Andor Farm in Lachine, also had strawberries. There have been four generations of our family picking and selling strawberries on the streets of Alpena. We currently sell them next to the Salvation Army store during berry season.

Five years ago, we started growing our own berries. We still pick from commercial berry farms but also have our own strawberries daily during the season. Another crop of bare root strawberries has arrived in the mail this week and we are all eager to get outr hands back in the dirt again. These roots will be planted and will grow for many years to come. The mulch from our older berries has been removed and the plants have begun to unfurl from their winter’s rest. We pray for a bountiful harvest.

Courtesy Photo Leah and Kyle VanVolkenburg are seen with their seven children at Little Sprouts Garden farm stand. Their children, from oldest to youngest, are Casey, Jake, Mya, Isaiah, Jensen, Adalyn, and Karson.

Along with strawberries, we have our Little Sprouts Garden stand located at our hobby farm on 10751 Werth Road in Herron. During prime garden season, June through November, our garden stand is refreshed daily, open 24/7, self-serve. Our Little Sprouts Garden Facebook page is updated often with what’s new and available. We primarily focus on vegetables and fruits that our family and customers’ families enjoy, including pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, winter squash, watermelon, sweet corn, pumpkins, hot and sweet peppers, dill, beans, and of course strawberries! Having a garden stand allows us to sell what we don’t need and provides income to our growing family.

I do a good amount of canning, teaching my littles how to be self-sustaining as much as I can. They each have jobs such as chopping veggies, cold packing jars, stemming fruits, and snipping beans. Even my 2-year-old takes part. We make a lot of spaghetti sauce for the family during tomato harvest as well as salsa and paste. Some other staples include jalapenos, beans, apple pie filing, peaches, and jams for the stand. With children it always takes twice as long, but I remind myself learning from the experience is the end goal.

Gardening and homesteading are a lot of work, that’s for sure. Keeping the grounds weeded, watered, and pest-free takes countless hours of tedious tasks. Despite the toils, it’s always rewarding to see our hard work has paid off with bountiful harvests. Some years don’t always go as planned, but that’s life. We really enjoy talking to people in the community that come buy our strawberries in town or squash at the stand. Our kids are eager to help carry berries to people’s cars and pack the garden stand with veggies. This year’s goals include doubling our pickling cucumbers as well as introducing baked goods such as breads and pies to the stand. We appreciate all who have chosen us for locally grown produce and hope to meet many more of you this year.

All in all, Josephine Nuese said it best, winter is the time to dream of a new plan for a better harvest in the spring, but now it’s nearly May, and we are overjoyed that planting season has begun!

Leah and Kyle VanVolkenburg own and operate Little Sprouts Garden with their seven children, Casey, Jake, Mya, Isaiah, Jensen, Adalyn, and Karson. Reach Leah at leah.van22@gmail.com.

Courtesy Photo Leah VanVolkenburg, at right, is seen with her family selling strawberries in the Salvation Army store parking lot in Alpena.