By Amanda Brezzell
ABOVE: Caitlin McSweeney-Steffes, farmer at Danu Hof Farm a good farm bill is essential to sustaining her family and their farm. Photo courtesy Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
A Farm Dream
Just north of Mancelona, Michigan, along the US131 corridor sits the 160 acres of woods and farmland that make up Danu Hof Farm. Here, you’ll find a hard-working family and a farm rooted in a passion to strengthen local food systems. “We believe actions speak louder than words, so farming became our way to live the change we wanted to see,” says Caitlin McSweeney-Steffes.
Caitlin received her degree in business and hospitality management from northern Michigan University and shortly thereafter, left the Upper Peninsula to work in Traverse City. She got a job working with the Grand Traverse Resort, and that is where she met her husband Larry. Together they dreamed of owning their own farm. After working in the culinary industry and noticing how disconnected the food system has become from farmers, the land, and the people, Caitlin and Larry decided to turn their dream of becoming farmers into reality.
Day to Day Operations
In 2017, Caitlin and Larry purchased the land where their farm is now located. They have been farming now for eight years. On one half of their land, they are focused on forest conservation, with a long-term goal to turn the wooded area into a sugarbush for maple syrup. The other half is dedicated to living space and farm development. Their current operation includes farrow-to-finish pork, eggs, meat chickens, and market garden vegetables, all stewarded using techniques that have helped to improve soil health for their sandy plot.
Each year, they produce and sell roughly 2,000 dozen eggs, 13,000+ pounds of pork, 2,600+ pounds of chicken, and over 5,000 pounds of produce. They also sell goat milk soap, and more than 5,000 pounds of beef and 20,000 pounds of fruit from three other local partner farms. Together, these farms feed hundreds of families throughout northern Michigan. The revenue from the farm supports the McSweeney-Steffes’s family of six and each of the three other farming families. “My favorite part of farming and wearing all the many hats it requires—is the rhythm of daily life, even on the hard days.” says Caitlin.
For Caitlyn and Larry, being Michigan growers means embracing the rhythm of the season while planning, adapting, and persevering through constant change. Spring and summer bring the gamble of weather and long hours in the field. Fall brings next season prep, farrowing pigs, raising chicks, and planning rotations. Winter is time for recordkeeping, repairs, and long-term planning for expansion and soil regeneration. Even on the days they set aside to rest, life is still interesting.
The Farm Bill
While farmers across the state attempt to make plans for the future, uncertainty looms as lawmakers negotiate a piece of legislation that will have major impacts on their livelihoods. As a reminder, roughly every five years, the United States Congress renews a major piece of legislation that we callThe Farm Bill. Each version of the bill has its own name, and the most recent one, “The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018,” officially expired on September 30, 2025. This bit of legislation determines the United States policy on agriculture, food assistance, conservation, and rural development. It also determines funding and rules for farmers, nutrition programs, and environmental stewardship across the country.
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