I’m Jeff. I grew up knowing where food comes from and what it costs to grow it right.

The small organic farm in Mid-Michigan where I grew up

I grew up in Michigan on a small organic family farm, where work mattered, and food meant something. For over 20 years, I helped raise livestock—cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens—and grow cash crops like hay, corn, soybeans, wheat, spelt, and dry beans, along with the vegetable garden. We rotated crops, respected the land, and fed people we knew by name. That upbringing formed more than skills. It formed a conviction in how food is meant to taste.

Attending Michigan State University to obtain my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine

Like many, I left. I pursued education and career, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. I spent a decade as a public health veterinarian, working inside the systems that shape how food is produced, regulated, and consumed. That experience gave me clarity: efficiency had replaced stewardship, and scale had cost quality.

Eventually, I came back.

Bonz Beach Farms, where I operate and homestead out of

Today, I live on a homestead in Northeast Michigan, where I run Bonz Beach Farms. Our work centers on maple syrup production, fruit and vegetable gardening, and small-scale regenerative agriculture. We follow organic principles intentionally and consistently, even without formal certification, because soil health, animal welfare, and long-term resilience matter more than labels.

We welcome visitors onto the farm because transparency builds trust. People should see how food is grown, not just buy it wrapped in plastic.

This work is guided openly by Christian faith—by the belief that the land is entrusted, not owned, and that faithful work done quietly still matters.

The Grounded Homestead exists to help beginners, suburban families, and first-time growers build skill, confidence, and rhythm. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to start. And keep showing up.