By Lisa Carolin
You can’t get much closer to the city limit of Chelsea than the location of Robin Hills Farm. The 129-acre piece of property is located 500 feet north of the city on M-52 in Sylvan Township.
The property was purchased in June 2014 and planting began in August. A hoop house was used to grow vegetables during the fall and winter, many of which are now being sold at the various farmers’ markets where Robin Hills Farm participates.
One of those markets is the Saturday Chelsea Farmers’ Market, and in July, Mitzi Koors, vegetable manager for the farm, was selling greens, beets, peppers, tomatoes and more.
“It’s been about patience and learning,” she says.
The farm’s mission states it “is to provide a model of sustainable, organic agriculture and appropriate land stewardship while offering a space to enjoy quality time with friends, family and that stranger in the mirror.”
Roy Xu owns Robin Hills Farm, and is also a partner at GreenBright Design Build in Ann Arbor, which is constructing solar panels and helping to turn Robin Hills into a sustainable farm.
Xu, who is originally from China and now lives in Ann Arbor, thought the Chelsea area was an ideal place for his project.
“Our location offers land that can be used for farming and for a park,” said Xu. “We want to create a place for family events and educational opportunities.”
Visitors can enjoy bicycling, hiking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing on the property. Classes so far include a series on garden parties as well as several on craft making.
Robin Hills Farm has close to 20 employees, and Xu expects that number to grow. There are weekly tours currently available, and Robin Hills offers a CSA (community supported agriculture) crop shares.
For more information on Robin Hills Farm, click here.
