On the road with Jake’s Country Meats: Neither snow nor sleet. . . 

Laurie Scott, Director, Harvest Health Holland, checks in her Jake’s on a winter weather advisory kind of a Friday, January 3.                      -News Photo

Neither snow nor sleet nor winter weather advisory stays Jake’s couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds

by Kay Schten McAdam, Editor

   Friday, January 3, was a typical winter morning in Michigan, if there ever is anything typical about Michigan weather. The frosty fingers of dawn struggled to appear over the prairie behind the slate-hued clouds colliding into a winter weather advisory . . . 

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   For those not in the know, Jake’s Country Meats is the legacy of sixth generation farmers Nate and LouAnn Robinson, 55721 Decatur Road, Cassopolis. The farm where the animals are raised is now owned by the seventh generation, Renee (Robinson) and Nick Seelye. Considering the identities of some of their trusty farm hands, the number of farming generations is up to eight. 

   Jake’s caters to the increasing number of individuals, families and businesses that want to know “where their food comes from,” otherwise described as pasture-raised, non-GMO, no sugar added, no antibiotics, no added nitrates, MSG free, and certified grass-fed. Jake’s is available at numerous restaurants, meat drops, farmer’s markets, and The Meat Shed on Decatur Road. Shoppers can now order their Jake’s online. 

   But the product has to get to consumers somehow and ergo the reason for your Editor’s road trip riding shotgun for Jake’s.

   I was assured by the driver, one Ron McAdam, that it would be a light delivery day starting in St. Joe, then on to Holland, Hudsonville, Grand Rapids, Cascade and Kalamazoo. Our truck, however, is not the only Jake’s on the road. There is a Chicago route, South Bend-Goshen route, and Detroit route. (Ron also does the Detroit route once a week at which time I am conveniently occupied.)

   I must say that I’ve ridden in a lot of farm trucks in my day and was duly prepared. What a delight when I hopped in and remarked, “wow, they really keep their trucks clean!” 

   As weather advisories go, it was hit and miss for snow throughout the journey, although there was little visibility in Dowagiac on our way to the first stop at Dad’s Farm and Café in St. Joe. The trek from Covert to Holland was punctuated by, “gee, I hope you can see where the side of the road is.” But when you’re in a reefer truck laden with boxes of frozen meat, you hug the pavement pretty well.

   Things you didn’t realize about your home state tend to pop-up when following non-highway routes from stop-to-stop (a much safer alternative in snowy weather. It was sleeting in Holland.). I was not aware that the large structures visible from the road are part of a soybean processing plant in Zeeland. According to its website (zfsinc.com), Zeeland Farm Services (ZFS) “processes more than 28,000 bushels of soybeans a day, operates 24 hours a day, 355 days a year, produces soybean meal, hulls and oil, and ZFS’ 47 percent soybean meal is used in animal feed as a primary source of protein in rations. The soybean hulls are also used in animal feed as a source of fiber. The majority of our crude soybean oil goes to our soybean oil Refining, Bleaching, and Deodorizing (RBD) facility.”

   The trip also introduced me to Zeeland High School West, home of the Dux. Zeeland High School East is home of the Chix.  What a rivalry that must be. . .  If there was a third school, would it be home to the Turduckens?

   Delivery stops are a relatively quick in-and-out affair. 

   “So glad to see you,” Laurie Scott, Director, Harvest Health Holland, said, “we’re running low on Jake’s.” After checking in her 100lb + order of bulk chorizo, Italian sausage and pork sausage, hickory bacon, and pork sausage links and patties, we were off to Harvest Health Hudsonville, The Chop House and Doorganics in Grand Rapids.

   “We love ‘em,” Hensen says. “Jake’s has been with us about 11 years now. People love it. It’s a great product. They’re consistent. They’re awesome. Everything from pork to eggs. People like shopping local and eating healthy.”

   Doorganics, established in 2011, is a door-to-door organic delivery service, everything from produce to organic potato chips. Hansen says they occasionally deliver to businesses, but “mostly its subscription based, and it’s a co-op that we bring to you.”

   “Which door do we go in?”

   “Through the merchandise shop.”

   “All right. Glad I brought my wallet.”

   Nothing like a little shopping to reward a job well done. . .

   Home safe after a quick stop to pick up packing boxes at Joe’s Farm on Pulver, and the sky is looking much like it did when we left in the morning, filtered light through winter clouds.

   Just another day on the farm. . .

   And where did the driver take the passenger to lunch?

   When there’s no Arby’s to be found, it’s Wendy’s for a bun containing meat of unknown origin. Is there a touch of irony here?

   Get your Jake’s at The Meat Shed, 55721 Decatur Road, open daily from 10am – 7pm. The self-serve store accepts cash, check and credit cards. For more information, visit them online at jakescountrymeats.com

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