VerHage Fruit Farms

VerHage Fruit Farms, founded by the late Vern VerHage, has been growing quality fruits and serving the Kalamazoo community since 1960. The cider mill was started in 1962 by Nancy VerHage, Vern's wife. Her secret blend of specially selected tree ripened apples produced a sweet fresh apple cider that brought families from around Michigan and surrounding states, to the farm to purchase her cider. This special lady passed on in 1984, but we still use her secret recipe and blend for making delicious fresh apple cider the same natural way with no additives or preservatives; using the same 200 year old cider press we began making cider on all those years ago. As time went on there were other additions to the farm making it one of the "must see" Autumn spots in the Kalamazoo area and listed as a top 10 attraction of things to do in Kalamazoo!
At Christmas in 1999 Vern followed his wife Nancy, but they had instilled in their children, Kelly and Kevin a love of the farm and a way of life that continues to thrive today. Every year beginning in September, and continuing through the first of November, we as a family carry on the legacy, bringing you the best Fall and Halloween activities that we can. Our family and farm continue to prosper, and now there are grandchildren and great grand children who continue along the same path and are following Vern and Nancy's example. The Farm Market Bakery and Cider Mill continue to provide quality fruits, the famous cider, along with pies, quiche, donuts, caramel apples, fudge and other fresh baked goods. The family owned business has branched out to include a large U-pick operation, and still continues the traditional hay rides, along with a variety of fall attractions to make your visit here a wonderful experience and the beginning of a family tradition for years to come.

We open in the spring (May) selling, Asparagus, Rhubarb and Strawberries. We may be famous for Fall Fun beginning in September with weekend activities like Pony Rides, Apple Picking, Family Hay Rides, watch Cider or Fudge being made and or make a Caramel Apple on the One of a Kind Caramel Apple Buffett!!

But in the Spring we start out with the Asparagus growing season, our kitchen specializing in making food from these spring and summer growing seasons with an amazing collection of "Field to Kitchen" Recipes! We make a variety of Quiche, but at Asparagus season we make them all with Asparagus! We also create and sell ready made asparagus soups, the chicken asparagus lasagna or the so flavorful asparagus fococcia bread! We only make these items during these growing seasons and this is why we call them from the "Field to the Kitchen" Recipes! Strawberry season invites us to make homemade shortbread biscuits and buttermilk biscuits for making traditional strawberry shortcake! We even have and amazing whipped topping available in the cooler at that time for you to purchase and take home! We love making our fresh and popular hearth breads and creating some butter spread favorites to top them with! Around the year 2010 we began selling our items at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market again right where years before Vern himself sold fresh cider and apples before our farm went from producing for commercial canning use to becoming a leader in our area for "Agritourism"! We look forward to the Kalamazoo Farmer's Market every year to visit and connect with old friends and make new ones in our local Kalamazoo Community.

At Verhage Farms, you are a stranger once but a friend always.