A living Legacy

A man and a young boy sitting outdoors, smiling, with the boy holding a small red toy vehicle, dressed warmly for cold weather.
Row of young trees with support stakes in a farm or orchard at sunset, with clouds in the sky.
An elderly man with gray hair stands outdoors in front of an apple tree with red apples and green leaves, holding a gardening tool.
Group of four people standing together under a patriotic red, white, and blue bunting banner, outdoors with green trees in the background.

The History of the Farm

At 18 I, Caleb Coulter, was set out to WA to Wenatchee Valley College for year round fruit school focused on apple growing. A few days before going my grandfather took a bad fall & I couldn’t leave. His misfortune again perhaps left me on a better path. My uncle Dan then approached me about a farm recently purchased with me in mind for after college & said why wait?

Grandpa Marvin Aebig was a WW2 Veteran who started to farm after returning from the war. At the age of 39, he suffered a stroke, deeming him paralyzed from the waist down. That merely slowed him down as he proceeded to farm many years after his stroke. To describe his will, effort & determination would be nothing short of can-do, will-do, or perhaps just pure grit.

In the fall of 1996 at 18 yrs old I purchased my first 100 acres. From there I worked for my uncle on his farm and also grew pickles on rented ground for cash flow in the summer while I raised the funds to replant 100 acre piece to apples & peaches.

Fall of 1999 we lost my Uncle Dan at age 48. Later that farm was sold off. My grandpa then approached the new owners who agreed to sell him the 80 acres adjacent to his house, also where our packing facility is today. It wasn’t until the day of closing I found out he made the deal added my name at the local bank with his credit I just had to make the payments. Up another 80 acres but this farm was planted with producing fruit. 

Spring of 1999 the first employee Chris Monroe started with the farm. Chris was instrumental in daily activity working side by side to build production but also a friendship. Everyone needs that one friend they can count on Chris is mine. Today he is still employee number #1

Spring of 2002 Grandpa Aebig was killed in a traffic accident riding an electric scooter returning from visiting me trimming peaches in the orchard.

Fall 2002 Sarah & Caleb married, hands down best decision of my life right above purchasing that first 100acres.  

American Farmers History & Family

2005

Alissa was born new journey underway learning patience, humbling & humiliation as we wait to understand what is in our abilities to do to help her health. 

Two young girls smiling behind a large pile of red and yellow apples at an outdoor apple farm or market.

2006

Cassidy was born in the spring, that summer Alissa had to go to intensive feeding therapy in Richmond, VA. Cassidy came with them to be with her sister and spend time together in their early childhood.

Two young girls smiling and hugging each other while sitting amidst pink blossoming trees on a sunny day.
A large gray industrial building with a metal roof, parking lot with several cars, and a flagpole with the American flag in a rural area with green grass and wildflowers.

2007

Infrastructure boxes, buildings for storage. 

2008

Purchased additional acreage from neighbors. Planted it all apples & asparagus.

A ripe red apple hanging from a branch of an apple tree, surrounded by green leaves, in an outdoor setting.
A wind turbine in a rural landscape with trees and hills in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.

2010

Added our first frost fans.

2011

Added more fans saw the benefit yr prior, 2012 turned out to be frost of the century our fans paid for themselves overnight, although we ran them 22 nights that year. 

A row of young trees on a farm during dusk, with a cloudy sky overhead and a horizon with more trees in the distance.
A tractor with red crates and a canopy is working in an agricultural field on a cloudy day, with green trees and hills in the background.

2012

Built controlled atmosphere cold storage to hold our own crop,  while also building hydrocooler for asparagus.

Close-up of young asparagus stalks growing in a farm field against a background of trees and cloudy sky.

2013

Started receiving asparagus for other packers & processors.

Hand holding two asparagus spears outdoors on dirt ground.

2016

First year packing asparagus 1,082,000 lbs all by hand. 2016- Fall started addition for more asparagus packing & new apple grader.

Red apples growing on a tree among green leaves.

2017

Spring - second asparagus line in new pack rooms. Fall - started packing our own apples. Nephew Asa started with the farm.

Large stacks of wooden and cardboard crates stored outside a warehouse building on a grassy area.

2018

Additional acreage, added another farm.

Rows of young green plants growing in a field, with forested area in the background and partly cloudy sky above.

2019

Sister Rachel started with operation. Nephew Eli started as well. 

2020

Riley started with farm, his dad Paul Jr works with us today, also his grandfather Paul Sr worked with my Uncle & myself. Paul Sr was one of the most genuine influences on me growing up after losing both Grandpa & my Uncle teaching me multiple new task over the years. *Began talks with U-M about a fund raising program for Mott Children’s Hospital. 

A wooden crate filled with freshly picked apples, with a ladder leaning against apple trees in the background on an overcast day in an orchard.
A pile of fresh peaches with a mix of red, orange, and yellow hues.

2021

Spring - Added new hydrocooler. Fall - started receiving peaches for Titan Farms.

2022

60,000 sq ft addition on facility, 5 controlled atmosphere rooms, 2 cold storage rooms, dry storage additional refrigeration capacity. New asparagus pack room -Waterjet cutter that didn’t work out. 

Farmworkers planting crops in a field with a red tractor and a white canopy, surrounded by farm buildings and green trees.
Fresh green asparagus spears in a red plastic crate at a grocery store.

2023

Added 2 more asparagus packing lines.

A green John Deere tractor with yellow lettering, with a bottle of apple cider sitting on top of it.

2024

Added Cider line worked through permitting process for the yr, purchased apple farm in Hart.

2025

Signed first of its kind corporate branding agreement with C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital University of Michigan Health. Purchased additional acreage from neighbor,  large planting of over 120,000 new apple trees , added line #5 to asparagus packing.

Benefiting C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan Health logo on a dark blue background.