For generations, farming has been the heart of Northern Michigan — families working the same land, caring for animals, and feeding their neighbors with honesty and pride. At Danu Hof, our family continues that tradition on our farm north of Traverse City, where we believe that good food should stay close to home.

This year, we’ve faced a new challenge that threatens that vision: the loss of our local poultry processor.

Each season, we raise our chickens on pasture with care — the way our grandparents did — but now, without a nearby processor, we’re forced to haul them hours away. It’s stressful for the animals, adds significant cost and time for farmers, and makes it harder to keep high-quality, locally raised meat available in our own communities.

This isn’t just our problem — it’s one that every small poultry producer in Northern Michigan is now facing. Without a small-scale, farmer-focused poultry processing facility in our region, many farms have had to cut back or stop raising birds altogether.

We want to change that.

By building a community poultry processing facility right here in Northern Michigan, we can create a place that serves not only our farm but others like ours — supporting family farmers, protecting animal welfare, and keeping local food on local tables.

The Challenge

For years, Northern Michigan farms relied on a small handful of processors to handle poultry — a vital link that allowed small farms to keep meat production local. But over time, as regulations tightened and costs climbed, those few remaining facilities began to close their doors. This year, the last nearby option for many of us shut down.

The result has been immediate and deeply felt. Farmers now have to drive several hours each way to have their birds processed — a trip that adds significant fuel and labor costs, increases animal stress, and limits how much we can sustainably raise. For many, the numbers simply no longer add up.

When farms can’t process locally, it doesn’t just hurt the farmers. It means fewer choices for families who want to buy clean, responsibly raised food. It means local dollars leaving our communities. It means the loss of one more piece of the independent, regional food system Northern Michigan has worked so hard to build.

Without a solution, we risk losing more than just chickens — we risk losing the ability to feed our communities from our own soil.

Our Vision

Our vision is to create a small-scale, MDARD-licensed poultry processing facility designed by farmers, for farmers — right here in Northern Michigan.

This facility will make it possible for local farms like ours to raise and process poultry close to home, ensuring that the food produced in our region stays in our region. It will also be built to meet the highest standards for humane handling and food safety, allowing small producers to grow without sacrificing their values or quality.

We envision a space that serves more than just Danu Hof — one that supports a network of small family farms across Northern Michigan who have been struggling with this same challenge. By working together, we can strengthen the local food system, reduce costs for farmers, and make locally raised meat more accessible for the communities that depend on it.

This project isn’t about expansion for its own sake. It’s about creating lasting infrastructure that allows local food production to thrive, not just for our family, but for the next generation of farmers who will continue feeding Northern Michigan.

How the Funds Will Be Used

Building a poultry processing facility is a big step — but every stage brings us closer to a more resilient local food system. We’ve outlined three clear phases so our community can see exactly how their support makes a difference.

Phase 1: Essential Start — $13,000

This is the foundation. These funds will cover the critical equipment and basic setup needed to begin limited, small-batch processing on-site. This includes chill tanks, tables, packaging supplies, and essential infrastructure for safe, clean handling.

Impact: With this first phase complete, Danu Hof and a few nearby farms could process poultry locally again — reducing animal stress, cutting transportation costs, and keeping more of our food dollars in Northern Michigan.

Phase 2: Community Capacity — $40,000–$60,000

This phase expands the facility’s capabilities to serve multiple farms, not just our own. Funds will go toward additional processing equipment, cold storage, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and permitting to meet state and USDA standards.

Impact: More farms will be able to bring their birds closer to home for processing, helping restore a critical piece of regional food infrastructure.

Phase 3: Full Build & Long-Term Vision — $80,000

The final phase completes the build-out, establishing a fully licensed, farmer-focused facility designed to operate sustainably for years to come. This includes construction improvements, inspection compliance, staff training, and community collaboration to create an accessible processing hub for Northern Michigan producers.

Impact: A regional resource that supports dozens of small farms, creates local jobs, strengthens food security, and ensures that families across Northern Michigan can continue to access clean, responsibly raised meat from their own communities.

Your Role in Making This Possible

We are asking for help — not just for our farm, but for the future of local food in Northern Michigan.

When you give to this project, you’re doing more than helping us build a facility. You are helping to keep independent farms thriving. You are helping to ensure that families can continue to access clean, responsibly raised food from people they know and trust. You are helping preserve the kind of community where neighbors feed neighbors, and where food has a story and a place.

We believe that strong local food systems are built together.

And right now, our region needs this.

Whether your gift is $10 or $1,000, it is meaningful. Every contribution moves us one step closer to bringing poultry processing back home — for our farm, for other small farms, and for our community.

If you’re unable to give financially, sharing this campaign is also a tremendous gift. The more people who understand this need, the more we can accomplish.

As we move into the holiday season — a time when we gather around tables with the people we love — we’re reflecting deeply on what it means to feed one another well. If you feel called to support this work, we are deeply grateful.

Thank you for standing with us,

for believing in local food,

and for helping build a future where Northern Michigan can nourish itself — from its own soil.

With gratitude,

Caitlin & the Danu Hof Family