Farmers' Market Profile: Shagbark Knoll Farm Offers Fresh Produce

Regulars of the will recognize a familiar smiling face on Tuesdays. Henry Zelisse of Ypsilanti’s Shagbark Knoll Farm is a featured vendor at the market for the third year.

Zelisse, who has been selling asparagus at the market while he awaits other crops, promises to have plenty of fresh produce in the coming weeks.

“We’ll have lettuce, basil, pea pods, beans, carrots, radishes, onions, tomatoes and peppers,” he said.

In addition to vegetables, Zelisse will offer fresh cabbage, apples and pears from his son’s farm, Panama Hills Farm in Superior Township, later this summer.

Zelisse said he planted his tomato and pepper plants this week and expects to harvest them in mid-August.

With an unseasonably wet and hot growing season, Zelisse, who also sells at the Depot Town Farmers’ Market in Ypsilanti on Saturdays, said he's happy to see the rains have lightened up long enough to get his peppers in the ground.

“Unfortunately, you won’t see a lot of the bigger farms at the market until they have more produce to sell,” he said. “It would be nice to have additional vendors here now.”

While he waits on the crops, Zelisse stays busy selling geraniums and other potted flower plants, including teddy bear sunflowers.

“It’s going to be slow for the next few weeks, but we’ll have some fresh basil soon,” he said.

Zelisse, a retired General Motors employee, said he has grown up around farming all of his life.

“My interest dates back as far back as when I was a kid and my dad had a victory garden in World War II,” he said.

Victory gardens were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure of the public food supply.

Zelisse said his wife also grew up on a farm and sold produce at the Saline Farmers’ Market for several years.

He said he enjoys spending time at farmers’ markets — particularly in small towns like Dexter.

“I think the people are more selective and will checkout the different vendors to see what’s offered, instead of consistently shopping at one vendor’s stand. I think that’s nice because it gives everyone a chance and customers can learn who sells what; if they like it, they will come back,” Zelisse said.

For more information on the Kelly's Farm, or to visit other local vendors, stop by the Dexter Farmers’ Market, Alpine Street off of Main Street in Downtown Dexter, on Tuesdays from 3-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.