Producer

Sandhill Acres is a heritage farm located in Chelsea (Tama County), established by the Musel family in 1865. The land sits above the expansive Otter Creek Marsh which is home to sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans and a wide diversity of flora and fauna. Brad and Margaret Wolter and Cindy Hadish purchased the 40-acre farm from their relatives in 2019 and are in the process of breathing new life into the 1890 homestead and surrounding land. They rotationally graze a small herd of Kiko goats which they sell at nearby livestock auctions and grow chemical-free vegetables in the sandy soil where their ancestors thrived for generations. This includes garlic, onions, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, greens, watermelons, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes and much more. They also harvest mulberries and raspberries around the farm. The mission of Sandhill Acres is to nurture a sustainable farm and provide healthy food to the community while being good stewards of the land.

Brad and Margaret use chemical-free and no-till practices at Sandhill Acres. On occasion, they may apply Surround which is kaolin clay or diatomaceous earth as a natural pesticide. They use newspaper, cardboard and straw as mulch to decrease weed pressure and increase soil moisture.