Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse — Local services in Holland Township

Bobolink is an amazing place, though completely unassuming, which is part of what makes it so appealing. When you sign up for a farm tour, you might expect a short walk around the lot, looking at shiny equipment and a few cows. Not here! Jonathan, one of the owners, took us on an hour+ excursion, hiking through the woods and across dung laden fields, explaining all about the land, animals and processes they use in their sustainable farming. It's truly educational and highly recommended for all ages.

At the end of the tour, you return to the bakehouse to see the wood-fired oven, which is truly an amazing mix of old and new. While it just looks like a hunk of concrete, Jonathan describes the thought that went into it and the computerized control system that permits them to monitor its operation throughout the day (and night!). As an engineer, I really loved this, but it's all explained in a way that the kids can appreciate it too.

Inside, you see (and taste) their site-made breads and cheeses, again learning how and why they're made as they are. One taste proves that their ingredients, techniques and TLC are worth it. Hopefully others will be inspired to follow suit.

I feel truly lucky to live so close to Bobolink, where I can return and enjoy their goods as they evolve and learn more about how things can be done in a way that nurtures, rather than destroys, the land.

p.s. the only reason I don't give them an "excellent" rating for "appeal" is that this place isn't for everybody. If you want to see beautifully manicured landscaping and gleaming polished tanks, and brick paths - this ain't for you! You're walking into a real, working farm. There's dirt and...

It was a bit of a drive to get to, but well worth it. We were warmly welcomed and walked through about 10 different cheeses that they had for us to sample. We then browsed their selection of frozen meats as well as their dairy products. They had cow hides for sale and honey and coffee as well as the normal dairy things you might expect. We also tried some of the breads. There was a rosemary loaf that was very tasty and stored well for a few days after as well. I went with two friends and we each left with bags full of goods and large smiles on our faces. I will say that it feels like you are in a basement bakery because you are. It is not some polished, decorated shop, it's a no-frills kind of place because they spend their time on their craft not their appearance. Jonathan, one of the owners was there and he talked with us for a little bit. You can feel the passion that he has. He has believed in authentic products with quality ingredients for years and years, way before it started trending recently.

I recommend going by in the morning and picking up all the fresh bacon, eggs, meats, cheese, and breads you want, then you head home and cook it all up and have an amazing meal with friends where you can talk about the glories of...

I took Nina’s bread baking class today (April 24, 2022) and it was fantastic! Highly recommend — best four hours I have spent in a long time. Nina is a superb teacher in addition to, of course, being a superb baker. She welcomed us with a handout that had the recipes that we would be making printed on it along with tips for maintaining the sourdough starter we would receive as part of the class. We then got to work. We baked three kinds of breads during the class, each one different and delicious. During the process of making each, I learned so many good tips and techniques from Nina. She was hands-on with us the whole way, showing us exactly how to do each step. She is super-knowledgeable about all the different kinds of wheat, how the different flours are made, what’s healthiest and why, and she generously shared her knowledge and expertise throughout the class. And the breads made with her flour turned out great, especially after being baked in Nina’s fabulous bread oven. I left with big bags of warm delicious bread along with a batch of healthy active starter. It was such a fun afternoon — I can’t recommend it highly enough. Thank you, Nina, for so generously sharing your warmth, hospitality, and expertise...