About Us
Patrick and Libby Ives
Farmer Pat started his farming journey back in 2012 right down the road at Pond Hill Farm as an intern. He had a background in Conservation and Sustainability and wanted to become more connected to his local food systems. Throughout a varied season working with wonderful, passionate, and knowledgeable people at a very diverse farm he fell in love with all things agriculture and set it in his head that someday he would run his own farm.
For a few years life carried Pat & Libby around the midwest as Libby finished a graduate degree. Meanwhile Pat built his skills at a few different jobs related to agriculture, voraciously reading every small farm book he could get his hands on, attending conferences, and planting a bigger and bigger garden every year.
In 2016 the opportunity to move back to Michigan presented itself. Pat and Libby soon began fixing up a farmhouse on family land and building infrastructure for what would become Bliss Valley Farm. They began attending local farmers markets and in 2019 Farmer Pat started farming full time. Libby now works as a geologist with the USGS and helps out with the farm when she can.
Dave and Gail!
Dave and Gail Ives began to set down roots in Bliss Township in 2013 when they bought 1/2 of a former 80 acre farm, for hunting, maple sugar shacking and enjoying the natural beauty of Bliss.
Two years later, the other 40 acres, which included an heirloom apple orchard, went up for sale and they were able to reunite the two parcels and reestablish the original farm. Their son Patrick and daughter in law Libby began to create Bliss Valley Farm, and continue to bring their love for growing fresh healthy food and being good stewards of the land to beautiful Northern Michigan.
Gail and Dave are active in the “tip of the mitt” community and work/play in every season to help grow a new generation farming family in Bliss.
Esau: the farm dog.
Esau is our old-man farm dog. He enjoys supervising farm work from a sunny spot, going for "walkies" in the woods, and getting lots of treats!