On Monday a fire damaged a packing and storage facility at Kitchen Farms in Antrim County on US-131.
“All of their facilities are connected to this place — so their storage, packing and washing facilities, their seeds storage, their shipping and handling, and their office facilities,” said Kelly Turner, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Council. “The good news is nobody’s hurt.”
Kitchen Farms is a fourth-generation operation, owned by Sarah and Don Kitchen, who grow more than 1,200 acres of potatoes each year.
The Elmira potato farm has been insured by Farm Bureau of Michigan for more than 40 years, and have been working with agent Adam Korson, of Gaylord, for the last eight years.
“My respect and admiration for the way Don and Sarah Kitchen run their operation grows every time I meet with them to discuss their current operations and future plans,” said Korson.
According to Timothy Martin, director of property claims for Farm Bureau Insurance, the fire loss has the potential to be the largest in Farm Bureau of Michigan’s history.
Mancelona Chamber of Commerce received a call from Sarah Kitchen who wanted to share thanks to those who have helped since the fire started.
“We are resilient and we will rebuild,” said Kitchen. “We are hoping to be restored and operating fully in time for the 2022 crop next year.”