About Krupp Farms
A fourth-generation centennial farm, rooted on the same Michigan soil since 1916.
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The beginning — 1864 to 1944
Where it all started
Dan and Elizabeth Krupp began farming in 1864 in Alpine Township on Vinton Avenue. In 1916 their son Charles Krupp purchased the first 80 acres of what would become Krupp Farms on Krupp Avenue. He raised potatoes and other crops along with an acre of strawberries which he hauled to the wholesale market in Grand Rapids in his 1913 Model T during WWI.
In 1920 Charles purchased 40 adjoining acres. In 1922 he started milk cows. He bought his first tractor, a 1926 Fordson, which was one of the first in the area. In 1935 he purchased another 40 adjoining acres. In 1944 Charles died, but not before teaching his sons (Roman and Ernest) to "take care of the land and it will take care of you."
2nd/3rd generation — 1944 to 1989
Roman, Teresa, Richard & Charlotte
Roman Krupp and his wife Teresa took over the farm operation when his father died and eventually purchased it in 1951. He built a silo for the dairy cows in 1946 and added peaches and more strawberries. In the early '60s Teresa began inviting customers to the farm to pick strawberries, and the strawberry business began to grow.
In 1966 Roman's son Richard and his wife Charlotte purchased the farm in partnership with Richard's brother Louis. Louis died the next year and his wife sold her interest to Richard and Charlotte.
Richard Krupp sold the milk cows and started raising beef cattle and pigs. The cattle business ended when the old frame barn burned down in 1977. They replaced the old barn with a new pole barn/garage and a separate hay barn. They built irrigation ponds for strawberry frost protection and continued to raise corn, wheat and hay.
Krupp Farms continued to grow. They added asparagus and sold it along with the peaches and expanding strawberry business. As the years went by Richard and Charlotte developed a friendly competition as to who would sell more; Charlotte to the U-Pick customers or Richard to the wholesale market. This was the beginning of the growing trend of people coming out to the farm. They grew the strawberry acreage to over ten acres.
In 1987 Richard's father, Roman, died. Richard farmed for one more year, then retired and sold the farm in 1989 to his son, Paul Krupp.
4th generation — 1989 to 2018
Paul & Nancy
In 1990 Paul married Nancy Antor and left the insurance business. They opened the Antor Travel Agency in Rockford, as Nancy had worked in the travel business since 1985. Also in 1990 they expanded Krupp Farms again by leasing the Fix family farm located just north of their original 80 acres.
Paul and Nancy converted Krupp Farms entirely to retail sales. They added raspberries due to public demand. They maintain over fifteen acres of strawberries, four acres of raspberries along with wheat, corn and soybeans.
In 2016 Paul and Nancy hosted a 100 year Centennial Farm celebration inviting many friends, family, customers and neighbors.
Paul and Nancy farmed together for nearly 30 years until Paul's untimely death in September, 2018. Nancy immediately became in charge of the farm. Fulfilling her promise to Paul, she took on the task of farming with her grit, enthusiasm and hard work, recently expanding the parking lot and building a new berry barn.
Looking ahead — 2018 to present
Nancy & Derek
At the same time, her nephew Derek Huffman stepped forward to work with her during berry season. Derek has been instrumental with updates on the farm as well as day-to-day operations. Nancy and Derek have forged a strong partnership with their love and commitment to Krupp Farms. In time and with his own vision Derek looks forward to ownership and growing the farm so lovingly nurtured by his aunt and uncle.
With the grace of God, we are very fortunate to have a profitable farm that has continued in the family with one generation helping the next, with each new generation building on the past.
A Tribute to Paul Krupp
Paul Krupp was a fourth generation strawberry farmer. He bought Krupp Farms from his father, Richard Krupp, in 1989. In 1990, he married his wife, Nancy, and retired from the insurance business. Paul has two children, Mike and Angie, and seven grandchildren. Paul and Nancy have grown Krupp Farms to what it is today by the means of hard work and love.
Paul loved farming. He loved his farm kids and customers even more. Paul was known as “the tall handsome man in the white shirt.” Everyone knew him and loved him. He had a servant’s heart, which is one of the reasons he was such an amazing farmer, husband, father, bumpa, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, boss and neighbor. The video below represents who Paul was as a farmer perfectly and we are so grateful to his cousin Linda for putting this tribute together in his memory.
Video coming soon...