Great Lakes Staple Seeds
Eleanor Hucker, owner of Great Lakes Staple Seeds in Michigan, has built a thriving seed business rooted in regional resilience and open-pollinated diversity. Through AFT’s Brighter Future Fund, Eleanor expanded and electrified her primary seed production area, solving a long-standing challenge: devastating crop losses from deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. The grant allowed her to nearly double her growing space, strengthening her ability to meet rapidly rising customer demand while protecting agricultural land and improving long-term farm viability.
Great Lakes Staple Seeds
Location:
Michigan
BFF Award Year:
2024
Website:
https://greatlakesstapleseeds.com/
Project Description:
Installing and reinforcing new and exiexistingsiting fencing, electrifying a threefold expansion of the main plot.
“With the grant from American Farmland Trust, we can now grow enough seed to meet our customers’ needs while stewarding the land responsibly. These improvements let us implement a more ecologically responsible crop rotation schedule.”
Eleanor Hucker, owner of Great Lakes Staple Seeds in Michigan, expanded and electrified her primary seed-production area through AFT’s Brighter Future Fund, protecting crops from predation and nearly doubling her growing space. This strengthened her ability to meet rising customer demand and enhanced long-term farm viability.
“With the grant from American Farmland Trust, we can now grow enough seed to meet our customers’ needs while stewarding the land responsibly,” Eleanor shared.
The project included taller fencing, reinforced perimeter, and electrification—reducing losses and improving soil health via better crop rotation. It advances AFT’s mission areas: protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land.
Website: https://GreatLakesStapleSeeds.com
