About Us
Old Mission Peninsula
Our 5 acre hemp farm is located on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, Michigan. This region is renowned for its wine-grape varietals and of course - Northern Michigan cherries. Situated between east and west Grand Traverse Bay, this area has a unique microclimate that has created rich and fertile soils that are vital to the fruit farming industry. The surrounding waters help to insulate the peninsula from extreme shifts in temperatures, effectively increasing the number of frost-free days throughout the spring and fall. These long spring and summer days, combined with the rich soil, create an ideal situation for cultivating hemp.
We hope to manage our our lands for generations to come and focus on sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices. Our use of drip line irrigation helps to drastically reduce our water use and also allows us to grow stronger and healthier plants by watering directly at the plant root base. The use of biodegradable mulch on our raised garden beds helps to conserve water and nutrient use by limiting irrigation run-off. Our plastic mulch breaks down and is reintroduced into the soil, whereas the majority of plastic mulch ends up in landfills.
It's worth repeating - we never use any pesticides, herbicide, or fungicides at our farm.
Fred Swaffer Jr.
Fred is a Michigan State graduate and an Air Force veteran who proudly served his country during Operation Desert Storm. He would go on to a successful career as a commercial pilot with American Airlines for 33 years before retiring in 2019. Over the years he has enjoyed hobby farming and has grown cherries, various vegetables and grains; while also raising chickens, cows, goats and pigs.
The buzz around the many uses and applications of hemp intrigued Fred. He cofounded Old Mission Cultivars along with Aaron Pols to grow, process and more closely explore the plants potential.
Aaron Pols
Aaron is a Central Michigan and Oakland University graduate. He has nearly a decades worth of experience working directly in Michigan's medical marijuana industry and more recently the adult-use industry. Specializing in cannabis cultivation, Aaron has worked overseas aiding in the development of an industrial cannabis facility. He is currently a consultant assisting businesses entering the licensed marijuana industry.
Investigating the cannabinoids beyond THC and CBD is what brought Aaron into the hemp industry. With over 100 cannabinoids found in the plant, targeting and isolating specific cannabinoids has always interested Aaron.