The heart of Hearty Harvest

Leaving a card table in front of the house was the Wernette way of selling produce before their family farm grew into what is now the Hearty Harvest in Remus, Michigan. Since she was a child, Natalie Pennington, the now owner of the farm, has watched a self-serve produce table turn into a family business that draws customers ranging from locals to out-of-town passersby. 

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The farm’s storefront adjacent to Natalie’s childhood home has been open since 2008, with her parents, Paul and Laura Wernette, starting the business from their own on-site produce. Since then, Natalie has helped grow the farm, working with local farmers and amishmen to trade and buy products for the old-western-themed storefront. 

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Natalie now drives to the farm from her family’s home in Stanwood, often accompanied by her two children Felicity and Edwin, and occasionally her husband Tom when he has time away from his heating and cooling business. The close-knit family made up of the Wernettes and the Penningtons work cohesively to ensure the success of the farm, and each play their own role in the process.

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With a self-serve and honesty policy option at the farm, customers are welcome to come and go as they please, allowing the family a flexible schedule. On rainy days, the Penningtons will stay home and settle in for some time away from their bustling farm-driven lifestyle.