Farm to Fork Food Trailer offers a variety of delicious, freshly made fare — a new menu launched this week and is shared below! — using an abundance of locally sourced ingredients.
“We don’t usually keep the business open after hours but, on this night, we were glad we did,” reports Emily Keiser, owner of the new Farm to Fork Food Trailer in Pellston, Michigan. “We were thinking about heading for home when the phone rang.”
“I’m sorry to call at this hour but our sister is having a baby and we need food,” the caller said.
“So, of course, we stayed open and made the best meals for a quick pick up on a momentous occasion,” said Emily. “That’s how we do things in Pellston.”
Located at 6345 Mill Street in Pellston (across from the BP gas station), Farm to Fork is open for business on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays.
The business was founded to provide a delicious “farm to table” dining experience for Pellston residents and visitors using locally-sourced vegetables, meats, bread and more.
The mouthwatering menu includes Pellston Pride Pork Sliders, The Apple Orchard Burger, Chicken & Dumplin’ Soup and even a slider and pint-sized pizza for kids.
Alex and Emily Keiser, above, bring cheerful enthusiasm and a dedication to serving community and providing delicious, locally made meals cooked in their trailer — Emily gets the lay of the land from the trailer’s previous owners before their grand opening October 1st.
“Our goal is to offer the finest affordable food using all local, healthful ingredients with no additives or preservatives,” said Keiser. “There are limited dining options in Pellston. We plan to stay open year-round. We also have Uber Eats and Door Dash options. My husband is even coming up with a food delivery service for anglers fishing on the ice on nearby Burt and Mullet Lakes, including upcoming winter fishing tournaments.”
Keiser reports that their recent “quiet opening” gained rave reviews.
“People just love our fresh, local burger and specialty vegetables like our beautiful Tie Dye Tomatoes.”
For Keiser, Farm to Fork is by, for and about Pellston. Community support has been nothing short of an inspiration.
“We are extremely happy that they chose to set up their operation in Pellston,” said Pellston Village President James Gillett. “Every time I pass by there are always people in line. There’s nothing else like it in our community. They are outgoing and friendly. They are local and known as great neighbors. And everything they have in the Food Trailer is first class. We will certainly support their business!”
When Keiser expressed an interest in buying local picnic tables, people showed up with tables to donate. As Keiser wondered how best to contend with Pellston’s average snowfall of 96- to 103-inches annually while staying open, the Fire Chief offered to help keep their area plowed. Community members also helped find a permanent place for the trailer that requires 50-amp power.
Keiser and family are no strangers to the food business. Her father once owned four different restaurants on Mackinac Island where Emily often worked. Keiser and husband also own a small farm and CASA stand that local farmers have supplied for years. Emily is Serv-Safe certified, an essential ingredient for healthful food.
Venture North Funding and Development, a nonprofit provider of low-cost commercial loans and no-cost technical assistance, provided capital to jump-start the business.
“I don’t know what we would have done without Venture North,” Keiser says. “As a startup, we just weren’t able to secure capital any other way. They have also been a great source of technical assistance and advice. The selfless community support along with Venture North’s financing have meant so much as we navigated getting our business off the ground.”
“Emily was a fantastic client to work with,” said Annie Olds, Small Business Lender and Coach for Venture North. “She’s amazing! She did her homework and leaned on the necessary resources to pull it all off. How she’s managing it all with toddlers at home with a full-on CSA I have no idea but more power to her!”
With her cheerful outlook, absolute dedication to healthy eating and a faithful, supportive community, the future is big and bold for Emily and the Farm to Fork Food Trailer.
“We want to exceed the expectations of everyone – neighbors, residents and visitors alike,” Emily says, “It’s just so satisfying to please people of all ages with food that is the most nutritious and great tasting right here in Pellston!”
Farm to Fork Food Trailer
6345 Mill Street | Pellston, Michigan
Thursdays & Fridays: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturdays: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Ph: (231) 330-7827
Contact:
Contact: Tim Ervin - Ph: 231-794-0089 - Email: timervinassoc@gmail.com
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