Author

Bev Berens

Bev Berens

Bev Berens has been a freelance writer since 1990 after a short stint as a high school agriculture instructor. She primarily writes for agriculture trade journals and newspapers and has a weekly feature column in an Indiana farm news publication. She also creates social media and blog content for Michigan AgrAbility and Farmer Veteran Coalition organizations in Michigan. She enjoys coaching and mentoring youth through local 4H and FFA organizations and has lost count of the number of state-winning Youth 4H Dairy Contests she has been blessed to coach. She and her husband have been married for 33 years, have two adult children, a flock of sheep, and a border collie named Mac. Contact: uphillfarm494@yahoo.com

Bev Berens's Latest Articles

Kelly Raterink talks to customers.
Pandemic’s effect on meat processing, supply steers customers to locally-sourced food

Third-generation farmer Kelly Raterink believes the growing demand for and interest in local foods will be a catalyst for further expansion and economic opportunity for regional producers.

Pandemic spurs Visser Farms to find creative ways to offset losses, serve community

When Visser Farms of Zeeland lost half of their income overnight from the closure of Michigan dining establishments, the farm partners dug deep to find creative solutions to offset the loss of 40 restaurant accounts.

Farmers markets reporting higher attendance as they open within safe shopping guidelines

Farmers markets along the Lakeshore are reopening for the 2020 season. Here's a roundup of schedules for the popular outdoor markets in Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, and Spring Lake.

Bev Berens with her mom, Hazel Bosch.
Pandemic leaves family alone in grief after loss of loved one

Bev Berens buried our mother last week. It wasn’t COVID-19 that took her but the pandemic still robbed her family of an important part of the grief and farewell.

Food Basket is looking for land similar to what it has for its farm in Kent County, shown here.
GR-based nonprofit aims to fight hunger with Lakeshore expansion

A portion of the funds raised through the Feeding our Future Campaign for Allegan and Ottawa counties will go toward the purchase of land to create a second Kids' Food Basket farm.

Kids Food Basket volunteers pack meals at Peace Lutheran Church in Holland.
Expansion will give Kids’ Food Basket greater reach in Ottawa, Allegan counties

Kids’ Food Basket will soon have the capacity to reach more children in Ottawa and Allegan counties with a new Holland facility. 

Our Partners

Allegan County Community Foundation logo
Disability Advocates of Kent County logo
On Point Allegan

Don't miss out!

Everything West Michigan, in your inbox every week.

Close the CTA

Already a subscriber? Enter your email to hide this popup in the future.