If you’re taking a drive on M-66 outside of Battle Creek, you may see some movement in the open fields alongside the road. Don’t be concerned, your eyes are not deceiving you – it’s actually a herd of bison. Those bison belong to Ashley and Jordan Stair.
Their story begins in 2020 with a simple car ride.
“One day we were driving down the road and my husband asked what I think about bison,” said Ashley. “I thought he was kidding.”
But it was no joke, and by 2021, the couple had bison roaming their property. Their farm, Timber Valley Bison, which now houses 15 bison, was born.
“We thought bison were unique and different and we didn’t need a barn, so we started to look into it more and kept on learning about it. We visited some other ranches and decided to give it a try,” Ashley explained.
That original idea for farming came from Jordan’s upbringing.
“Jordan’s grandpa had a horse farm and he always talked about wanting to start a farm,” said Ashley. “So, here we are.”
Now, that big idea has turned into a tourist attraction for the community.
“A lot of people pull off the road just to watch the bison,” said Ashley.
But if you want a closer view, they’re happy to have you.
“We had a calf day last May when we had our first calves born here. That was extremely popular and we had many families come out.”
The couple also invite families to call and make an appointment if they want to come to the farm and check out the bison. And if you want a taste, they have a store at the end of their property where they sell bison meat. Jordan and Ashley also sell their meat in the community.
“We have done the Battle Creek Farmers Market and the Kalamazoo Farmers Market. People are definitely getting to know us,” Ashley acknowledges. “Bison is kind of a new thing for this area so a lot of people have questions.”
Being a new business owner comes with a learning curve, though. Between their home, farm, and market, straightening out all of their assets was tough and they needed help filing their taxes last year. Ashley decided to apply for a CultivateGrowth grant through GreenStone – an application she says was extremely simple.
“I was really amazed by how easy it was. It took like two minutes,” said Ashley. “Sometimes when you’re applying for things like this, it can be super complicated, but this application was super simple which is good because farmers don’t have a lot of extra time.”
Ashley was able to get the help she needed from the experienced tax accountants at GreenStone to file her taxes correctly, preparing her for years to come. And the grant from GreenStone designed specifically for young, beginning and small farmers like the Stairs covered up to $500 for the service.
“I had a lot of questions when dealing with business property and personal properties,” Ashley shared about how GreenStone’s tax accountant helped clarify questions and simplify the tax process.
And both Ashley and Jordan are grateful for this extra help so they can continue sharing their love for bison farming with the Battle Creek community.
New farmers, like Ashley and Jordan, are extremely important to agriculture’s vibrant future and GreenStone strives to support them in their new journey! To learn more about the CultivateGrowth Grant, click here, and take advantage of the many resources available to help you continue your education today!
To visit Timber Valley Bison or get your hands on some bison meat, check out their website here.
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