Jason Lamoreaux is a familiar face in the local agricultural community. After growing up on a dairy farm, he went on to raise his own beef cattle. And as an award-winning auctioneer, Lamoreaux has extensive experience in livestock auctions, including those at the Kent County Youth Fair.
Now, Lamoreaux and his family have launched a new venture that they hope will make it easy for local residents to support the agricultural community. Earlier this summer, they opened Lamoreaux Farm Market at the site of the former H&W Farms on Belding Road, just east of Lincoln Lake Ave.
“This is a great area to showcase agricultural products,” Lamoreaux says, “[and] our motto is celebrating local goodness.”
For those who want to check out that local goodness, Lamoreaux Farm Market is located at 13375 Belding Road NE and is open seven days a week.
Incorporating Favorites from H&W Farms
After Lamoreaux began investigating the possibility of opening a market for local goods, he became aware that the store at H&W Farms was slated for closure. The owners there were ready to retire, much to the disappointment of their devoted customers.
“The Lamoreauxs and Heffrons have known each other for decades,” Lamoreaux notes. Clayton Heffron and Raymond Wittenbach founded H&W Farms in 1970. The business operated a year-round farm market – along with the Wright Family – since 2000.
Rather than open a new market elsewhere, it only made sense to continue the long tradition of selling Michigan products at the H&W Farms location. While Lamoreaux Farm Market is entirely new business, Lamoreaux wants to honor and build upon the work of the Heffrons and Wrights.
“[The idea] is to take what they did and what we did and combine it in the very best way possible,” he says.
That means offering the same fruit from the same orchards as H&W Farms but adding in new products such as meat from the Lamoreaux Farm. The result has been a one-stop shop for Michigan-made products that has pleased both old and new customers alike.
Focus on Michigan-Made Products
To put their own mark on the store, Lamoreaux gave the building a facelift that included painting the exterior white and updating displays inside.
In addition to meat and produce, the market stocks a variety of other products including dairy items from Moo-ville and chocolate mints from Hanover’s. Images taken by Lowell photographer Bruce Doll line the walls, and outside is a cart of flowers grown down the road.
“Our goal was never to compete with Meijer,” Lamoreaux says. However, he did want to create a place where people could easily stop by and get what they need for dinner or stock their kitchen with local foods. “If you want to know the origin of your food and how it was produced, this is where to come.”
As for what he recommends, Lamoreaux says, “It’s hard to beat a great steak.” However, his daughter Shea – who can often be found helping out in the market – has other ideas. She says the Moo-ville ice cream is her favorite, and her family has been methodically working through all the flavors.
“There are so many people who come in here and say, I’m so glad you’re here,” Lamoreaux says. He and his family are glad to be there too. And if you’d like to learn more about what Lamoreaux Farm Market has to offer, you can visit them on Facebook or stop by the next time you find yourself on Belding Road.
40# box and 5# pale available. Waiting 30# bucket from processing.
40# box and 5# pale are now available but waiting on 30# buckets.
was wondering when the cherries will be ready for pick-up