Made in Michiana: Shelton Farms

NILES, Mich --   A mid-century food stand that has turned into a staple in our community and just celebrated seven decades.

With spring flowers in bloom and a farm to table boom, the family run business of Shelton Farms looks to stick around for another 70 years.

Brother Joe and Jim Shelton are two of the co-owners.

“Shelton Farms goes back to 1947 when our mom and dad moved our family out here from chicago where they had a small grocery store,” said Joe.

With farms and land a plenty, Berrien County was a turn of the century boom Ethan and Rose Shelton had hoped it would be.

In time passing their hard-nosed work ethic down to their children.

“If it’s something I got from my parents its work ethic. They knew how to put their nose down and go after it. Been a long drag, didn’t happen overnight,” said Jim.

Family is one of the big reasons why they are still thriving after all these years.

“We probably have a dozen family members that work here. We have many more than that, that aren’t related. But they feel like family. A lot of people have been here for many, many years. We are proud  to say that they have stayed with us,” said Joe.

The other big reason Shelton Farms has survived?

Fresh produce and coming in all colors, shapes and sizes.

From meats and veggies, to homemade peanut  butter and apples picked from their own farms.

“We started on the farm and we still have a farm. But we also buy from our neighbors in season. A lot of growers use us for a way to distribute their products,” said Joe.

From the moment you step inside their market and grab a cart, you are part of the family.

Whether you are stopping to smell the flowers at the nursery or filling up the cart with sweetest tasting pinneaple from the produce department.

Made on the farm, planted through family values and success cultivated through hard work.

Shelton farms is made in Michiana.

“Fear of failure is a big motivator. Sometimes it’ll make you do things you thought you can’t do. Every time a new one opens up, an amazon, they say what are you going to do? I say what are we supposed to do? Roll your sleeves up and go to work,” said Jim.