Who we are
Hi! We are Mitch Kauffman & Emily Peters, two people with a passion for fresh fruit and hard work. Seeing people enjoy our produce makes us happy, and hearing from all our regular customers fills our hearts. We have relationships with over 75 farms in the state of Michigan, and love searching for the next best fruit or veggie.
Mitch Kauffman, Owner and Founder
Mitch was born and raised in Stevensville, Michigan and spent plenty of time on his family farm growing up. His first real job was working at farmers markets representing his family farm, where he sold jam that he made. He is the master behind Mitch’s “Famous” dessert bread, which has become one of the stands most popular items. Fueled by his passion to provide locals and visitors alike with the best produce possible, Mitch is often found jumping from farm to farm picking up orders or chatting with customers about what products they definitely need to try. His favorite jam at the market is our Maui Heat Jam, which he says pairs perfectly with coconut shrimp! During the off season, Mitch can be found traveling throughout the US hiking, catching up on all the sleep he misses out on during the season, and hanging with friends!
Emily Peters, Owner
Emily, a Chicago Native joined Local Harvest in 2015 while she was a college student at Saint Mary’s, in South Bend, Indiana. Knowing virtually nothing about farming in the beginning, Emily has come a long way. With a full time job in Chicago, IL, Emily can typically be found at Local Harvest on the weekends or doing behind the scenes work. Her favorite Jam from the market is white nectarine, which has become a staple in her house at breakfast time. In her free time, Emily can be found hanging out with family and friends, or playing fetch with her labradoodle, Sullivan!