Wasem Fruit Farm

About Us:

Edward Wasem and Leola Talladay were married in 1942. Later that year, they moved to the farm in Augusta Township near where Leola grew up.

They began with a general farm and soon started growing truck gardening crops which they took to the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market. Ed began operating an orchard owned by Leola’s father and in the early 1950s, they decided to plant a substantial apple and peach orchard on their home farm. A refrigerated storage was built in 1957, and an additional storage and packing area was added in 1961. In 1978, Ed and Leola’s daughter and son-in-law, Jan and Bruce Upston, joined the operation and a donut kitchen was added. After Ed’s death in 1986, Jan and Bruce took over management of the orchard. Leola continued to own the farm and manage the kitchen until her death on June 9, 2006.

While we continue making changes, it is our intent to remain true to our heritage as a working farm.