Important Update for 2024 Season

Dear Friends of Cardinal Farms,

We want to do our best to explain the circumstances we find ourselves in and the resulting decisions we have had to make in relation to the 2024 season. We hope you’ll take the time to read the letter below and watch the video. Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns and of course suggestions. Thank you in advance for your time and understanding.

In November of 2023, we received a letter from Salem Township, prompted by a complaint from one of our neighbors, stating that we had to cease and desist from any farm-based events and educational programs on the farm.  Such activities need a conditional use permit under the Agricultural-Residential (A-R) zoning for our property.  We immediately applied for the permit and our application was heard at the December 18th meeting of the Salem Township Planning Commission.  We did not receive the permit at that meeting.

As you may know, Cardinal Farms is located on a 1-mile-long private road.  We are the last house on the road. As the Local Food Club, farm-based education programs, and events grew over the last two years since COVID, there was more traffic to and from the farm. The community response to our on-farm experiences has been tremendous and we’ve grown much faster than we even anticipated.

Our neighbors had not approached us with their concerns or any complaints about the traffic prior to this situation, so we thought our application would be supported by many of them. As the meeting approached, though, we became aware of a groundswell of protest, and it culminated in a surprising and saddening meeting filled with upset and angry remarks from a number of residents. The bright spot was the numerous letters and in-person support from so many of you for which we are so grateful.

The Salem Township Planning Commission postponed a decision on our application, stating a lack of authority because of the private road declaration. They stated that we should try to reach an agreement with our neighbors regarding the volume of traffic they are comfortable with in relation to our farm. But with no Homeowners Association in place for the 20 residents on our road and the general tenor of resistance to any traffic on the road generated by the farm, we knew that an equitable compromise was not a viable option so we withdrew our permit application in December.

In January, our next door neighbors hired a lawyer and sent us a cease-and-desist letter demanding that we withdraw our application for events as well as halt any farm business operations. We’ve hired an attorney to defend our right to operate a farm business on our property.  Our attorney has responded and we will now wait to see if they drop the issue or file a civil suit against us.  

We have a permit from Salem Township that allows us to have a farm business on this Agricultural-Residential zoned property and make direct sales to customers. Our private road declaration also has a provision that allows residents to operate any business on their property that is allowed under the Salem Township zoning ordinances. We feel strongly, and our legal counsel agrees, that we have a legal right to continue growing crops and raising livestock for direct sales to customers. 

The outstanding issue is the traffic to and from the farm generated by customers visiting the farm. Now that we know how the some of the residents feel, we want to respect their desire to keep traffic on this residential, private road to a minimum. Ideally, we would have worked together with our community on this road to reach a compromise, but it has been become abundantly clear that that is not the overriding intent or desire of the other residents.

Because of these circumstances, we’ve made the difficult decision to suspend any customer traffic to the farm this season which means not offering any on-farm experiences including educational programming, Local Food Club, or farm dinners. We are grieved and saddened and have wrestled mightily with this decision, but we also feel peace that this is the best option for the moment. 

On-farm experiences are a vital part of the values and vision of Cardinal Farms. And despite this unexpected turn of events, we are committed to finding a solution that allows Cardinal Farms to continue offering on-farm experiences to the wonderful residents of this community. We are actively praying and discerning various options, including the possibility of moving the farm to another location in the South Lyon area with better access. We are open to any questions you may have and ask for your support and suggestions. Our hope and prayer is that we will be once again be offering on-farm experiences in 2025.

For the 2024 season, we will continue to farm our livestock, cut flowers and vegetables and we will be at the South Lyon Farmer’s Market on Saturdays from June-October.  We will continue to sell our produce at local area markets and restaurants and online through our website. We hope you will come to see us at the farmer’s market this season. 

To all the kiddos who were looking forward to being at the farm this season, please know how much Farmer Cindy and Farmer Rich are going to miss seeing you and we are sorry we can’t have you at the farm this summer. But we hope to see you next year so keep growing and learning until we see you again!

There are no words to express our gratitude for the tremendous support from all of our customers and this community. Your ongoing support has helped to grow Cardinal Farms into the inspiring, beautiful place that it has become. We are motivated by your commitment to local food and these very blessed farmers. That motivation will drive us to find solutions that will make it possible for us to once again share the farm with you. Thank you for your understanding and grace with this difficult decision. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

With deep gratitude,

Farmer Cindy & Farmer Rich