Nestled in the heart of Michigan's Green Thumb lies Columbia Township in northern Tuscola County—and a little village named Unionville that has been home to the Bell (and Joles) family for over a century!

Established in 1919, the Bell Family Farm is a fourth-generation Centennial Farm dedicated to preserving our agricultural heritage. We are actively working to promote heirloom seeds, champion heritage livestock breeds, and cultivate native flora. By returning to restorative, earth-first farming practices—honoring the land just as it was before synthetic chemicals took over—we are proudly rebuilding native wildlife habitats and cultivating a sustainable legacy for the next century.

Today, our commitment to this land and its history extends far beyond the pastures. We are incredibly proud that the farm serves as an NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat, a NABA Certified Butterfly Garden, a Monarch Watch Certified Monarch Waystation, we are a member of United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary Network, and we've recently received Level I ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation for our dedicated arboretum collection on the property.

But our focus isn't just on the soil; it's on the community rooted in it. We are working to develop some agricultural heritage initiatives including a “Thumb Farm Heritage Trail" to celebrate our region's rich farming history, while sharing our love of reading through the Bell Farm Book Barn Little Free Library on our property.

At the heart of everything we do is our family legacy. As we slowly restore our 1880s 4th- generation farmhouse, the "Bell Family Memorial Scholarship for Farm Girls" has been created in loving memory of Shelly Ann (Bell) Schnettler—ensuring that the spirit, grit, and passion of the women who helped build this community will continue to thrive for generations to come.

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." — Audrey Hepburn