Friday, February 7, 2025
Home › The City › A gathering place

A gathering place

The five acres of land Roland Richardson purchased 15 years ago was his deliverance from the corporate life he’d grown tired of living. Six years ago, chance united Richardson with Jan Aguilar, and together they used that five acres to build Fangboner Farms.

“He loves to grow things and I love to grow herbs,” Aguilar said, “So, we started this farm.” The venture  is a small, three-person-run organic farm in Holland, which provides home-grown herbs, perennials, spice mixes, candles, teas, and an assortment of other products. 

Although Fangboner Farms is not certified organic, the farm’s tilling process is chemical-free. “The village of Holland brings us their leaves,” Aguilar said. “We let them dump here for free, and it becomes compost for us. It’s so clean, and there’s no smell.”

Aguilar and Richardson, who grow everything themselves, have never calculated the labor cost of running the farm, but they both acknowledge that it’s expensive. “There’s a cost for living naturally,” Richardson explained. 

Richardson also works in landscaping, so the farm hosts many decorative plants offered for purchase. He also brings sick and dying plants home to the farm and cares for them until they are back to full health. “Everything has purpose,” Richardson said. 

The farm’s retail space is a small, homey shop filled with crafts Aguilar and her sister have created from thrift store finds. These creations—ranging from serving dishes to decorative pressed flowers and even repurposed vintage kitchenware—add to the organic and welcoming air conveyed by the environment. “I’m not going to make my million dollars off of the shop, and I know that,” Aguilar said, “but, what I wanted to create was a gathering place.”

“We both have other jobs,” Aguilar explained, “But this is something we built together. It’s our passion.”

Fangboner Farms’ Market will be open from 10am-5pm Saturdays and noon-5pm Sundays beginning February 2015.
1179 S. Crissey Rd., Holland. 
567-703-6191, fangbonerfarms.com

The five acres of land Roland Richardson purchased 15 years ago was his deliverance from the corporate life he’d grown tired of living. Six years ago, chance united Richardson with Jan Aguilar, and together they used that five acres to build Fangboner Farms.

“He loves to grow things and I love to grow herbs,” Aguilar said, “So, we started this farm.” The venture  is a small, three-person-run organic farm in Holland, which provides home-grown herbs, perennials, spice mixes, candles, teas, and an assortment of other products. 

Although Fangboner Farms is not certified organic, the farm’s tilling process is chemical-free. “The village of Holland brings us their leaves,” Aguilar said. “We let them dump here for free, and it becomes compost for us. It’s so clean, and there’s no smell.”

Aguilar and Richardson, who grow everything themselves, have never calculated the labor cost of running the farm, but they both acknowledge that it’s expensive. “There’s a cost for living naturally,” Richardson explained. 

- Advertisement -

Richardson also works in landscaping, so the farm hosts many decorative plants offered for purchase. He also brings sick and dying plants home to the farm and cares for them until they are back to full health. “Everything has purpose,” Richardson said. 

The farm’s retail space is a small, homey shop filled with crafts Aguilar and her sister have created from thrift store finds. These creations—ranging from serving dishes to decorative pressed flowers and even repurposed vintage kitchenware—add to the organic and welcoming air conveyed by the environment. “I’m not going to make my million dollars off of the shop, and I know that,” Aguilar said, “but, what I wanted to create was a gathering place.”

“We both have other jobs,” Aguilar explained, “But this is something we built together. It’s our passion.”

Fangboner Farms’ Market will be open from 10am-5pm Saturdays and noon-5pm Sundays beginning February 2015.
1179 S. Crissey Rd., Holland. 
567-703-6191, fangbonerfarms.com

Recent Articles