Ed Dunneback and Girls Farm Market, 3025 6 Mile Road NW, Grand Rapids MI 49544 ~ August 27, 2021

The farm is much more than a sunflower field but the field is magical. We visited initially on August 13 when things were just starting to bloom.

The goats are always ready for you, however.

Edwin Dunneback bought these 170 acres back in 1922 and it has continued to be family-run. His son, Edward, met his wife Helen here at a dance in the barn. Together they had three children. When their only son Michael was killed in Vietnam, the "and son" sign on the barn was changed to "and girls" and it's been that way ever since.

The farm is a wonderful place to visit, and when the sunflowers are in full bloom, areas are mowed, staged, and carved out for all of your photo opportunities. Here are a few of them, some stranger than others 😊

Someone swung a little too hard.

The flowers themselves are the stars of the show.

The temperature was 85 degrees and there was no one else in the field until we bumped into John Gonzelaz shooting a video of the farm. I asked him if he was doing a news story and he answered "yup." That's him in the red shirt in the distance.

(We ended up being in his video for a few seconds and here's a screen shot from that.)

We have it on good authority that he did not pay the required $5 fee to walk the field but he will be providing free advertising for the farm so we won't quibble 😊

We paid our fee afterward because we were already at the field when we saw the sign requiring payment at the market. As we paid a very kind woman asked if we had cut our two sunflowers, and we had not because we didn't know we could. She loaned me clippers and back I went.

Keeping with the girls theme, there's a lot of pink around here. Pink Barrel Cellars is also part of the farm, producing beer, wine, cider and seltzers.

Food, ice cream, produce, live music, and so much more is available at this Farm Market so stop in if you have a chance and experience this historic family farm.

The Farm Website

Women's Way Art Initiative, Grand Rapids MI

Brightening alleys throughout the city, this mural project continues to grow and honors women who have made a difference here in Grand Rapids. This is the newest addition to the series.

DR ELLA MARY SIMS

21 Weston St SE

Dr. Sims was many things: the first woman of color to be a columnist for the Grand Rapids Times, a community activist, a fighter for social justice, and much more. She lived from 1923-2013 and her mural was created by artist Dustin Hunt.

Being down a narrow alley, this mural is harder to spot but it's worth the find.

GRAND RAPIDS CHICKS

805 Ottawa NW, corner of Ottawa & Newberry

The Grand Rapids Chicks was a professional women's baseball team from 1945 - 1954. winning championships in 1947 and 1953.

The chicks have to contend with a dumpster and this parking lot but the mural winds around the building into the alley, and the chicks now have their own street sign.

The artist is Michi Farias and this alley is now magnificent.

ANGELINE KELSEY "NAW KAY O SAY" YOB (1924-2002)

Sheldon Avenue NE (Rainbow Road) between the Children's Museum and the Apartment Lounge

The first time we tried to view the alley a van was parked inside, front and center, which completely defeats the purpose of having a wonderful and intricate mural painted in an alley. We came back on a weekend and had better luck.

Angeline Yob was a citizen of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Native Americans and a long time educator and community activist. This mural truly honors her, if only it stays visible and accessible.

The artist is Alan Compo and you don't want to miss walking through this alley.

ETHEL COE (1899-1988)

Monroe Ave NW ~ heading North from Fulton, just past the B.O.B. & 20 Monroe Live, on the East side of the street down the one-way alley.

If you google her, use Ethel B Coe, not to get confused with artist Ethel Coe from Chicago. There's not a lot of information available on Ethel B but apparently she was an actor, musician, civil rights leader among many other things. Grand Rapids claims her as one of its own. I like this representation but do expect to see a Batman-style "bang" or "pow" :-) Artist is Esan Sommersell and this art certainly brightens up this otherwise non-descript alley.

HARRIET WOODS HILL (1922-2006)

Fulton west to Louis St NW, behind GRPD

Hardest to find and you have to walk to get to it due to construction

There's construction all around it but it's worth finding. Harriet Hill was the first African American female officer at the Grand Rapids Police Department (1955) and the first female detective in the history of the GRPD (1977). Let that sink in. She must have been an incredible woman.

Harriet died in 2006. When the construction is finished, I'm sure she will get her own street sign like the others. Artist is Jasmine Bruce.

6-10-21 Update

MARUILIA ORTIZ BLAKELY (1928-2015)

Alley off Fulton on the west side of San Chez Bistro

Well-known in the Grand Rapids Hispanic Community, Maruilia was one of the creators of the Hispanic Institute, worked with migrants and the homeless, helped to organize the first Mexican Festival, and much more.

It's a beautiful mural covering a long section of the building. Artist Arturo Romero.

More art in our city is always a welcome idea and I look forward to seeing what else pops up.