Our Story

The Dream that Became Plainsong Farm

At a Grand Rapids restaurant in the fall of 2014, Mike and Bethany Edwardson accepted the invitation from Nurya Love Parish to move their family to the property at 6677 12 Mile Rd to farm the land and collaboratively give roots to Nurya's dream of Plainsong Farm.  In 2016 Plainsong offered its first CSA shares and began its partnership with North Kent Connect getting good food to neighbors of all income levels.

While Mike was busy growing food in those early years, Nurya launched the Christian Food Movement and made connections across the country with others at the intersection of faith, food, and farming including places like Greenhorns, Honore Food Mill, Harvard Divinity School, Wake Forest Divinity School, and Duke’s World Food Policy Council.  This work culminated in the launch of Plainsong’s first Ministry Innovator’s Cohort (a program for church leaders to set action goals for the land they tend) in 2020 and FaithLands in 2023.

Back at the farm, the first cohort of the young adult program which included participants and leaders from Massachusetts, California, North Carolina and Ohio moved to the farm in 2019.  At the same time weekly Sabbath at the Farm began, bringing a community of all ages and backgrounds to seasonal outdoor worship in order to connect with God and one another.

While adding new food distribution partners like Grand Rapids Community Food Club and Grand Rapids Community College’s Student Food Pantry, Plainsong launched its farm volunteer program in 2021 bringing people of all ages to learn and grow good food both individually and in groups.  

In late 2023 Plainsong’s founding Executive Director, Nurya Love Parish, followed God’s call to continue her ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes and Plainsong adopted a new shared leadership structure bringing on Mike Edwardson, Emily Ulmer, and Katharine Broberg as Co-Directors.  

‍We are grateful for the dream Nurya started - her vision for good food for all, for a place for young adults to live, work, and learn, and for a place that invites both people of faith and others into understanding their connection to their food, the earth, God, and each other. 

In 2026 Plainsong is hosting its 6th Young Adult Cohort (now a part of the Episcopal Service Corps). These young adults are walking alongside churches in the Holy Ground for Whole Communities program through the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. Sabbath at the Farm continues in a seasonal way through Seasons at the Farm, and so much food is grown by staff and volunteers in our Nourish Your Neighbor program.