Our friends Rich and Laura live on their farm in Coopersville, MI, just west of Grand Rapids. They’ve done hay for over 40 years, and used to raise hogs and beef cattle.

All around them are farms, and we visited one just around the corner to see their cheese operation.

Buth Green Vale Farm used to milk over 200 cows every day in this large and glorious green barn. Today they have just enough cows to support a cheese operation that emphasizes fresh cheese curd.

We found the patriarch and the younger generation seated out front, and we peeked inside the barn at its newest occupant.

The cheese operation was concluded for the day, and we tasted some garlic & dill curd…..it was heavenly.

Down the road with another Buth barn were a few horses. This one with the grey eyelashes really wanted to put his nose in my camera!

Today was the day for us to continue our travels. Laura sent us off with a hug and a card with some words to live by:

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there!”

“Tourists: don’t know where they’ve been. Travelers: don’t know where they’re going.”

“It’s better to travel and get lost, than to never travel at all!”

You can see why we’ve had so much fun with Rich and Laura!

Ah, the next chapter: Sleeping Bear Dunes!

Even though it was 6pm by the time we arrived and parked in our site, we had to make a run to the shoreline….