Firefly Fields, Inc

08/14/2026

🌾🍞 What if every loaf of bread could tell the story of our land?

Join Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, in partnership with Michigan Ag Advancement (MiAA) and B.Healthy Barry County, for Feast of Home: Building a More Resilient Regional Grainshed—an evening celebrating the farms, flavors, and food stories that connect our community. Enjoy a delicious locally sourced farm-to-table supper, followed by a free community conversation and dessert.

We're thrilled to welcome an exceptional panel of local leaders who are helping shape the future of our regional food system:

🌱 Brook Wilke – Associate Director for Science & Agronomy, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station; researcher and farmer

🥖 Josh Palmer – Upstart Bakery; baker and miller creating demand for locally grown grains

🍺 Larry Judge – Mitten State Malt; craft maltster supplying breweries, including Old Nation Brewing

🌾 Benjamin Reinhart – Firefly Fields & Ecosystem Services Exchange; organic grain farmer and agricultural/biological engineer

Together, they'll explore why local grains matter—not only to our plates, but to our economy, our environment, and the resilience of our communities.

📅 Wednesday, August 26
🍽️ Farm-to-Table Summer Supper: 6:00 p.m. ($50 per person)
🎤 Community Program: 7:15–8:00 p.m. (Free)
🍰 Dessert & Conversation: 8:00–8:30 p.m.

Whether you're a farmer, foodie, baker, brewer, conservationist, or simply curious about where your food comes from, this is an evening you won't want to miss.

🎟️ Reserve your seat today: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/2026FeastofHome

Come hungry. Leave inspired. 🌾💚

03/11/2026

...there will be Russian Honey Cake for lunch! 😍 Sure to be a very sweet experience with Virginia. Sign-up by March 16 for the March 21 events.

03/07/2026

Taste the landscape this spring.

On March 21, Virginia will be leading a special Honey Sensory Analysis workshop at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, featuring a remarkable collection of honeys from around the world.

Participants will taste rare varietals including lavender honey from Provence, heather honey from Scotland, corbezzolo honey from Italy, acacia honey from southern Spain, Appalachian sourwood, California coriander, Minnesota basswood, and more!

It’s a beautiful way to welcome the vernal equinox and the first days of spring, when the light returns and the landscape begins to wake again.

The day includes tea service and a honey-inspired lunch.

Seats are limited, so register soon.
Register here: http://www.tinyurl.com/PCCIIntrotoHoney

Texas Township Farmers' Market Meridian Township Farmers' Market

02/28/2026

Celebrate spring with Virginia and Honey! Register by March 16!

Tasting the Landscape: An Introduction to Honey Sensory Analysis On Saturday, March 21, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute will welcome guests for a sweet and science rich celebration of spring: Introduction to Honey Sensory Analysis, a one day immersive workshop led by PCCI Executive Director Dr. Virgini...

02/27/2026

Fun things are happening behind the scenes at Firefly! Excited to catch-up soon. For now, here's a fun article by our friends at Artisan Grain Collaborative. 💜🧡💛

We love this quote from Virginia of Firefly Fields, Inc 🤩

Ben and Virginia launched Firefly Fields in 2018.
“Both of us went to school and studied things associated with the land and managing it and all the creatures,” Virginia says. “We were envisioning how we could contribute and keep some continuity going (at my family’s farm).”

They want people to know what's behind the food.
“We are building community around these diverse foods that are grown on this single-family farm,” says Virginia.

Pictured here is Virginia, center, with her dad Archie and sister Janette, talking to a group visiting their farm for a Women in Grain field day

Learn more on AGC's blog: https://www.graincollaborative.com/notes-from-the-grainshed/member-feature-firefly-fields

02/13/2026

It’s been a wild and wonderful year with Virginia taking up the reigns at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. She’s excited to offer this workshop on March 21 out at the Institute. Come out and play!

Still looking for a meaningful Valentine’s gift? ❤️

Give the gift of a shared experience this year with A Sweet Celebration of Spring at our Introduction to Honey Sensory Analysis Workshop on March 21 at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.

Spend the day tasting and exploring varietal honeys from around the world, learning how landscape and biodiversity shape flavor, and enjoying tea service and a honey-inspired lunch. It’s a thoughtful, hands-on experience for couples, friends, beekeepers, the curious, and food lovers alike.

Curious about what you’ll learn? Read the full blog to explore the science and story behind the workshop, then register to save your seat. Space is limited.

Read more about it: https://www.cedarcreekinstitute.org/tasting-the-landscape-an-introduction-to-honey-sensory-analysis/

Register here: www.tinyurl.com/PCCIIntrotoHoney

02/09/2026

Did you catch our latest , revealing the passion and dedication behind Firefly Fields, Inc ?

We know—it's a long article! So here's the TL;DR for you...

• Firefly Fields is a 3rd generation farm that is both USDA Certified Organic AND Bee Friendly Certified.
• Ben & Virginia care a lot about sharing the story behind the food, and that's part of what drives their devotion to sharing recipes, which Virginia describes as a view into their home...even featuring some recipes that her mother Mattie used to share with customers at farmers markets as far back as 2003. (Mattie is shown with Virginia in image two here with them in their beekeeping gear.)
• Ben & Virginia both work off-farm, at jobs related to protection of soil, water, and working agricultural lands. And they're happy to have the AGC network of folks to tap into for shared learning and amplifying their consumer education efforts.

“Having community to inspire you and share ideas, it just keeps you lifted and buoyed, you know, to get through times together,” Virginia says. AGC is charmed to be a part of this energy with Firefly Fields.

Does that pique your curiosity? Read the full story on our blog: https://www.graincollaborative.com/notes-from-the-grainshed/member-feature-firefly-fields

07/02/2025

If you are wondering what the Queen Bee Virginia Bolshakova has been up to, you can find her getting her feet under her at her new job Pierce Cedar Creek Institute!

She's about 6 months late into sharing an update, but things are hopping from grant cycles, prairie restoration, and trying to figure out where the printer paper lives!

After 25 years away, Virginia got to come home to Barry County to serve as Executive Director at the Institute - just miles down the road from the farm! It's a full-circle moment rooted in purpose, place, and possibility!

These days she's never off the clock, but she's still tending bees and helping behind the Firefly scenes with Ben!

Coming home to this work now, just feels like the beginning of something so much more!! 🌱♥️🐝

05/20/2025

What would Firefly Fields 🐝BEE🐝 without them? Happy World Bee Day!

Learn more about them (and US) here 🐝🍯💛
https://firefly-fields.com/our-story/

Then treat yourself to the fruits of their labor 🐝🍯💛
https://firefly-fields.com/shop/

04/29/2025

Let's wrap it up -- the final day for ABCs of Firefly Fields!

🐝🐝🐝

Z is for those buZZZZZZZyyy bees -- pound for pound (ounce for ounce 😉), the hardest workers on the farm.

🐝🐝🐝

✅ https://firefly-fields.com/oh-honey-lets-talk-about-the-bees/

🐝🐝🐝