Family run produce stand offers Michigan-grown products

On average, a carrot will travel over 1,800 miles before it reaches your plate.

But, if you are looking for fresh fruit and vegetables in Marquette County, you don’t have to go far.

Spiessl’s Produce is open for business, selling everything from apples to zucchini.  It is a family owned operation that has been serving Ishpeming for the past 22 years.  They open every summer around Memorial Day, and stay open until mid-November.

“It’s very happy coming in here at the start of the season because you get to see all our customers and they’re always so happy and they’re so glad that we’re back in business,” Spiessl’s Produce assistant manager Maureen Spiessl said.  “It makes us feel happy. It makes me glad to come to work every day.”

The stand was started by Maureen’s parents, when she and her six siblings were youngsters.  The Spiessl kids learned all about the produce business, and started to take over for their parents as they got older.  They start the summer off with fruits and veggies from all over the country, but that’s changing now that Michigan’s growing season is in full bloom, which is good news for shoppers.

“When it comes from Michigan, its picked almost the day before its shipped, and then it comes right up here and its just a few days old.  So its prime, prime produce,” Spiessl said.

The Spiessl’s plan to sell 500-700 hundred pounds of newly ripened blueberries at Marquette’s Blueberry Festival.

Spiessl’s Produce is located on U.S 41 just past the “Welcome to Ishpeming” sign.  The stand is open every day from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.