Kalamazoo, MI became well known for growing celery in the late 1800’s as Dutch immigrants who brought celery from Europe discovered that the low ground muck in Kalamazoo was a perfect place to grow what they considered a delicacy, celery. By the late 1930’s between papermills sinking deep wells and lowering the water table and a celery blight, it all but fell to the wayside.

 

Our family’s Celery City story began in the early 1900’s right here in Kalamazoo. One side of our father’s family grew the celery while the other side hauled it to Chicago for sale. With the decline in celery production and profitability, our ancestors changed directions slightly. The one side of the family continued trucking, but changed course and specialized in excavation and aggregate hauling. The other side continued working the earth, but as landscapers. Adam and Jake (along with 6 other siblings) grew up in a house near their family’s former celery field, while learning the trade from their dad and uncles.

 

After high school Adam started landscaping, starting what eventually became Celery City Landscaping. We credit our parents with teaching us about honesty, integrity, and hard work, AND our dad, John, deserves all the credit for the name of the business. Today Adam and Jake are carrying on the family tradition as 4th generation landscapers, right here, proudly serving Kalamazoo and the surrounding areas!