A Century in the Making – 1982

(Fall 2026)

By Nick Lico

If you’re looking for a farm and greenhouse with deep roots (pun intended) in the community, be sure to consider Olejnik Farms & Greenhouses. It’s been located at 23 Mile Road and Card Road in Macomb Township since its inception in 1926 by Adam and Victoria Olejnik.

Granddaughters Pat Olejnik and Sharon Schrade, along with Sharon’s husband, Steve, are third-generation owners.

“We’ve come this far thanks to a lot of hard work and perseverance. We are the ones who wanted to continue this wonderful legacy and never ever gave up. It’s the work ethic instilled by my grandparents, carried on by my parents and continued by us. It’s heartwarming and rewarding to see that a fourth generation is also involved in the farm’s operations,” Sharon said. A fifth generation, their granddaughters, can also sometimes be found at the farm.

As was the case in 1982, when the photo above was taken, everything sold at Olejnik Farms is grown onsite, be it flowers or produce.

“Back then, we were the only ones in the area. It was nothing but cornfields. My dad built the wagon shown in the photo and our family built the pole barn in the background. We would fi ll the wagon with produce and drive it to the pole barn. After selling everything, we would drive the wagon back to the farm, load it up again and repeat the process,” she said.

When asked what has made Olejnik Farms a community staple for 100 years, Sharon replied, “I would hope it’s our quality items and the pride we take when we plant our fl owers and vegetables. We have generations of customers who tell us that they and their family have been coming to our farm for years and fondly recall our family.”

Compared to a large retailer, shopping at a place such as Olejnik Farms provides numerous benefits.

“We plant everything by hand and grow everything here. A lot of hard work, care and dedication go into everything we do,” Sharon explained. “We’re happy to share with our customers the best way to care for their fl owers, how much light and water they need and exactly how they were planted.”

Olejnik Farms is celebrating its centennial in business with giveaways and special promotions for its customers throughout the year. Be sure to visit them before they close for the season shortly after Halloween.

“It’s great that our family has been in business for 100 years. It’s been a dream of ours to achieve this milestone,” Sharon said. For more information, including store hours, visit their Facebook page.