Abigail Roy-Jacobson is a six-generation owner of the family farm. It is the oldest farm in Macomb County and the third oldest farm in Michigan. While growing up on the farm, Abby and her sister, Katrina, worked with their mother, uncle and grandfather. At that time, the farm included livestock, an orchard and a farm market.
After graduating from Romeo High School, Abby went on to pursue a college career at Oakland University, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry. She then began working on her Master’s Degree and teaching undergrad Chemistry labs. In 1981, her Uncle Armand died suddenly of a heart attack. This brought Abby back to Westview Orchards which she continues to operate with her sister Katrina. They sold the cattle in order to concentrate on managing their 200-acre farm which is comprised mainly of orchards. A CA storage unit was built in 1984 which fulfilled her Uncle Armand’s vision. They have cooperated with MSU Extension to provide research plots for studying Insect Mating Disruption.
Westview Orchards Farm Market has become an increasingly important part of the business. In the 90’s they moved and restored a one-room schoolhouse which was built in 1869. They also remodeled their 1850 dairy barn to add a state-of-the-art J-belt cider press into it’s own glass-enclosed sanitary room. She fulfilled her mother, Katherine’s, dream (who died December 2008 at age 95) by remodeling the Schoolhouse into an Ice Cream and Sweet Shoppe. The Farm Market has become a major business in Agri-Tourism hosting many tours.
Abby has been very involved off the farm serving on the Michigan Apple Committee, the Michigan Apple Research Committee, the Michigan State Horticultural Society Board, and has lobbied for MSU Extension in Washington D.C. She has also been appointed by the Governor to serve on the State of Michigan Task Force and the Agri-Tourism Commission.
Abby and her husband, Bill, have two children and are very involved in the local community.
The Michigan State Horticultural Society is pleased to present the Distinguished Service Award to Abigail Roy-Jacobson for her many years of service to the Fruit Industry.