Dave Pagel grew up on a fruit farm near Berrien Springs, Michigan. He graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Agricultural Business in 1976, and began farming with his dad and his brother. In 1978 he started Dave Pagel Produce to assist in the marketing of the farm's produce. Over the last 32 years, Dave Pagel Produce has grown to sell apples, peaches and nectarines from over 30 farms in Michigan. The fruit is marketed to supermarkets and fruit stands in southwest Michigan, northern Indiana and the greater Chicago area.

Dave married Sue Stacey in 1986, and they have two sons and two daughters, now ages 15, 17, 20 and 21. In 2004, the family purchased 10 acres of land across the road from their house, and planted a Honeycrisp apple orchard. In 2009 they purchased an additional 20 acres of land near their house and have planted another orchard, this time of Macintosh, Fuji, Gala and Jonagold apples.

Dave Pagel Produce consists of a modern apple packing line, warehouse space, and several cold storage rooms. They recently added a new controlled atmosphere apple storage facility, and have a small fleet of trucks used to bring in and to deliver the apples. From August through about the middle of the next May of each season, many varieties are sold. First to come in the fall is the peach and nectarine crop, which continues for 6 to 8 weeks. The first apples are the Paula Reds and Ginger Gold, which are sold from early August to the middle of September. Other varieties come in succession: Gala, Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Jonathan, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Empire, Rome, Ida Red and Fuji. With the technology of low oxygen storage rooms, many varieties are available in "just-picked" condition through the entire winter and spring.

At Dave Pagel Produce, you can buy apples by the half-bushel or by the truckload. While we don't have a fancy retail market, we are glad to assist customers who walk in to buy a few apples. "Seconds" from our packing line, which are often only slightly imperfect, are a customer favorite, as they sell for around half price and are a great value. Tours of the packing line and storage rooms are available for school groups throughout the year.