Lifelong orchardist and entrepreneur Bob Underwood has a saying that goes like this: “If you’re not the lead dog in the sled team, the view never changes….”

It’s that life philosophy and the support of his wife Janet that has guided him through several careers, and at the age of 70 still not ready for the front porch and rocking chair.

High school sweethearts, though Bob admits to having a crush on Janet at an earlier age, the Underwoods were cherry farmers on northwest Michigan’s Old Mission Peninsula for over 40 years and bought their farm in 1963.

There followed three children, all of whom worked on the farm, and in the late 70’s the opening of Underwood Farm market, a popular enterprise offering everything from fresh picked fruit to homemade pies, donuts and apple cider.

By the mid-80’s the farm had grown to 500 acres and was producing three million pounds of tart cherries annually. And some 10 years later the Underwoods were honored by the National Cherry Industry when it named them Cherry Industry Man and Woman of the Year.

In 2000 the Underwoods retired from cherry farming, but not for long.

Always intrigued by repeat customers who would talk about the health benefits of cherries, Bob sought ways that tart cherries could be enjoyed year-round. That led to attempts to convert the popular juice concentrate to capsule (gelcap) form.
Plenty of fits and starts followed.

But with a determination that farmers understand, CherryFlex and Wild Blueberry IQ soft gelcaps were introduced. Efforts to market those initial products nationally were helped by the findings of researchers who found Montmorency Cherries rich in healthful antioxidants and melatonin.

Later, FruitFast was formed when Steve deTar and the Underwoods teamed up and became partners. Steve’s business, Brownwood Acres, was a purveyor of Underwood’s products. A fourth generation family operation using cherry and other fruit products, it was established in 1945.

As for Bob’s rocking chair, it sits on the porch—-empty.