An energetic exchange

Retired journeyman now uses skills to bring food to tables for free

 

IMLAY TWP. — Whether working at perilous heights or in the lowly earth, John Beal’s life has been a symphony of extremes.

The 58-year-old retired International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 17 journeyman spent 35 years climbing poles and towers, fixing, maintaining and installing electrical transmission lines.

Today, he spends much of his time doing just the opposite—digging into the earth, buzzing with a different kind of energy: sunshine, water, and green growing things.

Known online as ‘Fresh Produce by Johnny Rockstar,’ John now uses his hands to distribute homegrown produce—instead of electricity—to neighbors, friends and passersby. And, like the rockstar that he is, John does it all for free.

A star is born

While he’s actually a bit shy and doesn’t seem overly eager to toot his own horn, John earned the “Rockstar” moniker from his wife, Marla, who was often very worried about his safety as he travelled the country repairing and installing electrical distribution lines and systems.

“The work was dangerous; I was on a lot of big high lines and great big steel towers and my wife always said I was a rockstar,” he says. “She called me ‘Johnny Rockstar’ and it stuck.”

Together for 25 years, the couple met while on the job.

“She worked for a contractor that I worked for,” John says. “She knew all about the work I was doing. I asked her out and here we are.”

Today, along with her full time job as an executive assistant, Marla owns and operates Hannan House Bridal Boutique in the Kroger Plaza in Imlay City.

They share four grown children, John, Jayme, Megan and Morgan, and nine grandkids, all as unique and special as the produce he grows.

“They each have their own special way, and all of them are fabulous,” he says. “I love it when they come out and wander in the garden.”

Not so forbidden fruit

While he’s grown enough produce to stock the free roadside stand on Hannan Road, John didn’t begin gardening until later in life—but he did learn how to cook. One of six siblings, John spent time in the kitchen canning and cooking at his mom’s side. He had to put those skills to use when one of his younger brothers became ill.

“My brother had to be hospitalized a lot and my mom was busy taking care of him. My dad and the whole family had to eat my cooking,” he grins.

John continues to use his skills, and the bounty from his garden, to create and can sauces, salsas and soups, and a wide variety of pickles and preserves.

Along with growing things, John finds the work relaxing and creative.

“And it keeps me out of trouble,” he grins.

Both are infused with a secret ingredient—simple but often overlooked.

“It’s love,” he says. “That’s the secret ingredient.”

An energetic exchange

After years of high voltage and high climbs, John finds another sort of power from digging in the earth and transforming the outcome into fuel for the body.

“It’s relaxing, it’s, like, energetic when you put your hands in the dirt,” he smiles. “I need that. I used to oversee a lot of people and with that came a lot of stress. It was like having 500 kids and none of them listen to you.”

Plants seem to be better listeners, and John still gets to work outdoors, where he likes to be.

“Marla comes from a small town in Illinois, and I was raised in Armada,” John says. “We like the rural, country lifestyle. We love living here.”

In the mix

Over the past few years, John has created an extensive box garden. Two areas—one 2,000 feet and the other 3,000 feet—are home to tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, eggplant, tomatillos, squash, pumpkins, watermelon, cucumbers, sunflowers and the like—all organically grown.

While the hazards of his new endeavors are less threatening than they were as a journeyman lineman, John says they can be equally vexing.

“We had a frost early in the spring and I lost everything and had to replant,” he says. “I also don’t like the weeds.”

During canning season, he says the kitchen is a wreck.

“But it smells good,” he adds.

There’s another big plus to growing and canning food.

“You’re saving hundreds of dollars, and you know what you’re eating,” he says. “In this day and time, most of our produce is coming from all over the world and you just don’t know what you’re getting.”

Soul food

While he and Marla love good food, giving the produce and canned goods away offers nourishment of another sort.

“I don’t need a lot of money to live,” he says. “Just the satisfaction of growing things is enough for me.”

While the roadside stand has been pulled and is closed for the season, the Beals plan to start things up again next season.

John says the best way to keep up with what’s cooking, follow the Facebook page Fresh-Produce-by-Johnny-Rockstar.