Our Roots Run Deep:
The Story of Valley Veggies
Both my husband, John, and I come from a long line of truck farmers, so it was a natural choice for us. We wanted to make sure our four children stayed out of trouble during their summer vacations from school, and we wanted them to be active. (not sitting inside watching TV and playing video games)
When Valley Veggies began in 1997, it was n
othing more than a small trailer and a small canopy at the end of our driveway. We offered just a small variety of produce: sweet corn, melons, tomatoes, and the like. Our children manned the canopy and waved at every passing vehicle to draw attention to the fledgling farm market. Within the next couple of years we upgraded to a larger temporary tent structure on a floor of wood chips. In 2001 we offered starter plants for sale to the public for the first time. Early in this decade we acquired chickens and began selling certified omega-3 eggs. We also began carrying natural milk, ice cream, yogurt, and other dairy products. We acquired a freezer and, besides our own broiler chickens, we also carried naturally raised pork, beef, elk, and buffalo products. Soon after this time, in 2003, I contracted West Nile Fever. In 2005 the effects of the virus culminated in heart failure. Valley Veggies was closed for the Spring/Summer of 2005. In the Fall of 2006, Valley Veggies reopened on a much smaller scale. Our children are now grown-up, and we rely on the labor of volunteers to a greater degree. We're offering more varieties of produce again; and, we added a pick your own patch of herbs and flowers. In 2021 we made a lot of changes in what and how we grow! We added over 110 varieties of flowers to our plant sales and tripled the size of the pick your own flowers! We look forward to continuing to produce high quality, chemical-free produce for years to come!
