(Masser Potato Farms) is a family-owned potato farming company located in the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch region of the Hegins and Lykens Valleys. Masser Potato Farms combines eight generations of potato farming experience with today’s newest potato farming technology to meet the demands of modern business. Mathias Masser with his Swiss born wife Barbara immigrated from Wurtenburg, Germany to Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1754. In 1800, Johannes Masser, son of Mathias Masser, moved to western Schuylkill County and began growing fruits and vegetables, primarily potatoes. The next generations of Massers continue to grow potatoes which were sold directly from the farm to residents of neighboring coal mining towns. Sterman Masser, Johannes’ great, great, great grandson, rented the current Sacramento location of Masser Potato Farms from his uncle, Ralph Masser. Sterman ran his Sacramento farm business independently while still farming in partnership with his father, Clarence, in Leck Kill, ten miles north of Sacramento. In 1967, Sterman and his wife Gerri moved closer to Sacramento and began growing potatoes independently at the Sacramento location on the hundred acres now purchased from Ralph Masser. The Massers used the original storage built in 1952, and added a small packing shed designed to facilitate a potato packaging line. The Masser potato farming business continued to grow as the Massers’ son, Keith, joined the company in 1976, with the business farming 625 acres and shipping 7 million pounds of potatoes annually. In 1984, Sterman ventured into Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal industry and his son Keith became President with his wife Helen Chief Financial Officer of Sterman Masser, Inc. In 1999, Keith and Helen’s son, David, joined the potato farming business as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and is now President of the company. In 2009 daughter Julie joined the potato farming business as Vice President of Farming Operations. Today the potato farm has expanded to a total of 4600 acres, with potatoes, cash grain and hay being produced. The potato packaging and warehouse operations pack and distribute over 250 million pounds of potatoes each year.
