By Claire Williams
Making trips to the grocery store can be fun, but it isn’t the same as getting to pick your produce straight from the ground where it was grown. Do you ever wonder where your produce is really coming from, and how many places it has been along the way? There is something so refreshing about getting to see your produce firsthand before picking it and taking it home to enjoy.
Jollisant Farm is an all-natural, 350-acre pick-your-own produce farm down a small dirt road in Plantersville. This farm has been in the Jollisant family for more than 60 years, says Melissa Reaves, manager of Jollisant Farm. In 1955 it functioned as a working dairy farm and didn’t become a place to pick produce until 2012. Larry Jollisant, the current owner of the farm, bought the land from his parents in the 1970s, and began growing produce in 2008 after suffering a severe heart attack and wanting his family to live a healthier lifestyle, explains Reaves.
The farm uses all natural fertilizers, and absolutely no pesticides. To ensure the quality of their produce, they perform soil samples and other tests to see if the fruit and vegetables are lacking anything important, such as magnesium, Reaves says.
“This is how I wash my fruit,” Reaves jokes as she wipes a strawberry on her pant leg before popping it into her mouth.
Jollisant Farm grows seasonal produce, such as carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, pumpkins, and much more. Currently, their strawberries and blackberries are in full bloom, and their watermelons are sprouting for the summertime.
Picking your own produce is beneficial for many different reasons. “You’re helping support a local business, you know what you’re getting, you know if it’s got chemicals, you can see where it’s coming from, and it’s not being packed in a truck and shipped,” Reaves says. “I think it’s good for family memories, too.”
Reaves says Jollisant wants his farm to be a place where families love to come together. In addition to the produce, there are picnic tables, a playground, and even a lake where people can enjoy paddle boating and fishing. Schools and groups can even bring kids out to the farm as a field trip to learn about growing organic produce. “It just makes Mr. Jollisant’s day,” Reaves says with a smile. “It makes him so happy … to see that he can give somebody the opportunity to come and pick their own fruit.”
Reaves also oversees the production of the goods in the farm store. They make their own jams, jellies, pickles, popsicles, honey, and lip balm from their beehives, among other things. Every ingredient is organic. “It’s all made with a lot of love,” she says.
It’s just a short road trip to enjoy the magical feeling of picking your own produce straight from the ground. Produce is priced by the pound, and there are picking boxes available for purchase on site. For a full list of available produce, and to make reservations for paddle boating or fishing, visit www.jollisantfarms.com.
