Grover family opens its new expanded farm market today

By DORIS COOK - Staff Writer
Star Beacon

May 03, 2008 12:48 am

— MESOPOTAMIA — Over the winter months Steve and Sharon Grover worked on the design for their new expanded 1,200-square-foot farm market building. Using local construction crews among the Amish community, the familiar red sided market house is ready for today’s grand opening, says Sharon Grover.
“We are excited about the new building. It’s designed to serve our customers needs and we’ve added many new products and items,” Sharon said.
On Friday, while Sharon was busy with supplying greenhouse grown floral baskets and annual plants for a Warren area hospital benefit, husband Steve and children put the finishing items inside the large building.
The Grovers have added a Country Keepsake Corner filled with gift items including special handmade soaps, quilted items, pottery and woven baskets made by area Amish folks, Harlow’s caramel popcorn plus other goodies. In addition to seasonal vegetables and fruits, the store is jam-packed with specialty food items in their Amish Pantry.
Amish bakery will be available at the market made by the Grovers’ neighbor, Emma Slabaugh. The Slabaughs also are a stop on Sharon’s Ridgeview Country Tours for Amish wedding dinner style lunches.
Over the last 10 years, the Grovers branched out at their farm practices with selling fresh produce. They grow strawberries, vegetables and buy locally grown veggies to supply customers.
“We plan to use the old building for storage mostly. Our strawberry crop looks good so far. We haven’t had a frost and Friday’s rain was needed. I’ve planted our sweet corn this week. Another field will be planted June 1 for our fall corn maze,” said Steve, who handles the crop planting operations.
He grows the greenhouse plants, strawberries, raspberries, sweet corn, green beans and pumpkins. The couple’s twin boys, Paul and Phillip, and older son, Nicholas help out in the store and farm work.
The Grovers find that consumers today like to buy directly from farms like theirs. Parents are encouraged to bring their children out for the open house. The family maintains a petting farm in the big red barn. Prizes and give-a-ways will be featured for the open house celebration from 10 a.m. to 6 a.m.
The market house at 5488 Kinsman Road (Route 87 east of Middlefield) is open Mondays through Saturdays now until Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information about the countryside tours offered in Geauga, Trumbull and Ashtabula counties at Ridgeview Farm call 440-693-4000 or visit their Web site: experienceridgeviewfarm.com

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