Petersons Produce

The Petersons with their grandchildren

A trip out to visit Petersons Produce, located between Dixonville and Clymer, was very historical.  Owners and farmers Larry and Glenda Peterson have been farming their entire lives, so they know a thing or two about growing produce. What was really intriguing was the story behind the farm they live on.  Glenda's maiden name was Edwards and the Edwards family has owned the farm and land since James Edward immigrated from Wales in 1836.  The house was built somewhere around 1850 and is still standing this day, a lovely home built on the side of a hill overlooking the 150 acre farm.  When Glenda was a child the farm raised sheep and was basically a self-contained farm where they grew their food and even had a coalmine.  Glenda married Larry 37 years ago and became a Peterson but the farm life stayed the same.  

Larry and Glenda have always grown crops on their property, and once the Farmers' Market opened they found their outlet for the excess food they produced.  It's amazing that they have time to farm so much land because Larry has been a physics and biology teacher at Purchase Line School District for 25 years, and before that he was a coal miner.  Because of his profession, Larry only sells at the market until school starts in the fall.

Egg laying hens

Petersons Produce grows the "main staples, not specialty items" according to Larry. That includes things like potatoes, cabbages, beets, onions, beans, and many other crops.  As well as vegetables, they have blueberry bushes and fruits trees on their land.  Up behind the house you can find a chicken coop of around 30 chickens called Golden Comets, a mix between the White Leg Horn and the Rhode Island Red.  The chickens will lay eggs all winter and throughout the market season.  The Petersons are one of the few vendors who sell farm fresh eggs at the market, and when they're running low on eggs "it can get cutthroat" according to Glenda.  

Other than Larry and Glenda, their son will occasionally work on the farm, but two of their grandchildren, Madalyn and Landon, help tremendously.  The goal for Larry and Glenda is to use the money made from farming for college funds for their grandchildren.  The Petersons have a great story behind their farm and are a down-to-earth and loving couple that work hard to generate quality produce.

Blossoming apple tree

Broccoli growing indoors

Crops grown on farm:

Beans--Corn--Potatoes

Beets--Onions--Cabbages

Broccoli--Peppers--Tomatoes

Blueberries--Lettuce--Apples/Pears