Family farm rebuilds after fire

MILAN TWP. — A local farm market suffered a setback when an old family barn burned down earlier this year. But, undeterred, the Farmer Jones Farm Market at The Chef's Garden on Huron-Avery Road recently started offering its summer produce to area residents once more. The farm market opened on April 23, offering locally grown spring produce like asparagus, rhubarb, summer squash and more. Recovering from fire Amanda Hewitt (left) and Ellen Jones stand behind the counter of the Farmer Jones Farm Market on Scheid Road on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Register photo/ANGELA LAROSA A fire on Jan. 14 destroyed a barn at The Chef's Garden used for the farm market. Several area fire departments came to the property to assist putting out flames. "They did a great job containing the fire," said Bob Jones, co-owner of the farm. Jones knew that, given how old the structure was, it could not be saved by firefighters and that they would have to let it burn down. His brother and co-owner, Lee Jones, left it to the next generation of family farmers to make the decision about reopening the market, which they ultimately opted to do. Construction of the new barn has started and is expected to be finished by early August, Bob said. The new barn will cover more square footage, have large windows and wide doors to create an open-air market feel. "We're very fortunate that Telamon was available," Bob said about the company responsible for building the new barn, referencing labor and supply shortages. A rendering of the new barn's design, which could open by the first of August. Provided photo/THE CHEF'S GARDEN Farmer Jones Farm Market Farmer Jones Farm Market started as a way to continue to keep the team employed and share homegrown vegetables with the local community when the COVID pandemic shutdowns began. Previously, the market primarily shipped to restaurants, which were forced to either scale back or altogether shutter during pandemic-enforced restrictions. They are now using a 40-year-old roadside stand to sell vegetables, retail items, plants and fresh baked goods while building for the new barn progresses. The market has new products out every week and each item is freshly picked the day before or the morning of. The temporary farm stand is only open on Saturdays for now. "The hope is to be open more hours and more days," Kate Jones, Bob's daughter, said. Farmer Jones Farm Market accepts cash, card, SNAP benefits and the Ohio Senior Nutrition Farmers Market Program coupons. "What we learned, we can never again be restaurant-centered only," Bob said, recalling how the COVID shutdown cost the company 90 percent of their revenue. A sense of community The Chef's Garden delivers the vegetables across north-central Ohio communities and also ships to chefs across the U.S. and in 17 other countries. People all over the state stop by the market for fresh, locally grown vegetables while watching the building progress of a new barn. There is a large tractor in front for kids to play on as well. Bob described Saturdays at the market as a "social event." Chef's Garden has four generations of families working together. Altogether, there are 165 people working at the farm. Cruz Figueroa is a second-generation family member that has been working at the Chef's Garden for 17 years. He also works with his niece. "One of the best things about the market is that we meet people who love what we do and want to be a part of it," Bob said, mentioning that five customers have been hired last year. Even the Telamon crew is considered family, as one employee is married to the crew's foreman. A vegetable-forward future The focus of the Chef's Garden is on nutrient density and overall health. The company's mission is "to grow exceptional vegetables, to care for each other and land, and inspire a vegetable-forward future," Kate said. A vegetable-forward future is an ideology to promote eating a larger variety of fruits and vegetables. It includes soil health and regenerative growing techniques and is what the Jones family prides themselves on. "Nutrient levels of vegetables have decreased 50 percent in the last 100 years," Lee said. "At the same time, there has been an increase in diabetes, kidney diseases and more. We believe it's linked." The Chef's Garden and Farmer Jones Farm Market allow customers to know the details about the food they are consuming. "I can tell you where it was grown, when it was picked and who picked it," he said about the Farm-to-Table concept. A self-sustaining ecosystem The family's vision is to "convert the homestead farm to a permaculture farm that is direct marketing for fresh fruits, vegetables, and other associated products grown on the farm," Bob said. They plan to introduce a completely new product line in 2022, including grass-fed turkey, chicken and ducks will be brought to the farm. In 2023, they are planning beef, pork, and lamb. "Permaculture is a self-sustaining ecosystem," he explained. A permaculture farm will allow the Jones' to plant vegetables between fruits and to feed the livestock. -- Appreciate news from your community? Click here to subscribe to the Register.