Kyle and Mari Holthaus began operating their 15 acre farm in 1998. Teddy joined in 2001 and Violet in 2003. Anna, Mari’s sister, began working with us in 2008.

We started out with about an acre of vegetables and 40 sows. We then transitioned into 3 acres of vegetables and 500 laying hens. We now grow about 5 acres of vegetables and have a small flock of laying hens.

Much of our marketing is done through farmers markets in four area towns. In 2013 we expanded by adding a licensed food production facility that we call the galley. We began calling it the galley to keep Teddy and Violet from getting it confused with the kitchen in the house. We grow as much of the product we process as possible and source the rest as local as possible for the jams and pickles. All vegetables we have prepared and frozen have been grown on our farm. The baked goods and candies are made from scratch with the fillings made in house for the pies and turnovers.

With the addition of the galley we have begun, and are working to expand, having our pickles and jams available at local retailers all around northeast Iowa.