Garver Family Farm Market expansion grand opening Saturday

In 1926, Garver Family Farm was established on two-lane Ohio 63 in Lemon Twp., and 98 years later, a new venue offering farm to table produce, deli, wine bar, coffee bar, in house bakery, hot meals and more is opening there.

Inviting visitors to the working farm that has produced a variety crops, pigs, beef cattle and dairy cows over the years began in 1991 with the marriage of Michael and Suzy Garver.

ExploreGarver Farm’s expansion considers consumer habits, region’s growth

“When my parents got married, they wanted to start a produce stand,” said daughter Alayne Garver Taylor.

It started with a folding card table set up on Saturdays and Sunday piled with a couple dozen ears of corn and a few tomatoes.

“If they sold enough to go out on a date for that night, they thought that was a win,” Garver Taylor said.

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Over the last 30-plus years, the operation has expanded to a destination for visitors, offering local produce and a look up close and personal to farming business three seasons out of the year.

It became a whole family affair with Alayna, her husband Daylon, and her parents working at Garver Family Farm Market. Lots of goodies are located were located in the farm stand barn and throughout the fields of vegetables, sweet corn and soybeans, strawberries and a fall favorite, pumpkins.

But the Garvers actually farm a total of about 2,000 acres across Butler, Warren and Preble counties.

Early Thursday morning, Garver Taylor was in the fields picking strawberries after spending months in the new expanded facility getting it ready for the Saturday, May 4, grand opening.

Credit: Nick Graham

The expansion has been about five years in the making, beginning before the pandemic. Many watched the construction for months along Ohio 63 and at 6 a.m. April 8, the doors of the huge log building opened for a soft opening.

There’s been no looking back with staff expanding and learning as the customers, especially for lunch and dinner, flocked n.

“It has been non stop,” Garver Taylor said. “If we are lucky, we get a hour of downtime in the afternoon. The lunch rush and the dinner rush has been more than what we ever expected it to be. Really the whole thing is bigger than what we ever anticipated.”

She said the business has always been a farm market.

“We have always grown food. That’s what we know how to do,” she said, and over the years they got request from customers to have “something to eat on this side of town, so that is why we started with the deli idea.”

Credit: Nick Graham

So far it is bringing in the most repeat customers.

“That is the main attraction right now, the narrative might change a little bit once we have all the flowers and homegrown produce,” Garver Taylor said.

She said they had to add more tables for folks opting to eat in, but there are also lots of spaces — and rocking chairs — to sit outside on the covered wrap-around porch.

An eighth of an acre is now planted with grapes for winemaking, with the hope to offer later this summer for customers. For now, the wine bar features selections from Seven Mile Winery.

Credit: Nick Graham

The farm store located in the only original 1920s era barn left on the farm had been open May to Oct. 31, but with a new building, it will be open year round.

Special giveaways and offers are on tap for the grand opening with hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The wine bar is open until 10 p.m.