Garden center turned food hub brings fresh community resources

By Sheila Harris [email protected]

Harvick Farms,  situated along State Highway 76/112, on the south edge of Cassville, is shifting its business model this year toward becoming a community food resource: a cooperative outlet where area farmers and producers can sell their goods.

“It’s a win-win situation for producers and for the entire community,” said Lainey Harvick, who is excited about the role Harvick Farms will play in facilitating the food hub. “We’re a farming community, so there’s no reason that people in this area should go hungry or shouldn’t have access to quality food.”

With its new business model, Harvick Farms will host what is essentially a weekend-long, indoor farmers’ cooperative market, ramping up in mid-May, although many items are already available.

“Area residents will be able to buy fresh produce, eggs, milk, meat and other items here, directly from the farmers who produce them,” she said.

In addition to other forms of payment, Harvick Farms will also accept SNAP and WIC benefits, increasing access to fresh local foods.

Lainey Harvick and her husband, Joseph Harvick, own and operate Harvick Farms in conjunction with their sons, Sam and Alex, and Joseph’s father, Carlton Harvick. The couple purchased the 1.2-acre property after relocating to Eagle Rock from Fort Worth, Texas. With limited agricultural experience but a strong desire to learn, the couple dove in, renovating long-abandoned structures to open a nursery and bedding-plant business just in time for spring, five years ago.

Since then, the garden center has also become a community educational hub, offering practical hands-on classes related to gardening, cooking, canning and skills important for self-sufficiency in a mass-production world.

“Food production will become our main focus this year,” Harvick said.

With funds from a recent USDA food security grant, the Harvicks installed multiple raised garden beds for the production of sweet potatoes, cucumbers and a variety of greens and herbs. They are also working with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for a new high tunnel, which now includes a growing area on their home farm to grow turmeric, ginger and bell peppers.

“We also used a USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant to remodel our storefront and install refrigerated shelving and coolers,” Harvick said. “Now, we’re able to stock eggs, milk and other products that need refrigeration.”

Harvick has invested significant time connecting with prospective partners for the Harvick Farms cooperative project, including visiting community gardens, farm stops and food hubs in neighboring communities.

“I’m amazed at how many people I’ve met in the short amount of time we’ve lived in the Ozarks,” said Harvick, who works remotely in a full-time nursing role for Mayo Clinic. “COVID brought us to the Ozarks. I was working as a full-time ER nurse in NWA when COVID hit, and the stress was unbelievable. Gardening was a respite for me.”

Lainey Harvick’s mother-in-law, Carol Harvick, recalls when the couple visited Eagle Rock prior to their decision to move.

“Lainey spent much of the time sitting on the back deck, taking in the peaceful surroundings,” Carol Harvick said.

Although the pace for Harvick has been busy since their move eight years ago, the change in environment — shifting from emergency care to preventative, community-based food and health — has been meaningful.

In a recent development, Harvick Farms is partnering with Roaring River Adventures, the concessionaire for Roaring River State Park, a partnership Lainey Harvick is excited about.

“It’s an example of locally-produced food going full circle right here in Barry County,” Harvick said.

Harvick Farms is producing vegetables for the kitchen at Emory Melton Inn. In turn, the Roaring River Adventures staff will prepare fresh lunches — including salads and wraps — to be sold on consignment at the Harvick Farms storefront on select days.

Harvick Farms is also partnering with the Carl Junction’s ISD Farm-to-School program to help provide locally grown vegetables.

The cooperative concept developed when Harvick realized that it’s difficult for one producer to provide a full variety of food to a community.

“We each have our specialty — the things we like to grow or produce,” she said. “So, it only makes sense to transition into a farm-stop model where multiple farmers can offer their products in one place.”

Harvick’s goal is to provide indoor sales space for up to 40 producers.

“We currently have about 15 vendors, and growing,” she said.

The growing list includes A2A2 milk from Still Dreamn Dairy; microgreens from Microgreens Essentials; pork, sausage, and chicken from Bulmanski Farms; eggs from Lovey Dovey Eggs; kombucha from Spring Branch Kombucha; fresh mushrooms from Hazy Hollow Farms; fresh greens from The Fresh Greens Project; fresh floral bouquets from 4S Flower Farms; honey from Devora’s Gardens; produce from McGarrah’s Farms; produce from L&B Produce; fruits from Bishop Gardens; salsa and pickles from Two Men and a Garden; soup mixes from Wind and Willow; honey products from Messner Honey; and soaps from Missouri Milkmaids.

“As we progress into late spring, we plan to continue working with local farmers to bring in berries, vegetables and more locally made, agriculture-based products,” Harvick said.

Handcrafted items in the store currently include soaps, teas, salsa and baked goods.

“Teas are my thing,” Harvick said, noting that she uses her own dried herbs to create blends sold under the Harvick Farms label.

Joseph and Carlton Harvick contribute to baking operations. Their fresh-baked bagels, cookies and other goods will be available in limited quantities.

“We are just getting off the ground with some of our ideas, so production levels will be trial and error for a while,” Harvick said.

Another project underway is the conversion of an outbuilding into a commercial kitchen that local producers can rent to create value-added products.

“The health department requires that items like salsa be processed in a commercial kitchen if intended for public sale,” Harvick said. “Right now, there are very few options nearby for small producers.”

Harvick Farms will continue to sell shrubs and bedding plants this season, though plant sales will become a smaller portion of the overall business.

Educational classes will also continue.

“So far, we have classes on building a birdhouse, making a barn quilt, composting, and pest and disease management lined up,” she said.

Harvick Farms will also host its first Baker’s Exchange of the season on Saturday, April 18th.

“We plan to host this event the third Saturday of every month from 9 a.m to noon from April through November,” Harvick said. “We’re looking for small-batch bakers to join us.”

Harvick Farms’ annual Spring Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about classes and events, people may visit the Harvick Farms Facebook page.

Information about partnering with Harvick Farms can be found at HarvickFarms.com.

Harvick Farms will be staffed Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

“We will continue to work on a self-serve option for the entire building to be more accessible throughout the week,” Harvick said.