stokesfarmmkt

End of the Line for Popular Farm Market & Event Center

stokesfarmmkt

When Kim and Roger Stokes planted their first blueberry field in 1978 it was a considerable gamble. That’s the nature of any farming venture, because you can do everything right, but still be clobbered by Mother Nature. Fortunately for the Stokes family of Grand Junction in Van Buren County, the hard work, dedication and plenty of prayer quickly helped their small business enterprise to blossom.

After spending spare time after their full-time jobs sticking cuttings in their hand-made greenhouse, picking berries and selling plants, the farm expanded. Now, they own more than 500 acres of blueberries, a frozen-packing plant, fresh-pack plant and a nursery. In fact, they buy and sell for dozens of local growers.

By 2011 the couple’s love for farming and community inspired them to add on a farm market and they created the Stokes Homestead Farm Market at 13988 CR 215 in Grand Junction and really ratcheted things up a notch.

Now the Stokes family owns more than 60 acres of strawberries, apples, asparagus, pumpkins and many other fruits and vegetables to go along with those blueberries.

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Sadly, however, the Stokes Homestead Farm Market is now history. Jamie Stokes-Glowacki, who served as the Retail Manager for the family says they have heavy hearts and will not be opening this year. Here is what she posted on the market’s Facebook fan page yesterday:

It is with heavy hearts that we say farewell to our beloved Stokes Homestead Farm Market as we will not be opening for a seventh season.

These past six years have been an amazing journey through which we have met so many wonderful people.

We feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to serve our community.

We would like to say a special thank-you to all of our amazing staff members. We became a family and you will always hold a special place in our hearts. We wish you all the very best in all your future endeavors. Without each one of you, with your individual gifts and talents, our market would not have been the warm, inviting and loving environment it was.

A special thank-you to all of our amazing, loyal and supportive customers. We could not have grown and made it as far as we did without your support and patriotism. We hope you have enjoyed your visits with us and will remember us fondly. We will sincerely miss seeing you all on a regular basis. May our paths cross again on sunnier days.

We put our whole hearts into creating and running the market for our community to enjoy. Saying goodbye is one of the hardest things we have had to do. It’s not just a building to us, it was a second home. It’s walls echo the memories, love, laughter and sorrow. Each time that you our family, friends and guests visited the market, you brought it to life. It was you that gave it meaning. It was you that filled it with joy and light. We will forever be grateful to each and every one of you.

I read somewhere once that there are no real endings. Just a spot where a story has been paused. I hope with all my heart that one day we can press play again and see you all once more.

With one last goodbye I say it has been a pleasure working with you Homestead family and serving you our loyal customers.

Sincerely yours,

Jamie Stokes-Glowacki

Creative Design & Retail Manager 2011-2018

The sprawling market had become far more than simply a fruit and vegetable stand. It was a full-tilt community center featuring all manner of events, fundraisers, outings, tours and more. In addition to the bounty of mother nature sold there, they featured Hazel’s Kitchen, a cafe and bakery serving breakfast and lunch in season…a wine and hard cider tasting bar…a store offering canned goods, jewelry, candles, woodwork and much more…wagon rides…U-pick options in the fields of the farm…local artists as vendors…and even field trips and tour group opportunities. Sadly, that all ends with the shutdown of the Stokes Homestead Farm Market.