A chill wind blew across the fields as I walked from my car and into the warm greenhouse on County Road G outside of Bryan, Ohio. Long tables of lush plants growing in pots, boxes and flats lined both sides of the shelter and paraded down the middle in vibrant colors. There’s something about a greenhouse that touches the senses of gardeners and gets the endorphins pumping with excitement.
JoAnn Beucler, busy at the other end of the greenhouse looked up and hurried to the front to greet my grandson, Redding and me. JoAnn, the owner of Farmer JoAnn greenhouses has been selling plants for 20 years. She started with a 50-foot greenhouse and has expanded her business to 375 feet, which includes a 50-foot shade house. JoAnn passionately shares growing tips, new varieties, and flower and foliage suggestions for hanging baskets and containers.
I talked to JoAnn about the tough economic times and her business, but her concern lay with the cold spring northwest Ohio has been experiencing. As I squeezed a thyme leaf between my fingers the scent escaped and filled my senses with the delicious aroma, I listened to her exuberant talk about tomatoes. The majority of her plant sales come from tomato and pepper plants. She currently carries 14 varieties of tomatoes in three sizes.
JoAnn and her son, Pete, start most of the plants from seeds, nurturing the seedlings until ready to sell. All the vegetable plants sold, started right there on the farm. Many of the annual plants available for purchase began as seeds inside her greenhouses. She carries between 50 and 75 different perennials, some she divided from existing plants on the farm.
Who could walk into the greenhouse and not look up? Over 300 hanging baskets grace the air space creating a riot of color. You can find beautiful mixed pots of flowers in six sizes, the largest one a large round 21 inches.
For foodies that love to cook, Farmer JoAnn offers an array of pepper varieties: Hungarian wax, jalapeno, habaneras, along with green and red bells, and some usnual ones just waiting to be grown and harvested for hot, spicy dishes. Popular culinary herbs like chives, sage, thyme, and rosemary offer home chefs a reason to start that herb garden or plant a few in a pot outside the kitchen door.
Farmer JoAnn offers so much for gardeners. Her expertise and knowledge is an added bonus that makes her plants that much more desirable. She’s keeping her prices low in order to compete, but don’t let the price fool you. Farmer JoAnn offers quality plants tended with passion and a genuine love of growing things. Now that’s something you won’t find at big box stores that sell plants.
JoAnn Beucler, busy at the other end of the greenhouse looked up and hurried to the front to greet my grandson, Redding and me. JoAnn, the owner of Farmer JoAnn greenhouses has been selling plants for 20 years. She started with a 50-foot greenhouse and has expanded her business to 375 feet, which includes a 50-foot shade house. JoAnn passionately shares growing tips, new varieties, and flower and foliage suggestions for hanging baskets and containers.
I talked to JoAnn about the tough economic times and her business, but her concern lay with the cold spring northwest Ohio has been experiencing. As I squeezed a thyme leaf between my fingers the scent escaped and filled my senses with the delicious aroma, I listened to her exuberant talk about tomatoes. The majority of her plant sales come from tomato and pepper plants. She currently carries 14 varieties of tomatoes in three sizes.
JoAnn and her son, Pete, start most of the plants from seeds, nurturing the seedlings until ready to sell. All the vegetable plants sold, started right there on the farm. Many of the annual plants available for purchase began as seeds inside her greenhouses. She carries between 50 and 75 different perennials, some she divided from existing plants on the farm.
Who could walk into the greenhouse and not look up? Over 300 hanging baskets grace the air space creating a riot of color. You can find beautiful mixed pots of flowers in six sizes, the largest one a large round 21 inches.
For foodies that love to cook, Farmer JoAnn offers an array of pepper varieties: Hungarian wax, jalapeno, habaneras, along with green and red bells, and some usnual ones just waiting to be grown and harvested for hot, spicy dishes. Popular culinary herbs like chives, sage, thyme, and rosemary offer home chefs a reason to start that herb garden or plant a few in a pot outside the kitchen door.
Farmer JoAnn offers so much for gardeners. Her expertise and knowledge is an added bonus that makes her plants that much more desirable. She’s keeping her prices low in order to compete, but don’t let the price fool you. Farmer JoAnn offers quality plants tended with passion and a genuine love of growing things. Now that’s something you won’t find at big box stores that sell plants.
You can find Farmer JoAnn 3.6 miles outside of Bryan at 13390 Country Road G off Ohio route 15
Great article... and the pictures really added a lot. It looks like this is the place to go for plants even if it means traveling from Toledo (where I live) to get there.
ReplyDeleteI just came from Farmer JoAnn's I go there every spring she really knows her plants. Also Bill and Judy are doing a great job. Love to take a look at it after the plants are growing in the beds. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteI have been to Farmer JoAnn's at least seven times this spring.I have purchased 90% of my plants there. Her prices are great and so is her selection.She alway grows five or so brand new flowers or veggies no one has ever see or heard of before every spring.I love it. Last year we addopted a bottle fed lamb from her. Bella is her name. Well she is back living at JoAnn's and just gave birth to the whitest lamb JoAnn has ever seen. JoAnn also raises sheep. I don't know what she does with them. She is giving us Bella's wool when she is sheared and I am going to get out my spinning wheel and spin it.It's a wonderful interesting place to visit.Her daughter in law is so friendly and pots up the best combos of flowers her color selections are great.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ila and Sandra for commenting. I love greenhouses and Farmer Jo Ann has done a great job over the years providing plants to hungry gardeners in Williams County. I hope she keeps it up.
ReplyDeleteRedding and I probably saw Bella's lamb when we stopped by one rainy day. Oh the joys of living in the country.
Teresa