Turner's Farm was originally started as a dairy farm by John & Lulu Turner in 1949 at “Faraway Valley” in the township of Belmont. That first farm was later sold to the State and is now known as the Faraway Valley Loop of the Emmons Creek Fishery of Hartman's State Park on Stratton Lake Road in Waupaca, and includes a stretch of the Ice Age Trail. (Park HERE to walk the Faraway Valley Loop. You will walk through the old fields, the fresh spring water , and lines of pines that were planted by John & Lulu and named after their kids Ross and Jeanne as well as the kids' neighborhood buddy, Janet Grant!)
In 1963, by moving to a farm on Highway 54 West, they were able to fulfill a long-shared dream, that of opening a farm market. The Turners started by selling vegetables off a table in their front yard along the highway as well as making vegetable deliveries around the Chain Of Lakes. Later, a small market replaced the card table; then a bigger market replaced the small market, and finally the market moved into an extension of the barn, where it resides today.
John was an innovator in using various irrigation methods. He extensively read the writings of author Louis Bromfield and farmed by the belief that he should, "leave the land in better condition than he found it." Lulu's personal touch and unending enthusiasm attracted a community at Turner's around not only their produce, but her generous nature. Read more about Lulu HERE.
In 1976 the farm was bought and taken over by their son, Ross Turner. Ross expanded the farm, especially its wholesale operation. He continues to rise before dawn and load many of the wholesale customers his parents served along with new customers.
Ross is best known for his innovations with sweet corn including the expansion of numerous roadside vendors in many of the lake communities in the state. If you have heard of "Turner's Sweet Corn" it is because of him! He was also one of the first in the state to grow corn under plastic to extend the corn season.
Ross loves reading and is a born educator. He subs in Waupaca in the winter and many of the kids who work on the farm in the summer have great stories of the conversations and things learned while working with Ross.
In 2011, Ross's daughter, Tara Turner, returned to Waupaca to farm with her dad. Tara has a graduate degree in Public Policy & Agriculture and taught Sustainability at the high school and college level. Tara is currently the greenhouse grower and manages the market.
Shortly, after Tara's return, Turners Fresh Market became one of the founding members in the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative. Tara became their president and later their general manager. WFHC helps smaller growers compete with the large commercial farms in the country and sell their produce in the wholesale retail and foodservice markets. You can learn more about WFHC at www.wifoodhub.com
GROWING PHILOSOPHY:
The land and environment are important to both Ross and Tara. Ross has continued his parents tradition, by selling land to the Ice Age Trail. He has also sought ways to reduce waste by buying biodegradable plastic. Tara brought the use of biologicals to the farm (versus conventional fungicides and insecticides) and both Ross & Tara try to restrict the use of conventional sprays by using Integrated Pest Management.
We are an open book. If you ever have questions about how our crops are grown, please don't hesitate to ask.