We are so happy to share our family heritage and the "why" behind our farming passion. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and we hope to see you at the stand!
J.D. Steele Farm Brochure - click here
The
Steele
Family
WE HAVE SOME HISTORY:
I guess you could say our history starts in Ireland.
Jack's grandfather, John M. Steele, came to America in 1907 from Ballymena, Ireland. His goal was to carry on the family tradition of farming the land and raising animals. He met Margaret Houston, also from Ireland, and the pair married in 1924. In the 1930's, the Steele Family purchased what was originally the Pierson-Stock Farm at 1308 W. Henrietta Road. The business grew to include raising Thoroughbred horses, growing cash crops, and operating a dairy.​​
1940's
1960's
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Jack's father, John D. Steele, Sr., loved the farming business and, after running the family farm, went on to work for the USDA as the state's ASCS Director.
Jack and Elise married in 1997 and, with their children John and Lily, have carried on the tradition of growing produce, raising animals, and enjoying the beautiful land.
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Things have shifted a bit since the start of the operation, switching from dairy and crops to the one thing Jack said he would "never" raise: sheep! We added flowers to bring a bit more color to the farm, and because we love to see the smiles they bring to people's faces. We love growing a little bit of everything so that we always have something to keep us busy and have a way to connect with our consumers year-round. Whether it's spring with tulips and strawberries, the middle of summer with sheep on pasture and the flower garden, fall with sunflowers, or winter with lamb and eggs, we're always happy to see you on the farm and share what we do.
So, I guess you could say farming is in our blood, but really it's in our hearts as well. We work hard to use sustainable practices to ensure we can pass on the history and tradition to the next generation
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