Historic Hobart Farm Market Hosts Expanded Strawberry Festival

HOBART, Ind., May 31, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Johnson’s Farm Produce, which blossomed before World War II in Hobart and is one of Indiana’s oldest family-owned farm stands, will hold its popular Strawberry Festival in June.

The event, dating to the 1990s, draws tens of thousands of people a year, including many from Chicago, less than an hour away, for music, food, family games such as pie-eating and hula-hoop contests, and greenhouse plant sales as well as strawberries from 50 acres, with trams to transport visitors who want to pick their own. A five-acre Fun Farm introduced last year includes a train, a goat village, jumping pillows, pedal carts, a straw mountain, and produce cannons.

Johnson’s has grown all of its produce on-site since Ethel Johnson nailed a sign to an oak tree in 1940 and started selling the extra tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and other vegetables from her garden. The family converted an old barn to a farm market a few years later. The strawberry fields were added in the 1960s.

“The old barn is still standing, but a larger farm market building was erected in 1960,” says Johnson’s granddaughter, Lyndsay Johnson. “The extensive greenhouse added in the early ‘90s helps us control the quality of all our products — flowers, plants, vegetables and berries. Today, we offer a full-service lawn and garden center, in addition to the greenhouse and farm market.

“When you buy from us, your fruits and vegetables were allowed to fully ripen on the vine and were picked at the very peak of their flavor and nutritional value.”

About 40 percent of the strawberries are picked by the visitors, and the number is growing. In addition to strawberries, the farm (johnsonsfarmproduce.com) has 50 acres of sweet corn, 10 of blueberries, three of raspberries, and one of watermelon as well as tomatoes, zucchini, pickles, and more.

Johnson’s Strawberry Festival started as a one-weekend celebration in 1998 and expanded last year when the Fun Farm was added. It drew 25,000 people. This year’s event is June 9-10,16-17 and 23-24.

Media Contact:
Lyndsay Johnson, Manager
Work: 219-962-1683 ext. 3
Mobile: 219-713-9322
[email protected]

Source: Johnson's Farm Produce