On-Farm Restaurant Boosts Profits
Four generations of Hagermans farmed and sold vegetables off the family farm before fifth-generation daughter Jennifer McCaw decided to start serving up the farm’s produce on plates. Her Farmhouse Eats bakery, deli, and lunchtime restaurant share a building with Hagermans’ produce-selling operation.
“My original plan was to sell jams and pies I made in our kitchen at our farm stand,” says McCaw, a food service veteran who started working in a local restaurant at 14. “Within a year and a half, I had outgrown the kitchen, and my dad built the building we’re in now.”
The half that’s the farm’s storefront, kitchen, and storeroom fills up with hungry customers from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day. Lunches feature Field to Fryer Potatoes - according to one online review, “Fries were the best we’ve had lately. Burgers were right up there as well. Don’t get me started on the bake shop!”
McCaw started as a 1-woman show. Now in her 13th season, she has a staff of seven, plus her mother Heather. She gives credit for the initial growth to the family’s farmstand and its reputation for quality produce.
“I built my business off of my dad’s business,” says McCaw. “I lured his customers in, and they’ve become mine.”
McCaw acknowledges that the first few years were difficult. She advises others considering following her footsteps not to think it’ll be easy.
“We put a lot of time and effort into it, and we already had people coming to the farm,” she says. “When COVID hit, we did a takeout window with baked goods. We have big, beautiful windows to show what we have. When people can’t see the item, it’s a hard sell.”
In 2022, she reopened the doors. Business returned, in particular the tourists. Local people used to be the backbone of her business. That’s changed with the growth of wineries and breweries in the area and an increase in population as people moved out of the city.
“People from the city often seem to know less about how to bake and cook for themselves,” says McCaw. “That’s extended my season, as more people look for quality, handmade food, and that’s what we sell.”
McCaw and her husband, who works off the farm, have four school-age children. They’re the main reason she’s closed on Sundays and Mondays. “Typically, we close about November, but last year we started a Christmas market on weekends.”
McCaw isn’t sure how the business will evolve when her children are all in school.
One thing that won’t change is using what her family grows. “I always start cooking and baking with what is being grown on our farm,” she says. “Then I turn to other local farms and branch out from there.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Farmhouse Eats, 13644 Loyalist Pkwy., Picton, Ontario, Canada K0K 2T0 (ph 613-476-2154; countyeatsfarmhouse@gmail.com; Facebook: Farmhouse Eats).
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On-Farm Restaurant Boosts Profits FARM HOME Food Four generations of Hagermans farmed and sold vegetables off the family farm before fifth-generation daughter Jennifer McCaw decided to start serving up the farm’s produce on plates Her Farmhouse Eats bakery deli and lunchtime restaurant share a building with Hagermans’ produce-selling operation “My original plan was to sell jams and pies I made in our kitchen at our farm stand ” says McCaw a food service veteran who started working in a local restaurant at 14 “Within a year and a half I had outgrown the kitchen and my dad built the building we’re in now ” The half that’s the farm’s storefront kitchen and storeroom fills up with hungry customers from 11 a m until 3 p m each day Lunches feature Field to Fryer Potatoes - according to one online review “Fries were the best we’ve had lately Burgers were right up there as well Don’t get me started on the bake shop!” McCaw started as a 1-woman show Now in her 13th season she has a staff of seven plus her mother Heather She gives credit for the initial growth to the family’s farmstand and its reputation for quality produce “I built my business off of my dad’s business ” says McCaw “I lured his customers in and they’ve become mine ” McCaw acknowledges that the first few years were difficult She advises others considering following her footsteps not to think it’ll be easy “We put a lot of time and effort into it and we already had people coming to the farm ” she says “When COVID hit we did a takeout window with baked goods We have big beautiful windows to show what we have When people can’t see the item it’s a hard sell ” In 2022 she reopened the doors Business returned in particular the tourists Local people used to be the backbone of her business That’s changed with the growth of wineries and breweries in the area and an increase in population as people moved out of the city “People from the city often seem to know less about how to bake and cook for themselves ” says McCaw “That’s extended my season as more people look for quality handmade food and that’s what we sell ” McCaw and her husband who works off the farm have four school-age children They’re the main reason she’s closed on Sundays and Mondays “Typically we close about November but last year we started a Christmas market on weekends ” McCaw isn’t sure how the business will evolve when her children are all in school One thing that won’t change is using what her family grows “I always start cooking and baking with what is being grown on our farm ” she says “Then I turn to other local farms and branch out from there ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Farmhouse Eats 13644 Loyalist Pkwy Picton Ontario Canada K0K 2T0 ph 613-476-2154; countyeatsfarmhouse@gmail com; Facebook: Farmhouse Eats
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