Rolling Hills
Iowa grown herbs and lettuce, grown hydroponically by this family owned business near West Union, IA.
West Union, Iowa
Kerns Homegrown
Type: Producer
Produces: Sweet Corn
Location: Oelwein, IA
Miles from Coop: 54
A Homegrown Start
In 1999, at the age of 15, Blake Kerns rented two acres of abandoned crop land, borrowed a planter, and seeded sweet corn. Twenty years later he's still planting, picking, and delivering fresh picked homegrown produce.
“Planting a seed, nurturing it, picking it, delivering it- the process provides a real sense of accomplishment.”
Sustainability
As a GAP-certified Iowa farm operation with over 2,200 acres of crop production including 100+ acres of fruits and vegetables, sustainable agriculture practices are at the core of Kerns Homegrown operations.
The use of rotational cover crops, integrated pest management systems, drip irrigation, and no-till farming are just some of the ways Blake works to improve soil health and reduce erosion for better land stewardship of Iowa farmland.
Other Local Producers
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
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Echo Dell Farm
Calvin Yoder of Echo Dell Farm has been raising whole, local, organic chickens for New Pi since 1988.
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Wake Up Iowa
What we love is what we do best. “I’m a light roast single origin guy – no blends.
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Hue Hill
Hue Hill crafts farm grown vegetables into vibrant, live cultured, powerfully probiotic fermented foods.
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Trowel and Error Farm
Carly Andrews was inspired to start farming after attending The University of Vermont, and learning about the local foods movement. After seeing a panel of all women farmers in her undergrad, she decided to try it out for herself.
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Big Timber Maple Syrup
Big Timber Maple has been producing certified organic maple syrup since 2000. What began as a hobby quickly grew into a thriving family business, driven by a passion for quality and tradition.
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Oak Hill Acres
Andy manages over 4,000 flower cuttings in their two greenhouses and thirty acres of organic produce.
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