Little did our family’s ancestors realize when they first settled in northeast Ohio in the early 1800s that these beautiful rolling hills would become some of the most productive farmland in the state.
In 1924, Jerome Hull, then Mahoning County Superintendent of Schools, purchased the 200-acre farm from his uncle, Ensign Baird. Along with his new bride, Doris Humes-Hull, he began growing apples, peaches, and children – nine altogether! Although a full-time educator, Jerome maintained a strong passion for fruit farming.
During the Depression, Jerome and Doris began raising fresh-market turkeys in order to keep the farm afloat. At its peak, our farm raised and dressed 5,000 turkeys, which were sold to area grocery stores and direct to our customers on the farm.
Of their nine children, son David, was the only child to inherit the fruit growing passion of their father. With an eye on the future, they left the turkey business in 1968 to develop the farm into a fruit and vegetable retail operation. In 1978, David, his wife Phyllis, and their four children renovated the 1881 farm bank barn and turned it into a year-round market. Today, the second, third, and fourth generations of Hulls operate one of the largest and finest farm markets in the state of Ohio.
David, his children (Dave Hull, Debbie Pifer and Wendy Lynn), and their families now grow over 75 acres of fruit and vegetables while operating the famous farm market.
