Local Ag Producers Offer Local Farm Stands

By ELISE DALLEY

The Progress

There are only a handful of agricultural producers left in the Moapa Valley. But they all pride themselves in the rich satisfaction that comes from hard work and seeing the abundance of their produce benefit their neighbors.

Moapa Valley farmers are delighted to share the produce they grow with local residents. Through local farm stands and markets, they sell their home grown crops to the public.

Quail Hollow Farms
Laura and Monte Bledsoe, owners of Quail Hollow Farm sell their produce in a little farmhouse out on their front yard. Selling homegrown vegetables is something the Bledsoes are well acquainted with, as they’ve been doing it for 16 years now.

While vegetables are the bulk of their stock; preserves like pickles, jams, jellys and freeze-dried items can also be found in their farm stand as well.
“Our farm is organic and we try to stay organic,” said Laura Bledsoe. “That is what most of our customers want.”

Bledsoe explained that the local farm stand isn’t the farms only marketplace. “The bulk of our produce goes to families that subscribe to community supported agriculture (CSA),” she said. “They sign into the harvest for a season and then we make deliveries or they can pick them up.”

While the biggest part of their farmer is sold in CSA shares, there is usually additional produce and products for sale in the Quail Hollow Farm Stand.
“We always try to have something available to sell throughout the whole year,” Bledsoe said.

MVHS Ag Farm
Kevin and Denise O’Toole also are involved in local agricultural production. The O’Tooles work alongside local FFA students on the MVHS Ag Farm. Tomatoes, lettuce, melons, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are among the many vegetables they produce and sell on the farm.

Much of the food produced at the Ag Farm is grown in a large greenhouse. When the produce ripens, much of it is stored in a refrigerator case in the front yard for members of the public to come and buy.
“It’s an honors system farmers market,” said Kevin O’Toole. “People buy what they need and then drop the money in the safe.”

The proceeds from these sales get put back into the program as funding for the farm and for the students.
The AG farm also has an annual autumn sale of pumpkins and squash which are grown in the fields at the farm. The funds from that event goes into FFA funds to sustain that program.

O’Toole stressed the importance of farming and giving back to the community. “This is our way to help the community and support our program,” he said. “We try to teach students how to work and how to become leaders of the future. We are doing this hands-on.”

Hardy Farms
The Hardy Farm in Logandale gives back to the community as well, through the sale of their delicious produce. Allie Nelson, 16, is one of the many farmers behind the scenes at the Hardy Farmstand. She said that she enjoys helping out on the farm.

“I really like selling the food because I get to meet new people at the stand, and have interesting conversations and talk to them,” Allie said. “It’s cool because it’s something that I enjoy doing and it’s something that my family has enjoyed doing for a long time.”

The Hardy clan gets up at 6:00 every morning and spends their morning pulling weeds, picking vegetables and preparing the stock for the day. They sell corn and wheat in the summer along with tomatoes and zucchini. In the fall they sell watermelon, squash, corn and pumpkins.

The Hardy’s have provided this service to the local community for years. The farm has been the in Valley for four generations.
Allie’s mom, Lauren Nelson explained that even though the farm work takes a lot of time, hard work, and early mornings, it is all worth it to be able to see the progress and good that it does. And it builds good relationships and fond memories, she said.

Lauren said that one of her favorite memories is of her grandpa Glen Hardy sharing the produce he had raised with neighbors and friends in the community.
Allie Nelson agreed. “He was like a Santa Claus!” she said.
“I think growing and selling corn reminds me of Grandpa Glen,” Lauren added. “I love how Allie called him ‘like a Santa Claus’. It feels good to grow food and then share stories and memories with people when they come by and visit.”

There are many stores, stands, and shops that sell vegetables and other produce. However, keeping an eye out for locally grown produce not only supports the farmers themselves, but gives back to the community. Becoming self-sustainable and self-supported is not only encouraged, it is also crucial to a functioning community.

To get to the Hardy Farm stand follow the signs near Moapa Valley Blvd and Waite Ave. in Logandale.

The MVHS Ag Farm is located on the west side of Moapa Valley Blvd., just about a quarter mile south of the Yamashita Bridge.

Quail Hollow Farms stand is located at 1395 N. Anderson Street, west of the Perkins Field Airport.