“A man’s got to know his limitations,” is a saying attributed to the Harry Calahan character played by Clint Eastwood in the 1973 film, Dirty Harry. Implied sexism aside, individuals and businesses are more apt to thrive when they’re grounded in a firm understanding of what they can and cannot do productively and profitably.
Greater Cincinnati’s fruit-orchard operators understand that they can’t be a foodies’ one-stop shop for any desired produce. Attempts to grow oranges or pineapples on Ohio soil would be comical. And even the soil health and terroir of individual farms create variability for a specific crops’ viability.
As consumers’ appetite for regionally raised goods increases as part of the larger locavore movement, these more discerning customers appreciate the flavor of freshly harvested berries, apples, and other types of “nature’s candy” that grow well in our region. It’s not an endeavor that people undertake for wealth or prestige; it requires a commitment to early mornings, long hours and enduring the elements to cultivate, grow, and harvest juicy, fresh fruit.
The 86-year-old Probst livestock farm added a consumer market in 1999
When the Probst family opened Blooms and Berries Farm Market and Produce Stand near Loveland over a quarter-century ago, it represented a significant departure from the farmland’s use. The descendants were willing to learn the lessons the land provided. The next generation has adapted to changing conditions and leveraged relationships to offer an enticing product mix and diversification to assure sustained success.
The Probst family has owned the 61-acre farm along State Route 48 since 1939. In the past, the family maintained a livestock farm and farmed acres of row crops such as corn and soybeans. Dave and Cathy assumed the helm and wanted to develop a direct-to-consumer, market-based business. Blooms and Berries was founded in 1999 with an acre of strawberries that allowed visitors to pick and pay for produce, with fall hayrides and related products available in the market.
Dave’s son, Jeff, and his wife Emily, now own the farm. Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Miami University. In 2005, while Jeff was still a college student, Dave passed away from a heart attack. The next year, Jeff graduated and, after a brief stint in a sales position, returned to the farm.
“This was a challenging time, and I’m extremely grateful to those who helped me prepare for my role in the farm,” he said. “One of my marketing professors, Mark Lacker, helped me understand how to promote and grow the business. In the time after my dad died, our neighbor across the road, Jim Eckenridge, was a tremendous help, coming over to help in the field whenever he could. And, a number of Amish farmers helped me learn about how to make soil healthy and grow numerous crops.”
Jeff’s wife, Emily, left her corporate job in 2021 to join the Blooms and Berries team, and the farm now employs six managers who help run the farm, which grows eight acres of strawberries and four acres each of blueberries and blackberries, plus an additional 25 acres of pumpkins. Strawberry and blueberry season peaks in early summer, whereas blackberry picking concluded in early August. Pumpkins were planted in June, and harvesting will begin in late September. Additionally, Blooms and Berries operates its onsite garden center and market barn, as well as three satellite farmstands, with two in Loveland and one in Maineville, that will close for the season after Labor Day.
In addition to its signature berries, the markets sell peaches, watermelon, and cantaloupe, which are brought in from offsite farms. Jeff said, “Some have this image of the Old McDonald farmer, with everything onsite. Georgia is known for peaches and Idaho for potatoes for a reason; their weather and soil are favorable to them.
As summer gives way to fall, Blooms and Berries will come alive with hayrides, corn mazes, and events such as Bubbles and Blooms, which invites kids of all ages to blow bubbles and take pictures against its rustic field of sunflowers. All manner of apple products will be available in the farm store.
Hopefully, pumpkin season will provide a bounce back from a challenging spring. A fungus called Neo-P has ravaged strawberry crops nationwide, including Probst’s. He underscored that this is why diversification is essential for small farms to be sustainable. Without agritourism (an apt term for the school field trips and weekend family excursions to Blooms and Berries to enjoy the hayrides and apple cider), Probst said that it would be difficult to maintain the farm.
Now, Jeff is happy to have his children, 10-year-old Joanna and eight-year-old David, helping out as they’re able on the farm. He said that a farm’s business plan requires far more elasticity than other endeavors.
“You can’t be too rigid about sticking to a plan,” he said. “Conditions change, weather is volatile, and you have to adapt. It’s more important to stick to your values and do the work necessary year-round to ensure the right conditions for your crops.”
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Blooms & BerriesBlackberry picking has become a signature late-summer Blooms and Berries event for foodies, bakers, and canners, among others.
Blooms and Berries aka “Blooms & Berries”
9669 S. St. Rt. 48,
Loveland, Ohio 45140
(513) 697-9713
www.bloomsandberries.com
Other Area Fruit Farms
Irons Fruit Farm
1640 Stubbs Mills Rd., Lebanon
(513) 968-8060
The fourth-generation farm leans into autumn, with a U-pick apple orchard throughout August and September, plus a cider mill and the traditional hayrides and pumpkin patch.
McGlasson Farms
5832 River Rd., Hebron, KY
(859) 689-5229
http://mcglassonfarms.com/
This six-generation farm offers U-pick strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries throughout May and June. Its apple orchard and pumpkin patch will be open throughout the fall. Its market is open seven days a week from July 1 through the end of November.
Pringle’s Orchard
2697 Pringle Rd., Goshen
(513) 625-9866
Pringle’s just concluded its blackberry-picking season, and pick-your-own-applies is reportedly slated to begin in mid-September. The multi-generational farm also operates a corn maze and pumpkin patch.