June 2021 - 5

CITY
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so happened that Stephen and Sonya were
being stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and
going out to Okinawa (Japan) for the
Marines, and they just happened to be
here to visit. They came with me to see
this farm. And we all loved it. "
The agricultural interest for Stephen
stemmed from his childhood in Kansas
where many of his friends' families
owned farms. Nancy's parents in Rhode
Island had been avid gardeners. The
consensus among the three then was
to buy the farm, and then Stephen
and Sonya could quit military life to
help her run it. And although that's
eventually what they did, it didn't
happen as soon as planned.
" Well, I missed getting this farm by
one day, " Cornish said. " They had sold it
just the day before, and only because my
printer wasn't working to get the offer
to them. But God, in His wisdom, said,
'Not now - later,' because I was going
to have to spend the next eight years
taking care of my elderly parents that
lived to 107 and 102. And then a year
ago (2019), I found out on Christmas
Day that the farm was for sale again. "
Given a second chance, the group
didn't hesitate. Nancy and Stephen now
equally own the property.
" Sonya and I, I don't know how much
we brought that up in the last 8-9 years, "
Stephen Cornish said. " Honestly, it was
a no-brainer. You don't miss something
like that twice. "
On the farm
The property consists of about
8.5 acres a stone's throw of Rocky Point
State Park. The farm market gets plenty
of business from traffic to the park,
which in the past was an amusement
park.
" It's well-known in the area, " Nancy
Cornish said. " Rocky Point was one
of the earliest amusement parks in
the country, and everybody and
their brother and sister and cousin -
everybody who ever lived anywhere
near here knows where Rocky Point
amusement park was. " As a state park,
Rocky Point still attracts a lot of traffic
for concerts, movie nights and other
events - and the farm market reaps a
reward from its location.
It's a relatively young farm. A
residence was built on the property in
1984, and the couple living there had
established the blueberry farm by the
1990s, Nancy Cornish said.
" They started off with Christmas
trees, and then they decided that wasn't
their thing, " she said. The marshy corner
of the property, with dark, rich, acidic
soil was perfect for blueberries.
Today, about 2.5 acres are planted
with blueberries, with an acre for the
residence and five acres containing a
forest, meadow and small orchard with
a couple of dozen pawpaw trees and a
few peach trees.
" It's like a piece of country in the
middle of the city, " Nancy Cornish said.
The farm's harvest lasts about 6-8 weeks
Mother and daughter-in-law Nancy and Sonya Cornish ran the roadside stands and pick-your-own operation for Rocky Point Farm
during the summer of 2020, meeting safety requirements for the pandemic and selling about 6 tons of berries.
starting in mid-July. Despite some timing
problems taking possession of the farm
and finding help, the family sold 6 tons of
pick-your-own blueberries last year. The
berry patch includes 13 different varieties
of blueberries that successively ripen
throughout the season.
" It's a little bit earlier season this
year, " Nancy Cornish said. " We already
have blossoms, so we're hoping to have
a real full crop this year and sell lots and
lots of pick-your-own blueberries. "
Getting started
In July 2020, Nancy and Sonya took
over farm operations and coordinated
the pick-your-own blueberry operation
and the select pawpaws.
Stephen, who is technically still in
the Marines, was called back to Hawaii
during the summer and missed most of
the first season.
" Time was really the hardest piece, "
he said.
Mother and daughter-in-law Sonya
" found that we worked really well
together, " as Nancy put it.
The farm receives some summer help
from the Comprehensive Community
Action Plan, or CCAP, a program that
pays disadvantaged teens to work and
study through the summer, while also
paying businesses like Rocky Point
Blueberry Farm to provide work.
" They pay them a wage to come
work for us, and they pay us to train
them how to be employees, " Nancy
said.
The operation went smoothly despite
the advent of COVID-19.
" We have customers who are repeat
customers - they knew exactly which
bushes they wanted to pick on, " Sonya
said.
" Some people said, 'My favorite row
is over here. I always pick over here,' "
Nancy added.
The farm offered a touchless
checkout and cash register
system. Sonya said they also set
up handwashing stations and
precautionary signs. Steve said the
farm was kept very clean and there
were no COVID-19 related issues.
Like many other farm markets
have reported, the pick-your-own
operations were a hit with otherwise
homebound customers.
" You have fun doing it, and it was a
safe thing for you to do with your family
during the summer, of course during
COVID time, " Nancy said. " With 52
rows and a family per row, they were
naturally socially distanced. ... It was a
healthy activity and they were so happy to
get out of their houses and go somewhere
and do something as a family. "
The market has two stands - one
for fresh produce, another for other
products like jars of honey and jam,
pottery and towels. There are also
two big picnic tables and chairs where
people can lounge.
Today, Stephen and Sonya live on the
farm, while Nancy has moved into her
late parents' old home a short distance
away. At her own home, Nancy gardens
strawberries and peppers and squash
in a 40x8-foot garden. She hopes to
sell produce from the garden at their
roadside stand.
As of early May, Stephen was still in
the Marines while dealing with some
medical issues and preparing to retire
after 25 years of service.
" They put a lot of focus when you're
getting out of the military, like what do
you want to do when you're out, and
what are your further plans? To have
those questions answered has been the
best. " FGN
8405 Fruit Ridge Ave. * Sparta, MI 49345
800.452.6748 * sales@peachridge.com
www.peachridge.com
FGN | JUNE 2021 | 5

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June 2021

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