Gypsy Road Trip: Ebbert family has been harvesting produce for more than 100 years
For 105 years, the Ebbert family, now in its third generation, has been selling its seasonal produce.
Jerry and Lova Ebbert met when they were attending Ohio State University, majoring in agriculture. Both grew up on farms and have learned to love life on the farm. Watching crops grow gives them satisfaction so they came back in 1992 to manage Ebbert Farm Market.
It's a family-friendly place that welcomes you to the Ohio Valley with a store that is well-organized, making it easy to find what you are looking for. Their local produce is fresh and flavorful and there is quite a variety. The Ebberts enjoy the people who stop by to buy produce, visit, and tell encouraging stories of their lives. People are the best part for Jerry and Lova.
They specialize in producing fresh-picked sweet corn, vine-ripened tomatoes, plump tender green beans, cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins. Tomatoes are an abundant crop as they hand plant more than 2,000 tomato plants each year.
Sweet corn comes from approximately 25 acres, which is planted in rotation so something is fresh every week. There are more than 100 fields of corn, which are picked every morning rain or shine.
Five acres of pumpkins are planted each year. They produce more than 50 truckloads, which are all sold at the market in September and October.
When they say their produce is homegrown, they mean that it was planted, grown, and harvested on their farm by their family and a few part-time workers. They also carry fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown locally. The Ebberts also have a nice stock of Amish jams, jellies, candies, and other goodies to complete their country atmosphere.
Every year during October, approximately 1,000 students get to see “life down on the farm” during Agri-Days. During this season they have thousands of pumpkins, corn stalks, straw, gourds, and beautiful hardy mums. Sweet apple cider with no preservatives is also a special treat.
The Ebbert family was named Family of the Year by the Soil & Water Conservation because of their efforts to conserve and preserve nature's soil and water supplies. They use nature's natural defenses against pests and diseases, but once in a while have to resort to spraying. “We would never put anything on our crops that would harm our children,” Lova said.
Their farm is not strictly organic but as close as they can get. Crop rotation and contour plowing are very important as they always let the land rest for a year between plantings.
While people have been coming to the market for fresh produce for over a century, the Ebberts have recently added a new venue, The Market at Ebbert Farms. It's a revue for special occasions such as a wedding reception, holiday party, bridal or baby shower, or family gathering.
The event center is managed by Andy and Erica Barricklow, who are Barnesville natives. Both graduated from Ohio State University and Erica is also a dentist in St. Clairsville. Andy has always had a passion for music and had his first DJ job at the age of 13. Since then, he has developed the business Sound of Promise, which compliments the event center.
Visit Ebbert Farm Market just is located at 68101 Ebbert North Road in Saint Clairsville, between I-70 exits 218 and 220. They are open from about the middle of July through the end of October. Hours vary according to the season so call ahead. For more information, call 740-695-5619.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: St. Clairsville farm has been producing seasonal craps for 105 years.
