Grims greenhouse is a really cool place in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania. It’s not just a greenhouse; it’s also a big farm called Grim’s Orchard & Family Farms.
A long time ago, in 1939, a family named the Reicherts moved to Breinigsville. They bought a big piece of land, 17 acres, to start their farm. Over time, they made their farm bigger and bigger. Naomi Reichert and her husband, Joshua Dale Grim, took over the farm later. They worked hard on it and had two kids, Josh and Ruth.
This farm started with growing things like corn, wheat, barley, and oats. They even had over 3,000 chickens! In 1973, they built a small greenhouse to grow plants for their garden. But they grew so many plants they started selling them to other people, too. After a while, they had nine big greenhouses!
Grims Greenhouse is a special place because it changed a lot over the years. It became more than just a greenhouse. Now, it’s a big farm where people can pick their apples and potatoes. There’s also a fun Fall Festival and a Corn Maze. It’s a place where families can go to have a good time and learn about farming.
Historical Background of Grims Greenhouse
Founding
- Long ago, in 1939, Floyd and Bertha Reichert decided to move to a place called Breinigsville. That’s in Pennsylvania.
- When they got there, they bought a big piece of land, 17 acres, to start their farm. That’s as big as about 13 football fields!
Expansion
- As time went by, they wanted their farm to grow. So, they bought more pieces of land and added them to their farm.
- This made their farm much bigger than it was at first.
Family Legacy
- Later, their daughter Naomi and her husband, Joshua Dale Grim, took over the farm.
- Naomi and Joshua Dale Grim had two kids, Josh and Ruth. When they grew up, they also helped with the farm.
- This meant that the farm wasn’t just a piece of land; it was something special that the whole family cared about and worked on together.
Evolution of the Farm
Agricultural Beginnings
- When the Reicherts first started their farm, they focused on growing different crops and raising animals.
- They grew feed corn, wheat, barley, and oats. These are plants that are used to make food and feed animals.
- They also raised a lot of chickens, over 3,000! That’s a lot of chickens in one place.
Greenhouse Establishment
- In 1973, something new happened on the farm. They built a small greenhouse. A greenhouse is a special building made of glass where you can grow plants.
- At first, the greenhouse was just for growing plants for their garden. But they were really good at it and ended up growing more plants than they needed.
- So, they started selling these extra plants and vegetables to other people. This was the beginning of selling things from their farm.
Development into Grims Greenhouse & Farm Market
- By 1989, the farm had changed a lot. Now, they had nine big greenhouses! That’s a lot more than just one small one.
- They called this new part of the farm Grims Greenhouse & Farm Market. It was a place where people could come and buy plants, vegetables, and other things grown right there on the farm.
- The farm was now about more than just growing crops and raising chickens. It was also about these greenhouses and selling things to people who wanted fresh, home-grown stuff.
Response to Global Events
In 2020, something big happened all over the world called COVID-19. It was a tough time for many people.
During this time, things changed a lot, especially how people got their food. Many people started staying at home more and cooking for themselves instead of going out to eat.
With these changes, Grims Greenhouse saw that people were really interested in knowing where their food came from. They wanted fresh and healthy food.
Adapting to Changing Needs
Seeing this new interest in fresh food, Grims Greenhouse decided to start growing different kinds of vegetables. They wanted to help people get fresh food easily.
The Great Potato Dig Experience
One of the coolest things they started was called The Great Potato Dig. This was a fun activity where people could come to the farm and pick their potatoes right from the ground.
What made it even more fun was that after picking the potatoes, people could have them turned into French fries right there on the farm! Imagine picking a potato and then eating it as a French fry a few minutes later!
Current Offerings and Activities
Picking Your Food
- At Grim’s Farm, you can pick fruits and veggies by yourself.
- They have a big place with apple trees called an orchard. You can walk around and pick the apples you want to eat.
- They also grow potatoes and other veggies. You can go to the fields, see how they grow, and pick them.
Annual Events
- The farm has a big party in the fall called the Fall Festival.
- There’s a Corn Maze too. It’s like a big puzzle made of corn plants. You try to find your way out, and it’s really fun.
- You can also go on Hay Rides. You sit on a wagon with hay and ride around the farm.
Family-Friendly Activities
- There’s a play area called the Play Corral.
- They have Duck Races where you race rubber ducks in water.
- There’s a big slide shaped like a caterpillar. Kids love sliding down it.
- You can play ball games like throwing balls into hoops. It’s great for practicing your aim.
Community Engagement and Services
Service Area
- Grims Greenhouse is a special place for many people, not just those in Breinigsville.
- It helps a big area called the Lehigh Valley.
- Lots of people from these towns and nearby come to the farm to have fun and get fresh fruits and vegetables.
Helping the Local Economy
- The farm does more than grow plants. It helps the local area a lot with farming and bringing in visitors.
- By selling farm products and having activities, it supports other farmers and businesses that are related to farming.
- All the people who come to the farm can also help other local places like restaurants and shops. They might visit these places when they come to the farm.
Big Changes at the Farm
Selling the Greenhouses
- In 2014, the Grim family did something big at their farm. They decided to sell all their greenhouses. A greenhouse is like a big glass house for plants.
- There was a big sale where people came and bought these greenhouses.
New Fun Things
- After selling the greenhouses, they started doing new things on the farm.
- They made places where people could pick their fruits, like apples and cherries. This is called a pick-your-own orchard.
- They also started a Fall Festival.
More Trees to Pick From
- They didn’t just stop there. They planted lots and lots of fruit trees.
- They planted apple trees and cherry trees. By 2015 and 2016, there were up to 30,000 apple trees and 2,500 cherry trees! That’s like a forest of fruit trees!
- Now, when families come to the farm, they can pick lots of fruits from these trees.
This time was full of changes for Grims Greenhouse. They changed from a place that just had greenhouses to a fun farm. Now, people can come to pick fruits, play at the festival, and have a great time outside. These changes made the farm a really special place for everyone.