05/30/2026
When I purchased Smith's Blueberries in 2022, the USDA strongly encouraged me to move toward a wholesale business model.
They weren't wrong.
They talked about corporations, opportunities, funding programs, crop insurance, wholesale contracts, and all the advantages that come with operating that way. On paper, it made perfect sense.
But that wasn't why I bought Smith's Blueberries.
I bought Smith's Blueberries because of what it represented to me and to this community.
For 50 years, this has been a place where people could come regardless of who they voted for, what they believed, or how much money they had in their pocket. Families came here because they loved the experience, the conversation, the tradition, and yes, the fruit.
Everyone was equal here.
That's what I wanted to preserve. Smith’s Blueberries was a third space before there was a name for it.
A lot of people assume the goal of a farm is to maximize profit. If that had been my goal, I would have changed the business model years ago. The blueberries paid the taxes and the mortgage. The jams, syrups, teas, events, farm products, ebay and everything other side hussle helped carry us through the rest of the year.
A slow nickel is more profitable than a fast dime.
I was happy to make that trade because I believed keeping this place affordable mattered.
I believed dollar-a-pound days mattered.
I believed 50/50 picking mattered.
I believed having a place where people could gather without spending a fortune mattered.
Unfortunately, reality eventually catches up with all of us.
The GoFundMe helped us complete the survey. We raised a little over $6,000 and completed an $8,000 survey. I am incredibly grateful for that support.
But the survey was only one piece of the puzzle.
To responsibly reopen to the public, we still need barriers, road repairs, expanded insurance coverage, legal protections, and other infrastructure that comes with operating a public-facing farm in 2026.
With the few estimates I have been able to obtain with the limited access to my own land I am looking at about 50k to safely open.
I don't see those obligations being met by July. I wish I did.
Because of that, we have made the difficult decision to move forward with a wholesale model for now.
We chose our wholesale partner very carefully. They are a wonderful family farm, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with them.
This isn't about abandoning the community.
It's about making sure Smith's Blueberries survives long enough to serve the community in the future.
I have spent years choosing people over profit. I don't regret that for a second.
But right now I have to make sure the farm can eat too.
I want to reopen to the public.
I want families back in the fields.
I want the community market back.
I want kids running around with blueberry-stained fingers.
But wanting something and responsibly providing it are two different things.
For now, there is no safe and legal path for me to do that.
So we adapt.
Not because it's what I wanted.
Because it's what is necessary.
And if anyone has ideas, partnerships, funding opportunities, or solutions I haven't thought of yet, I am always willing to listen.
Because it's never really been about the fruit.
It's about the people who came here because of it.
