Homestead Farms to Hold Grand Opening

WAITSBURG – Colorful waving flags, cheery baskets of hanging flowers, and bright signs welcome locals and passers-by to the newly opened Homestead Farms produce stand located just off Highway 12, at Waitsburg's east end. Owners Debra and Jim Callahan have big plans for the little space and invite the community to join them for their July 1 grand opening event.

"This is something we've always thought about doing once we retired," Debra said. "We've been making plans for the last year and almost opened last spring, until I decided to run for mayor. When I didn't get that, we decided the time was right to open now."

On Saturday, the inside of the air-conditioned storefront was filled with fresh blackberries and raspberries, two kinds of cherries, gooseberries, and Walla Walla Sweet Onions. One refrigerator held farm fresh eggs for $3.50 per dozen, and another held night crawlers at $3 per dozen.

"The berries are grown right here on the farm and everything else will be sourced locally. Next week we'll add green beans, zucchini and peaches," Debra said.

A veteran green thumb, Debra said she has had her garden for 35 years and recalls providing fresh produce for the teachers, salad bar at the school, years ago. She attended the first Master Food Preserver class in Walla Walla County and still cans annually.

"I was featured in one of the first Walla Walla Lifestyles magazines canning and showing my pantry full of canned products: pickles, tomatoes, jams and jellies, tuna, pickled okra, pickled beans, sauerkraut, relish, and pickled asparagus. The Cajun Pickled Asparagus recipe that the extension office gives out now is my recipe that I tested through WSU while a Master Food Preserver," Callahan said.

Debra said they will also sell local honey in the store. Homestead Farms began raising bees this year, but they won't have their own honey available for sale until next year, she explained. However, she said that just raising the bees has tripled her berry production.

Outside the shop, a tree-filled area has been nicely landscaped and will soon be filled with picnic tables so that guests can buy fresh produce and then sit, relax and enjoy eating it in the shade.

Debra and her grandson, TJ, also create yard art, lawn ornaments and barn wood art that will be available for sale. A graduate of the Western Design Institute in Portland, Debra also plans to offer silk wedding floral design.

Debra said Homestead Farms plans to hold musical events throughout the summer and will host "theme weekends," such as learning about bee farming or cooking with honey.

"I plan to add recipes to the shop weekly. I remember Mrs. Dingle used to share recipes and I still have some of them. I loved that she shared that part of herself and would like to share that part of me," Debra said.

In the winter, Homestead Farms will sell Christmas trees and wreaths, as well as more craft and gift items. Debra says she will work with the Dayton FFA about providing bedding plants next spring.

"They provided many of the plants for the hanging baskets I have for sale now. A win-win for both of us – they raise money and we have bedding plants for our local gardens," Debra said.

Homestead Farms is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The community is invited to their Grand Opening Celebration on Friday, which also serves as a fundraiser for the local youth bluegrass band, Switchgrass.

Homestead Farms will offer a pulled pork slider dinner, with all profits going to the band to help pay for their upcoming trip to Sasayama Japan. Dinner begins at 5 p.m. with Switchgrass taking the stage at 6:30 p.m.

"We'll have some hay bales and quilts set out, but feel free to bring lawn chairs and blankets and join us for a fun evening that supports a good cause," Debra said.