Hearthstone Berry Farm

Hearthstone Berry Farm Elderberries | Blackberries | Figs | Black Currants | Asian Pears | Pears Pick Your Own Nova, Ohio Hearthstone Berry Farm is a fruit farm in Nova, Ohio.  Hearthstone was originally part of an 85 acre dairy farm.  In 2008, 34 acres were in Timothy hay and 12 acres of lowland woods grew on the north property line. Over the past 8 years, we have planted peaches, blackberries, black currants and elderberries. Elderberries were planted in a trial plot as part of a SARE grant in 2010. The bulk of the farm is still in hay, but now the front six acres are in orchard and we have a half-acre pond for irrigation. Our goal is to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for the contiguous counties in a manner that respects the environment and is economically sustainable.  Hearthstone will take ten years to bring into full production.  Drop by for a jar of honey this year, blackberries the next; enjoy an afternoon in the country and come watch us grow. Produce From Hearthstone Berry Farm The elderberry trial planting is bearing full crops now and we have expanded the planting. We grow over one dozen varieties and plan to continue to do research on varieties, pruning and weed control. The elderberries are netted to keep out the birds so you can easily pick pounds of elderberries in a short amount of time. Ripening season varies from late July well into August. Another less common fruit we are growing is black currant. Our black currant planting now contains all seven varieties that are legal to grow in Ohio (our state has a quarantine against black currant, so only a few varieties are legal to grow). Black currants are not a productive plant; we only get a few hundred pounds each year but will keep on increasing our planting as long as we continue to sell our every year. We have a small number of red and white currants as well as gooseberries. They are part of a propagation block that will be used to generate more plants when we have time to expand. Until then, their small harvest is available on a first come basis. Black currents ripen in June with reds and whites close behind. The gooseberries usually ripen with the elderberries. We do have blackberries. Varieties ripen July through August. The last two winters have not been kind to the blackberries (or peaches) so the harvest will again be limited. Because my wife and I have full time jobs, picking is usually limited to Thursdays and Saturdays by appointment. Contact us for more information. Hours Closed for winter. Saturdays and Thursday by appointment mid-June through August. We are closed Sundays to spend time with our family. Directions Hearthstone Berry Farm is located in Ashland County, 1064 Township Road 126, one mile north of route 224 just west of Nova.  Look for the old pole barn and peach trees. We are 15 miles from Ashland, 30 minutes from Medina, 50 minutes from Westlake. Currently, we do not have a dedicated phone. e Mail is the best method of contact. My wife keeps more timely information posted on our Facebook page. About the Farm The farm was purchased in 2008.  It came with a telephone pole, a broken-down pole barn and many piles of rotten hay and assorted debris. The fields had been in hay for several decades. The initial goal was to plant fruit tree and berry trials to determine consumer tastes and the ability of the farm to support a pick your own operation. Locally Grown Food How far has your food travelled?  Answering this question raises the question of how sustainable our food supply is when we regularly transport produce cross-country every month of the year.  When fuel prices spiked in 2008 we saw just how much our supplies depended on long distance transportation.  Our local farm communities do grow produce for the local market, but generally have a difficult time connecting to the consumer. Consider actions you can take to support the local economy, reduce dependance on shipping and help grow a more sustainable food system. *Find a lo