Hershberger's Farm and Bakery

If you have spent much time in Ohio’s Amish Country, chances are you visited or have at least seen Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery. You may have seen the rows of hanging baskets filling the parking lot each spring or the fields full of pumpkins ripening each fall. You may have seen the bins of produce or the horses pulling wagons and buggies. You may have even seen a goat or two walking on the roof. What began as an in-home bakery has grown and changed into a destination that is popular with local shoppers as well as tourists from around the Country. Today, the Bakery features fresh-baked cookies, pies, donuts, breads, and other wholesome baked goods. All of the pies and fry pies are made with seasonal fresh fruit or frozen fruit and no preservatives are used. Along with the bakery products, you will also find canned goods, noodles, meats, cheeses, spices, and handmade candies. The Farm Store offers a wide variety of unique items including wooden toys, furniture, home décor, candles, handmade purses, belts, wallets, and much more. And the farm animal petting area allows you to get up close and personal with over 100 farm animals of all types and sizes. The history of Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery is filled with the consistency of family and constant change inspired by the desire to provide quality products and a unique experience for customers. Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery was first opened in 1986 by Alvin and Emma Hershberger. The earliest days of the bakery saw Emma baking in their home kitchen where she created many of the baked good recipes still used today. Eventually, the baking was moved to their summer house and then to a 25’ x 35’ open-sided building where Emma baked and Alvin ran the store. When Emma passed away in 1994, daughter Erma took over the baking and the store until she married. 1998 was a busy year. Erma married and left the store. Alvin and Emma’s son Daniel and his wife Mary Esther then purchased the bakery and added a 25’ x 25’ porch to the store and started the petting area in a pasture. In 1999 Alvin remarried and his wife Iva began working in the store. The two worked side by side until they retired in 2004. The 2000s were a period of growth and change. In 2002 a new bakery was constructed beside the store allowing for room for some expansion and the addition of new bakery products. 2005 saw the construction of a barn for the horses and other animals and in 2007 the first petting area building was completed. In 2008 the food trailer was added allowing visitors to enjoy breakfast and lunch on the farm. In 2010, the original petting area building was converted to what is now the Farm Store and the modern petting area building in use today was constructed. 2014 began another phase of growth as the bakery and store were expanded with additional retail space as well as climate controlled storage. In 2016 the horse barn was expanded as well as the addition of the walk-thru petting area. Then in 2018 pony rides, wagon rides, and buggy rides were added. Last year (2020), a greenhouse and closed porch was added to the store to allow shaded space for more produce. The food trailer also added a new building specifically for drinks, hand-made ice cream, and smoothies. The pavilion was also moved and additional outdoor seating was installed. This year, Hershberger’s added a new 40’ x 60’ addition to the petting area building and new outdoor paths have been created in the walk-thru portion of the petting area. A 25’ x 35’ walk-thru aviary was also created housing over 400 new colored parakeets. As the bakery, store, and petting area grew, so too did the Hershberger family.  Daniel and Mary Esther have 9 children who have each contributed to the success of the farm and bakery. Steven Hershberger (married to Naomi Mast) currently serves as the Store / General Manager. Rosie worked in the store and bakery until she married Menno Yoder in 2013 who then became the Farm Store Manager in 2014. Christina worked