Peterson Farm Keeps Traditions Rooted from Korv to the Greenhouse

For a business to stay relevant decade after decade, it helps to pay close attention. Peterson Farm, a fixture in the Jamestown area, has done exactly that, evolving its offerings alongside the community it serves while holding fast to the traditions that keep people coming back.

Owner Kaitlyn Bentley credits adaptability as a core part of the farm’s staying power.

“We have stayed relevant for so long because we have adapted with the changing tastes of the community,” Bentley said. “The local foods movement has really helped us, with people interested in local items when we have them in season, as well as the longer-lasting staples like honey and syrup. We work with great farms to bring all the products to our market.”

Peterson Farm has also grown by stepping in where others have stepped out. When neighboring businesses have closed, the farm has taken on their product lines to ensure the community does not go without.

That commitment runs especially deep for the area’s large Scandinavian population, for whom food is central to cultural identity and celebration.

“The large Scandinavian population in town relies on us to help keep their traditions alive and well, with a lot of that centered around food at holiday times as well as in their everyday life,” Bentley said. “We always try to have the items people remember having at their family homes when they were young or at the Christmas table, like the Jul Skinka, herring and korv.”

If there is one product that defines Peterson Farms in the minds of local shoppers, it is the korv. The farm took over production of the traditional Swedish sausage after Pearson’s Market closed, acquiring the equipment and recipes that came with it.

“We have made that ever since Pearson’s Market went out of business, and we still use the equipment and the recipes that we purchased from them,” Bentley said. “We make about 2,500 pounds just in October and November for our holiday season. It’s something everyone is looking for to put on their table.”

Alongside the korv, Peterson Farms produces house-made ham salad, ham loaf and pickled herring. The farm also handles its own beef, growing all the feed used to bring cow-calf pairs to finishing weight, then offering individual cuts as well as whole animals.

Peterson Farm’s expansion into Dalahast coffee roasting came about organically, born from a conversation at the Scandinavian festival with the business’s prior owners, who were booth neighbors at the time.

“Over time, while carrying their product, they were looking to sell, and we thought it would be a great addition to our offerings,” Bentley said. “It has been a huge hit, keeping that passion in it.”

The farm’s greenhouse operation follows a similar spirit of hands-on dedication. Bentley describes the daily work of making orders, transplanting and watering as labor-intensive but deeply satisfying.

“Watching the greenhouse plants flourish and go out the door to be beautiful on someone’s porch is always exciting,” she said.

For Bentley, the business is as much about what it teaches as what it produces. Her children are involved in the operation, taking part in both the rewarding and unglamorous sides of farm life.

“Bringing my kids into the business and including them in the fun and not-so-fun parts of the farm to help teach life skills is very important to us,” Bentley said.

As summer approaches, Bentley says the farm is gearing up for one of its most popular seasonal offerings: their garden center and local foods.

“We really have a great greenhouse selection this spring, and with summer ramping up there will be our sweet corn soon, which is very popular fresh out of the field,” she said. “All the local foods are going to start rolling in soon and everything is always great.”

Peterson Farms is located at 3260 Fluvanna Ave. Ext. in Jamestown and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day during the Spring and Summer months. For more information on seasonal availability and products, call 716-483-2202 or visit petersonfarmswede.com.