Meet Our Local Farm Partners

At TheShop, we believe that great food starts with great relationships. That's why we've spent years building partnerships with local farms within 100 miles of our stores — farms run by passionate people who care about the land, their animals, and the communities they serve. These aren't anonymous industrial operations; they're family-owned businesses where the farmer who plants the seeds is the same person who delivers the harvest to our loading dock. Today, we're proud to introduce you to three of our most beloved partners whose products you probably already enjoy.

Sunrise Valley Farm, located just 40 miles north of our flagship store, has been growing organic vegetables for over three decades. Run by the Martinez family — now in their third generation — the 120-acre farm produces everything from heirloom tomatoes and sweet peppers to baby spinach and rainbow chard. What sets Sunrise Valley apart is their commitment to biodiversity: they grow over 60 different varieties of vegetables using regenerative farming practices that actually improve the soil year after year. "We don't just grow food," says Maria Martinez, the farm's co-owner. "We grow the future of this land." Their produce reaches our shelves within 24 hours of harvest, which is why our customers consistently say our vegetables taste different — because they are.

Thirty miles to the east, you'll find Happy Hen Homestead, the source of our beloved TheShop Free-Range Eggs. Owner Danielle Brooks started with just 50 chickens in her backyard a decade ago and now manages a flock of 3,000 hens across 40 acres of rolling pasture. Her chickens spend their days foraging in open fields, eating a natural diet supplemented with organic feed, and living the kind of life that you'd want for an animal providing your family's breakfast. The result is eggs with deep golden yolks, rich flavor, and superior nutrition. "People can taste the difference when hens are happy," Danielle says with a smile. "It sounds simple, but it's true." Her eggs consistently sell out within a day of delivery, so grab them early.

Our third partner spotlight goes to Meadowbrook Dairy, a pasture-based dairy farm that supplies our fresh milk, cream, and butter. The Thompson family has been dairy farming for five generations, and they've embraced a grass-fed model where their 200 cows graze on open pastures year-round. This approach produces milk with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid compared to conventional dairy. Meadowbrook's milk is minimally processed — pasteurized at lower temperatures to preserve flavor and never homogenized, which is why you'll see a beautiful cream line at the top of every bottle. It's dairy the way it used to be, and once you try it, the supermarket alternatives just don't compare.

Supporting local farms isn't just about better-tasting food — it's about building a resilient local food system. Every dollar you spend on locally sourced products at TheShop stays in the community, supporting families, creating jobs, and reducing the environmental impact of long-distance food transportation. We're committed to expanding our local partnerships and currently work with over 30 farms and artisan producers in the region. Look for the "Locally Sourced" badge on our product pages to find items from our farm partners. And if you're curious, many of our partner farms host open days and farm tours throughout the year — check the events section of our website for upcoming opportunities to see where your food comes from.