June 10, 2021

 “Y’all come see us at the farm!”

In 1969, Russell Carter was in the farm garage looking at a long white board, trying to think of something to paint. The sign would go atop a wooden wheel wagon pulled by two ponies in the Park Rapids Logging Days Parade. A big goal of “Carters’ Tomatoes” was to get people to come to the farm.

Russell’s father, who was visiting, joked, “How about ‘Y’all come see us at the farm now, ya hear?’”—which he of course got from Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. Russell didn’t say a word, but began painting “Y’all come see us at the farm!”

From a table alongside the road, to a wagon, to a little barn, to a big barn, and now back to the farm, and occasionally at area farmers markets. For decades, Russell Carter wanted to sell produce raised on the farm right from the farm, rather than hauling produce to a main highway. Today, people are more ready for a farm experience and more willing to drive a country road to get good country produce.

Read the rest of the press release here.