Anne and John Reese of Black Radish Creamery recently realized their dreams with the opening of a farm store. Located next to their production facility in Granville, the self-service farm store is small, but packed with (mostly) local provisions.
The couple spent time living in the Hudson Valley area of New York while they pursued educations in the culinary arts. While there, they often visited farm stores.
“We would frequent the many farm stores in the area for our groceries,” says John Reese. “It was a great way to explore local offerings and experience seasonality.”
The farm stores they frequented were often small, simple, quaint buildings on the farm, stocked with high quality offerings from the region.
“This [farm store] idea has always stuck with us and it is something we truly miss,” he says. “It’s a memory we both cherish and we are excited to be able to bring this experience to our local community.”
Related reading on Columbus Underground: Read about how the couple started Black Radish Creamery
The couple opened their Black Radish Creamery Farm Store on the snowy weekend of January 17, 2021.
“COVID definitely pushed this idea to happen must faster than we ever anticipated,” says Reese.
The 180 square-foot store is a custom build from Weaver Barns in Sugar Creek and was delivered as just a shell of a building.
“Anne and I finished the entire interior,” says Reese. “We had a little help family and a great electrician.”
They created a farm store that is a beautiful small shop with a thoughtfully laid out interior, stocked with plenty of provisions. You can make a perfect cheese board, find meats and cheeses, and much more.
Reese plans to keep Black Radish Creamery products well-stocked, but other products will be at the whim of the seasons. Some products will be items you can find at their locations in both North Market, but “the true focus for the farm store is local goods and provisions.”
Seaworthy Bread stocks the store every Friday afternoon with their loaves.
“The farm store is an amazing addition to the local food culture in our area, and we are honored to be included,” says Alyssa DeBord, who owns Seaworthy Bread with her husband. “Some of us even meet there regularly to barter, and it’s been great for growing those relationships with other people in our foodshed.”
When sourcing partners for the farm store, Reese is looking for high quality products with ethos.
“If it brings us joy we think it will probably do the same for others,” he says. “We love supporting other local makers and this is a great opportunity for that.”
Nealia Ludwig, co-owner of Ludwig’s Kitchen, met the Black Radish Creamery team through the Granville Farmers Market. Ludwig was selling a new line of spice blends.
“When we saw that there was going to be a Farm Store at Black Radish, we quickly reached out to see if they thought there was a market for our products,” she says. “We are still a young business, developing our product line. Being included among some great products at the Black Radish Creamery Farm Store is an amazing opportunity for us to reach more people.”
Leah Latshaw also met Reese through the Granville Farmers Market.
“When you spend every Saturday at the farmer’s market, you get to know the other vendors pretty well,” she says. “One day John came to our booth and said he needed honey for the cheese shop. We were flattered with the confidence they had in our products, and we have enjoyed working with them ever since.”
Latshaw owns Latshaw Apiaries and has bees located less than a mile from the Black Radish Creamery Farm Store.
“You can’t find honey produced more locally than that!”
Visit the Black Radish Creamery Farm Store at 3700 Morse Rd., Alexandria, OH 43001. Hours are currently 10 am – 5 pm every day, and may expand during the summer. The self-service store accepts credit and debit cards, cash, and Venmo, but not checks.
Currently in the farm store you can find products from: Seaworthy Bread, North Country Charcuterie, Hiland Farms Meats & Eggs, Latshaw Apiaries Honey, Fyffe Farm Organic Microgreens, Kokoborrego Cheese Company, Ludwig’s Kitchen Spice Blends, Weed Knob Acres Breadsticks, and Mackenzie Creamery Goat Cheese. You may also find produce some weekends, as well as local milk.
“The Farm Store is a great convenience for area residents looking for high quality, locally produced foods,” says Latshaw. “It is also a fun excursion for those looking for a relaxing (and tasty) trip to the country.”
For more information, visit blackradishcreamery.com.