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Kentucky State University (KSU) named Tanya Berry as its 2024 Small Farmer of the Year at the 2024 Kentucky Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference. Tanya and her husband, John, own Berry Farms, a greenhouse and produce store in Monticello, KY.

Tanya began with a small, $300 greenhouse which her husband expanded to be 50 feet long and lasted 15 years. Berry Farms is a key business for the local community. Together, Tanya and John are always finding new ways to grow their business.

“Where we live in our community, there’s no grocery store for over 17 miles east of us, and that helps our neighbors to be able to stop here and get their cucumbers for supper or get their mess of beans for Sunday dinner and I love being part of this process,” said Tanya.

“My mind is probably like hers. I’m always trying to figure out how to make it better and more efficient to help it on her side of growing,” said John.

In 2020, with the help of Danny Adams and Glen Roberts from their local KSU extension office, Tanya applied and received a Small-Scale Farm Grant from Kentucky State University. This made it possible for her to purchase a 24x60 greenhouse and increase production. The produce and plants she grows are sold in her produce store and at the Wayne County Farmer’s Market.

“They’ve both been doing an excellent job of doing their farming here on two acres with putting in the store and putting in the greenhouse and their high tunnel,” said Danny. “One of the things I admire about them is, every year they want to try to do things and try to do them better.” For more information about Berry Farms, visit here.

For more information about Kentucky State University’s Small-Scale Farm Grant Program, visit here.

Kentucky State University is an equal opportunity provider.