Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Zandstra.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our business started out as a “truck farm” in 1903 on a large plot of land that was once a vast swath of lake bottom wet prairie. The rich soil was made even more so by truckloads of manure hauled from the city’s stockyards and spread onto the fields every winter. This “good black dirt” coupled with the regions hot summers and regular rainfall made it possible to grow a wide variety of vegetables, which were then delivered to neighborhoods around the city of Chicago in addition to its grain elevators, food processing plants, and the South Water Street wholesale produce market. We also had herds of pigs and cows, a u-pick business, and a farm stand which was open from May until November.
By the end of the century, what was once a rural stretch of boulevard had been overtaken by strip malls and housing complexes. By that time, we had added greenhouses and bedding plants to our business model and this eventually became our emphasis. In 1997, the business relocated one mile east and added two acres of greenhouses in which we now produce hundreds of varieties of annuals and perennials that we supply to landscapers and big box stores throughout the region. Our greenhouse center is open for retail business from mid-April until mid-July. In addition, we host a farmer’s market with our own produce and a collection of the area’s best from June until October.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Any company that claims a smooth road is not being honest! During the years of traditional farm production we saw our fair share of droughts and floods, crop failures, herds of pigs dying of disease, cows escaping their pens, early frost, catastrophic hailstorms, and whole fields of vegetables left unsold–along with some very good crops, It’s not all bad! But the biggest challenge may have been resisting the ever-present press of urban sprawl–which did eventually force us to transition into flowers.
Since refocusing on greenhouses and bedding plant production, the environment is more stable but there are still challenges. Gardening is a relaxing and beneficial activity, but the volume of sales shifts depending on the income levels of the local community. Beyond that, there are still crop failures. There are wind storms that rip off the roof and products that go unsold, but thus far we have always been able to enjoy our work.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We believe in having high-quality products. We believe in customer service. We are happy to be part of a tradition that all generations can share–we love to see grandparents and children and grandchildren all come shopping together for their garden. We enjoy being a mom and pop store that can communicate with its customer base; we take requests and like to add items to our inventory that you won’t find anywhere else. We love the fact that we have been part of the same community for more than a century. Every season people come into the greenhouse and share their stories of working for us or frequenting our business–gray-haired men who once slept in the hayloft or set up market tables before dawn on Daley Plaza, women who washed vegetables, kids who got their first job picking green beans, families who came and picked strawberries. It’s a long story and a good one.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
You have to like sunrise and sunset because you’ll see a lot of them. You can’t mind wet feet because your boots are gonna leak. You’ll need a pocket knife because you’ll use it. When things seem impossible, they never are.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zandstrasgreenhouse.com
- Phone: 219-924-1095
- Email: zfarm@sbcglobal.net
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