Now that Memorial Day weekend and the start of the Innsbrook summer season have finally arrived, the Country Market at Innsbrook is open and will remain so through Labor Day weekend. This season, Reckamp Farms will be there every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Reckamp Farms is a family owned and operated business south of Wright City, just a few short miles from Innsbrook. They opened their farm shop in 2001 to sell their products to the community and have been known to host farm tours of their 185-acre operation for local schools.
The Reckamp family has been farming in Wright City since 1953, when Dave Reckamp’s grandfather purchased the farm and moved from Florissant. They grow corn, soybeans, pumpkins and a variety of produce at the farm and also have a hog operation with about 1,500 animals.
“We also have our own bee hives, which fortunately survived the harsh winter we just had, and 300 laying hens for our fresh free range eggs,” said Marylin Reckamp, who runs the farm with her husband Dave and his parents Gene and Marilyn.
This is the first time year they’ll be a part of the Country Market, but some Innsbrook property owners may be familiar with the family, as they’ve patronized the Reckamp farm shop for over a decade. They’ve also attended the annual Labor Day market since its inception.
Marylin told us what we can expect to see from Reckamp Farms at the Innsbrook Country Market this year.
“We will bring whatever produce is in season to Innsbrook, along with our honey, eggs, and antibiotic-free pork cuts. We’ll also bring some jams and jellies, which we purchase from our Amish friends in Windsor, Mo.”
And where else can you find Reckamp products if you’re jonesin’ for some produce during the week?
“We sell the majority of our products from our own farm shop, but also attend the Wright City Farmers Market [open Thursdays from 3:30-6:30 p.m.] and the new Warrenton Farmers Market [open Tuesdays from 3:30-6:30 p.m.]. We also sell whole or half hogs to our customers who request them,” Marilyn said.
The folks at Reckamp also know a little something about the Innsbrook credo of “living in harmony with nature” as they run their farm.
“Our conservation practice is no-till and minimum tillage to the soil. All our produce is irrigated using our irrigation lake, not well water. We raise everything as naturally as possible, use natural fertilizers, and we have a half-acre wildflower plot to encourage natural pollination of all our produce.”
“We are looking forward to bringing our products to our Innsbrook customers, a lot of whom are good friends now, and we hope to make many more,” said Marilyn.
Check out Reckamp on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reckamp-Farms/110451175687784.
In addition to the products from Reckamp, the Country Market will also sell: fresh baked breads (Saturday only); homemade apple pie; and Country Market staples such as beer, wine, ice, ice cream, worms, and more. See you there!