Wiltse’s Farm a family tradition in Maple Park

MAPLE PARK – If there’s one good crop this year aside from corn at Wiltse’s Farm in Maple Park, it’s sweet onions.

“They are just huge,” said Patty Marco, a fifth-generation family member and farm owner. “This is the biggest yield we’ve seen in a while.”

Marco has been helping out around the farm ever since she can remember. Her parents, Marie and Jerome Wiltse, started out with a small farm stand in 1965. It wasn’t until 10 years ago that Marco’s sister, Kate Wiltse, decided to add greenhouses to the property.

Now the family has an entire farm market that they run out of their former cattle barn, and area grocers like Ream’s Meat Market and Hy-Vee carry Wiltse’s produce.

Marie Wiltse said her favorite duty at the farm is simply talking to customers.

“My mother dabbled in farming a bit when we were kids and just never stopped,” Marco said. “We all grew up in the family business.”

With seven greenhouses, farming season starts in mid-February for Wiltse’s. By mid-April, the sweet corn, potatoes and onions are in the ground, Marco said, adding that you-pick strawberries are ready by Memorial Day and you-pick pumpkins are a hit in the fall.

“Our produce season goes all through the end of October – maybe even November,” Marco said. “The weather is fit this year.”

Marco said her family hopes to open a country Christmas store for the first time this year, with holiday greenery.

The family is up early every morning picking sweet corn – a summertime staple. Marco’s niece, Jordan Bullard, a sophomore at Western Illinois University, works as a cashier in the farm market.

“It’s hard being away from my family during the school year, so I really look forward to my summers working at home,” Bullard said. “My aunts make work fun. There’s never a dull moment.”

Marco said the farm is officially run by herself, Kate Wiltse and their brother Joe Wiltse, in addition to their mother, but it’s always been a family gathering spot.

“It’s a true family farm,” Marco said. “We always say we’ve been farming ‘before it was cool.’”

In addition to encouraging people to shop local and shop fresh, Marco said her family tries to spread the word about how easy it is to freeze produce for the off-season.

Marco said she enjoys seeing young children visit the farm to learn more about how produce is grown.

“One kid wanted to see where our strawberry trees were,” Marco said with a laugh.

Customers travel from near and far to pick up fresh produce, Marco said, adding that a few customers stop by annually on summer road trips.

Colleen Lamb of Cortland makes an effort to stop by “three to four times” each summer, she said.

“I love the corn and all the veggies really,” Lamb said. “I’ve been coming here about 15 years.”

If you go

Wiltse’s Farm Market

When: 9 to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Wiltse’s Farm Market, 50W379 Route 38, Maple Park

Cost/Info: Call 815-739-6179 or visit www.wiltsefarm.com for information.