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Wheatfield: Goodman's still in the family, bright with fall colors

by jmaloni
Thu, Oct 11th 2012 02:00 pm

by Susan Mikula Campbell

It started in the late 1970s in an old pickup truck parked on the side of the road. Sisters Ann and Mary Jo Goodman would drive up from their parent's farm in Wilson and sell produce roadside at the same Wheatfield location, which now houses Goodman's Farm Market.

Back then the site off Niagara Falls Boulevard at Cayuga Drive Extension and Walmore Road was a vacant field. By the second year, a pole barn was erected to sell Norval and Agnes Goodman's farm products.

"It's been growing ever since," said Ray Crawley, the market/garden center manager and Mary Jo's husband. "The third generation is helping. On Saturdays and Sundays at least one and sometimes all six of my kids are up here."

The old pole barn is gone. Today Goodman's is a sprawling building with attached greenhouses. They still sell fresh produce.

"We try to carry as much homegrown things as we can while in season. Right now we have all the apples coming in right off the tree, they haven't been stored or anything," Crawley said.

Fall at Goodman's also means pumpkins, colorful mums, corn stalks, gourds, indian corn, Halloween decorations and fresh pressed cider from Cherry Bank Farm in Sanborn.

"We're here year-round. We just kind of change gears with each season. In fact, I'll be ordering Christmas trees for this season later this week," Crawley said as he pared leaves off large bunches of bright green broccoli.

Every season is special. As spring nears, there will be Easter plants and chocolates. Goodman's also is the place to find things like cheeses, local honey, maple syrup, fresh fruit baskets, as well as birdseed and feeders.

Wheatfield resident Roger Wojcik is usually in at least once a week.

"I just live down the road," he said. "The produce is always nice and fresh. I get my eggs here, too. Ray's a very friendly person. The prices are reasonable. And for all the holiday seasons, they decorate nicely and have a lot of items to pick from."

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