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Durham couple supplies flowers, fruit, produce to public

By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Going west from Durham's Main Street is a blacktop road named 300th Street. Located two and one-half miles west and one mile north is a small country business known as Wee Little Acres.

Troy and Marla Wiebe's private enterprise provides flowers, fruit, and garden produce to their community and surrounding areas. The business is situated on their eight-acre home site at 2994 Falcon Road.

The young couple began the business in 2000 by selling hydroponic tomatoes. In 2003, they added bedding plants, and now also sell fruit shipped from Idaho, Colorado, and other parts of the country.

About one and one-half acres of their property is devoted to growing garden crops which they sell on site and at farmers' markets in Salina and Hillsboro.

They also operate a sideline kettle corn enterprise for public celebrations.

Troy is employed full-time by Agri Producers Inc. at its Durham facility.

He said he established the family-oriented business because he likes to sell things that benefit the community.

"I enjoy farmers' markets and talking to people," he said.

Troy grew up on a farm (his parents, the Richard Wiebes, live four miles west of Tampa), and the business also is a means to stay connected to the land.

A small greenhouse is used for starting plants, most of which are purchased as plugs or seedlings and transplanted as they grow. The first plants arrive each year in the third week of January.

The wide assortment of annual flowers along with some perennials are transferred to and displayed for sale in a large 100x30-foot greenhouse heated with propane.

A nearby small shop building is used as a store where transactions are completed and bulk seeds and other produce are available.

Marla spends a lot of time working in the enterprise.

"There's plenty to do even when I don't have customers," she said.

The couple have four children: Cody, 10, Trevor, 8, Blake, 4, and Ashlin, 5 months. The older children help in the greenhouse and garden, as well as with fruit sales.

The Wiebes are working to develop more markets for their products. Last year, they sold all their flowers at the greenhouse and farmers' markets.

Flower sales culminate on Memorial Day. After that, the Wiebes concentrate on selling fruits and vegetables for the remainder of the growing season.

Vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers, potatoes, and onions.

Troy said the fruit they sell is uniform in size and good quality. Apricots and Bing cherries are available in June, followed by peaches, pears, and apples.

The Wiebes advertised a flower sale at Wee Little Acres for April 12-14, but because of the unusually cold weather, not many customers were expected. They extended the sale through Thursday.

They also plan at least one end-of-the-season sale toward the middle or end of May.

Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

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