When this story began — some 40 years ago, not far from the shores of Lake Erie — Bob Jones could be found tinkering with an old John Deere tractor, designing modifications that would increase the efficiency of field production on his family's farm.

Every week, Bob and his two sons, Lee and Bobby, harvested and packed produce to take to the Cleveland farmers' markets. They also sold their produce daily from a stand in the front yard of their farm home.

In the 1980s, after a significant loss of crops following a severe hailstorm threatened their survival in agriculture, Lee Jones met a chef who was interested in purchasing squash blossoms. As they rebuilt, the family made a decision to focus on the needs of chefs.

The Chef’s Garden is not just for chefs any more. The same product quality and taste are available to the home chef.

While farming at The Chef's Garden has evolved "back in time," using methods employed by our great grandfathers, innovation and new product development help us remain the leading grower of artisanal produce in the nation. In addition, with advanced food safety programs that include routine testing for food borne illnesses and a bar-code system that tracks a product from seed to shipping, The Chef's Garden provides customers with safe food, direct from the farm to their table.

In Huron, Ohio, the lake winds bring sweet, moist air; the soil, which was formerly lake bottom, is sandy and fertile. This combination offers the perfect microclimate for "growing vegetables slowly and gently in full accord with nature." This is the commitment that guides the family's approach to agriculture today. – for the world’s finest chefs and for YOU.