New Treat Introduced at Brooklyn Park Produce Stand: The Crispy Pear Melon

In the Twin Cities one of the popular spots for tasty vegetables and Minnesota melons is smack dab in the middle of suburbia. Despite the concrete jungle around him, Bert Bouwman and his 170-acre Brooklyn Park farm are thriving.

“We enjoy this location,” Bouwman said. “We like the amount of customers we can reach in this location. Everything is grown locally here.”

On a typical summer day, a steady stream of cars and trucks park at Bouwman’s roadside stand. They are hungry for farm-to-table food.

Bert Bouwman’s roadside produce stand

“I think that’s one of the things I like about it,” said Robin Winkelman of Zimmerman. “I can just hop off and back on.”

“It’s the best selection,” said Pam Marszalek of Andover. “The price is great. You want to support your local farmers and like I say, it’s delicious.”

“I believe people want to have something local and straight from the farmer,” Bouwman said. “They don’t have to go into a building. It’s outdoors so the risk is minimal and they get the fresh produce they expect.”

New Treat Introduced at Brooklyn Park Produce Stand

There are plenty of  choices at Bouwman’s Brooklyn Park farm, including watermelons, musk melons and a new treat.

“It’s called crispy pear,” Bouwman said. “Extremely sweet. It’s something we are excited about. It’s a smaller melon.”

Veggy-lovers flock to the roadside stand too, looking for green beans, potatoes, tomatoes and, of course, sweet corn, which is one of Bouwman’s staples.

“It’s delicious,” says Marszalek.

Sweet corn, a popular staple at Bouwman’s stand

“We are known for the gourmet white sweet corn,” Bouwman said. “It’s all white. It’s non-GMO, which is very important. We are as close to being naturally grown here.”

“Everyone knows in this area to come here for sweet corn,” Maarszalek said.

Farm land in the northwest metro is slowly vanishing, as suburban sprawl swallows open fields. But Bouwman’s spread remains. For some that is comforting.

“They’re always here,” Winkelman said. “They always have the best corn.”

“This is very unique,” Bouwman said. “This is a family-run operation.”

One thing is certain about Bouwman’s farm. If he grows it, they will come.

Brooklyn Park