Tasty Acres farm under new ownership

Tasty Acres Strawberries and More, a U-pick berry farm in far northeast Springfield, changed hands this month.

Peyton Andrews said she and husband Devan bought the 3495 E. State Highway AA business from Sonja and Doug High on April 14. While declining to disclose the financial terms of the deal or the farm's revenues, Andrews said she is 51% owner with the remainder owned by her husband.

Andrews, who is a former Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce administrative vice president, is coming full circle with the purchase after growing up on a strawberry farm in Marshfield.

"We were looking for an opportunity to invest in our community," she said. "That connection to agriculture and what makes Ozarks the Ozarks has always been really important to me and my family."

The 12-acre farm has 3 acres of strawberries, 2 acres of elderberries and 2 acres dedicated to a new U-pick vegetable garden, Andrews said. She said jamming and classes are planned for the future.

Under its new ownership, Tasty Acres experienced an early hurdle yesterday when the hail storm carved its way through Springfield.

"It has really been a big challenge for us," Andrews said. "We had exploded strawberries up and down the field."

Andrews said Tasty Acres has temporarily lowed prices to $3 a pound from $5 a pound, and she noted damaged strawberries can still be used for a variety of purposes, including freezing for the future. Tasty Acres also is working with Ozarks Food Harvest to donate frozen product, she said.

As the new ownership settles in, Andrews said she is working full time at the farm. Her husband, Devan, also works at John Deere Reman. She said her experience with the chamber and other employers will play a key role as she transitions to farm ownership.

“I've seen a lot of success and challenges in small business,” she said.