“I’ve been gardening since before I knew I was a gardener,” say Sheridan’s “Papa Joe” Wesnitzer. So when he decided to start Papa Joe’s Produce, he had experience on his side. Nevermind that he was supposedly “retired” – this would be nothing more than a side hustle. But is side hustle was a hit at the farmers’ market, and Joe ended up building a greenhouse, and then another, and not has plans for a third. In those light-, humidity- and temperature-controlled havens of plant happiness, Joe’s experiments in hydroponics are beautifully displayed with 1000s of plants grown in perfect symmetry via a homemade vertical tube systems and a floating raft system. Add solar-power for uber energy efficiency, and Joe’s greenhouses burst forth with ten lettuce varieties, plus kale, basil, arugula, chard, herbs and more.

Back outside the greenhouse, Joe has plants in the ground, too, beneath a structure with the flexibility to add seasonal covers to extend the growing window. Those seasonal offerings include radishes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, tomatoes, squash, peppers, and fennel, among others. A little further out on the acreage are laying hens and Scottish Highland cattle. Because he’s retired, you know.