By Annie Lisenby Smith

Josh Moore with the first harvest of onions grown on the family farm.

Farming is not known as an easy job. But as George Washington said, “Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man.”

Covering many acres of Barry and Lawrence Counties are farms of all sizes and kinds. Outside of Monett is the Moore Berry and Produce Farm run by the Moore family. Josh, Gretchen, 12-year-old Charlie, and 8-year-old Alice Moore have been growing corn on their farm for the past several years. “In 2019, we started selling direct from the farm and created the Facebook page and branched out to growing a variety of other produce,” said Gretchen Moore.

The Moore family grows a variety of crops that stretch from spring to fall. In the spring and summer months, crops for sale include: strawberries, blackberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, asparagus, cantaloupe, and watermelon. When fall arrives, they harvest and sell pumpkins and gourds. Alongside their produce, the Moore family also sells local honey from Brian and Monica Crouch.



While the family started growing berries years ago, they took a break when their children were younger. “We grew sweet corn as the kids grew older and wanted to be part of the farm,” said Gretchen. “Then three years ago we started selling direct from the farm, and that is when Moore Berry and Produce Farm began.”

Gretchen Moore and Charlie getting ready to plant potatoes.

Life on a farm wasn’t new to Gretchen Moore. She grew up on a dairy farm west of Freistatt. “During the summers, I helped grow, harvest, and sell sweet corn, tomatoes, and pumpkins, among other things, from our family farm as well as at the farmers’ market,” Moore explained. “My brother had the truck farm as his FFA project, and this inspired me to have it be my project as well.”

Now, on her own farm outside Monett, Gretchen carries on the farming tradition with her family. “My husband loves gardening and the outdoors and is a non-stop worker,” Moore said. “He likes to experiment with new varieties to see what grows best. He researches and utilizes the many ways to plant the berries and vegetables. This includes top soil preservation, crop rotation, erosion prevention, cover crops, and plasticulture.”



When getting her children involved in the farm, Gretchen says she enjoys spending time as a family and hopes to inspire them to do the things they love. “The kids love playing in the dirt.”

The Moore Berry and Produce Farm began selling to the public in 2019.

The farm is located northeast of Monett at 20296 Lawrence 1100

If you’d like to call before you go, the Moores can be reached at

 417-489-2682.

The hours of the Moore Berry and Produce Farm vary by season. They are frequently open on the weekends and during the week in the evenings. To find specifics on times and available crops, check out the Moore Berry and Produce Farm on Facebook. 

And as their farm has grown so has their “farm family.” Community members and regular customers have become friends that the family enjoys seeing each time they return to the farm. The Moore family finds joy in the farm, their family, their community, and in spending time outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine.

As is common with farming, there are challenges. The Missouri weather isn’t kind to crops. Floods, hail, frost, wind, and drought all can take a toll on the crops. And the Moores also have to contend with the wildlife that like to “sample” the products.



But all these challenges are outweighed by the joy of farming as a family. “Be prepared to work very hard,” Moore said. “The days can be very long and the challenges are endless, but working with family has outweighed the challenges.”