Pick of the Crop
I had the pleasure of visiting Pick of the Crop in Creston last week. Pick of the Crop is a grocery store/fruit stand/restaurant/antique store all in one. As says their logo: “Everything from apples to zucchini.”
When you first arrive, you’re greeted with a wide assortment of bedding plants that include everything from asparagus to strawberries. When you go inside the shop, you find a colourful array of foods, all beautifully organized and well-labeled.
photo from Pick of the Crop website
Jean Schuler, the proprietor and force behind this establishment, grows the produce in her garden, greenhouse and orchard. Jean likes value added in a big way. She has a huge selection of frozen pies — everything from pumpkin, rhubarb and peach and many, many more. She also makes and sells frozen cabbage rolls, dried fruits, preserves and baked goods. Her next offering will be fruit syrups. She has them bottled, but not labeled yet.
How does she do it? Jean says,
Growing up I was conditioned to hard work and long hours farming, especially when the weather turned. You’ve just got to be out there.
There’s an ‘all you can eat buffet’ that includes savoury dishes, many of them suitable for vegetarians, salads and desserts. Her mashed yam with walnuts is to die for! Jean makes eating well affordable by keeping the prices very reasonable.
The antique store, which is attached to the grocery store, came about because Jean was going to decorate using antiques and in the process of acquiring them for her shop, decided to designate an area where she could also sell them.
Wandering out to the back, there’s a child friendly outdoor restaurant guaranteed to keep children amused. Behind that, you can see her garden and orchard where she grows the food she prepares and sells.
Pick of the Crop – an aptly named Creston establishment.
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