QUEENBEE PLANT FARM

Just a couple of miles south of Winnsboro on 852 East is a great place to get fresh produce, bedding plants, and more. James Cofer started the farm last year with one greenhouse and has plans to add at least one more. He also has a large garden behind the house where he grows some of the produce he sells. "I get the rest from local farmers," he said. "Right now I've got peaches from a guy in Gilmer."

James, who is kin to the Cofer extended family that has been in Winnsboro for many years, was born and raised here, then left for military service. He came back for a while, then headed off to Baltimore for several years. "I've been back and forth a lot," he said. "For a long time I drove a truck and that had me all over the country. But I'm back to stay."

He said he got tired of being on the road and "got this hair brained idea to get greenhouses." So he parked the truck and started this new enterprise. "And I decided to name the farm Queenbee because that's what I call my wife, Sherry."

James is standing in front of a cold-storage shed where he keeps the vegetables and fruit out of the heat. He has a few items on a wooden table, but prefers to keep them protected. "They just wilt in this heat."

Right now, the pride of his garden are the strawberries. He has numerous plants inside the greenhouse, as well as plants in hanging baskets. He said those have sold real well, as people like having the baskets of fruit easily available from a porch or deck. He's also had plenty of fresh strawberries to sell, and what doesn't sell, he eats.

In addition to vegetables, fruit, and bedding plants, he sells potting soil, pots, and fertilizer. "I'll even sell hanging baskets without anything in them," he said. "Whatever people want."

His fertilizer of choice is Osmocote Slow Release. He uses it on his plants and garden, and also has bags for sale. Except for the open bag that some birds have nested it. "They have two eggs in there, so I won't be using that bag for a while."

James joked that in addition to cucumbers and onions, he's raising bluebirds, too. Another bluebird family has availed itself of the birdhouse that is part of the decoration on one side of his driveway.

Sherry is disabled so she isn't able to do a lot to help with the farm, but she will come out to take care of customers when they drive up. Customers can call ahead at 903-365-7441 or 903-850-3137, but they can also just drive on out and honk for service. The farm is open Monday thru Saturday and closed on Sundays.

In the fall, Queenbee Farm will have pumpkins and, hopefully, will soon have eggs for sale. "As soon as those chickens get big enough to lay," he said. "I've got a whole mess of them."

The chickens are free-range, which helps keep the insect population under control in the gardens, but it also makes them more susceptible to predators.

James said he's always liked growing things and most of the time doesn't mind the work, except for when it gets really hot. Like most farmers he does the bulk of the work early in the day, and has a couple of men who help him. All in all, he said it is a better way of life than being on the road all the time, and he is happy he made the decision to start the farm.

Now he just needs the business to grow as well as his plants do.