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published: 08/04/2011

Richardson Farms: Celebrating More Than 75 Years of Excellence

- Article & photo by Lena Sala -

As a fifth-generation family farm with 75 years of commitment to the community, you can bet that Richardson Farms in White Marsh knows a thing or two about providing the best tasting, freshest locally grown produce possible, according to their web site, www.richardsonfarms.net, Les Richardson, White Marsh Retail Manager and CEO, says they are well known around the area for their juicy sweet corn (of which they sell $3,000 worth everyday and is 100 percent irrigated), their collard greens and the finest selection of fresh poultry. We are the largest producer of collard greens in the Northeast, revealed Richardson. The business began in 1930, but it wasn't until 1984 that Bill and Barb Richardson bolstered the farm by acquiring two farms in close proximity and borrowing land from many others. The Richardson's six children also joined in to lend a helping hand, and before they knew it their enterprise had expanded and they were able to protect crucial agricultural acreage from invasion of inner-city slump. In 2010, the 10,000-square-foot Farm Market was opened to the public and was well accepted to say the least. Richardson noted the Market was built to resemble an Amish Timber Frame barn. With Executive Chef Ben Simpkins, who has spent three years as a culinary instructor and an Executive Chef at the Sheraton Hotel in Towson and has participated in several food competitions, it is no surprise the kitchen and deli prepares whole, carryout meals of your choice, including top quality lunch meat, moist rotisserie chicken, fresh green salads prepared fresh everyday with your choice of chicken, shrimp or steak that come in any size, homemade macaroni and cheese, an array of desserts such as delicious corn bread as well as 10 different varieties of pies that you wont be able to find in any grocery store, because ours are made from scratch and with no preservatives, explained Richardson. The kitchen also prepares fresh baked bread including cheesy and raisin bread, as well as yummy cream cheese that comes in an assortment of flavors! With summer at its peak, you must stop on over to pick up some plump red tomatoes that Richardson says are used in their homemade salsa, as well as some sweet watermelon that will leave you feeling refreshed on a hot summer day. With a kitchen bigger than most restaurants, says Richardson, the Market is well-equipped with a hardworking staff to meet your lunchtime hunger cravings, which happens to be the most popular time of the day there. So popular they had to build a courtyard with special seating, because some customers like to sit down for a short but relaxing break. The Market carries what Richardson refers to as specialty groceries. Many of the items that you will find come straight from the backyards of the Amish. We like to make special trips to visit our vendors, noted Richardson. Besides the retail aspect of the operations, you cant forget about the packing house, where all the produce is washed, packaged and refrigerated and where you can find over a thousand crates of greens. Known as the area's headquarters for flowering and gardening plants and herbs, according to their website, the farm built a 7,000-square-foot greenhouse, where you can find a variety of vibrant flowers in the spring. For every season Richardsons is the go-to place to get your holiday fix. You will find an abundance of pumpkins in the fall and Christmas trees in the winter that will fill your home with the scent of fresh pine and surely have your family in the ho ho ho spirit! This winter we plan to have a train display on site, thanks to a local vendor who will also have them on sale for the community to not only enjoy but take home with them, revealed Richardson. Sounds amazing, right? Well, more surprises are in store. The Market now offers cooking classes, taught by Simpkins himself! Once a month for only $60, the public is welcomed to sit down for a gourmet meal to test out different creations while taking notes on the scrumptious recipes so that you can share with your family and friends. On Wednesday, July 27, an anxious and hungry crowd of 26 gathered around the stove to watch Chef Simpkins work his magic. As a treat, everyone was offered a Bloody Mary with fresh squeezed tomato juice and fire roasted corn glazed with hot butter and your choice of seasoning. Everyone also had the pleasure of trying samples of chocolate covered bacon, a delicacy that had just the right proportions of sweet and salty. Simpkins noted their new fire roaster is capable of cooking 500 ears of corn per hour. Truly amazing. During the class, everyone was brought out full three-course meals including blue crab and corn ragout in phyllo, fire roasted corn salad with rotisserie chicken, field greens, blue corn tortillas and a cilantro lime vinaigrette, and polenta crusted flat iron steak with a creamed corn spinach, red pepper foam. For each course, Simpkins handed out step-by-step instructions and answered any questions the crowd had. Previously, the class focus was on the preparation of local strawberries. A community resident at the July 27 class said when she tried to sign up it was already sold out! At the end of this month, the class will be based around peaches, so make sure you save your spot ahead of time because there is limited seating. Along with exciting classes, Richardson's also offers off-site catering for different functions. Catering allows our culinary staff to explore their creativity, because there is no set menu; we will make anything of your choice, said Richardson. With top quality food and excellent customer service, Richardson's Farm, located at 5900 Ebenezer Road, has it all! If you haven't made your way into the Market, then come discover what you've been missing. They are open every day besides Christmas and New Years Day, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. For more information, you may visit www.richardsonfarms.net or call them directly at 410-335-5900. .