CFCWR Blog
A Patch of Purpose: How Jake’s Dream Became a Family Mission to Grow and Give
Written by: Payten Logue, CFCWR Student Intern, Purdue University
When Covid-19 hit and disrupted routines and everyday life, one Indiana family opened a new adventure – a pumpkin patch. What started as a simple project for now-10-year-old Jake Jolliff and his family quickly grew into a full-fledged farm experience, complete with a petting zoo, games, tractor rides, and a photo station. Behind the fun, there was a deeper mission for the family as well: sustainability, education, and community impact.
Making Jake’s Dream A Reality
Jake’s dream began with a single idea: pumpkins. With support from his parents, Mike and Julie, and his sister McKenzie, their family turned Jake’s dream into reality. Over time, Jake’s interests expanded to include egg production, driven by a desire to help people understand where their food comes from and to start a small business for himself. What started as raising a few chickens for his 4-H projects quickly became a passion for poultry. “We first wanted chickens for eggs,” Jake explained, “but it became more than that. Selling eggs helps educate people on where their food is grown and is helping teach me about money and business.”
Jake also sees his farm as a way to serve the local community. “We are providing pumpkins and eggs for families, but I also get to meet lots of new people and make connections and friends,” Jake said. Visitors at Jolliff Family Farm in Liberty, Indiana, leave with more than just their purchase; they learn about animal care, pumpkin health, and farm life. Jake shared that he hopes to deepen his impact on his community by partnering with local food banks once his egg production increases. Of course, Jake couldn’t do this on his own. Mike and Julie support the business side and keep the farm running smoothly, while 8-year-old McKenzie helps with animals and organizing the farm games.
Nothing Goes to Waste
With so much food growing on the farm, there are inevitably times when there is more than they can sell. Jake’s approach to managing surplus food incorporates his love for livestock and farming. Surplus pumpkins aren’t discarded. They are fed to the pigs on their farms or tilled back into the soil to return nutrients to the ground. Eggs that are discolored or cracked and cannot be sold are also fed to their livestock. McKenzie also works hard on their family farm to minimize waste by checking for damage on the pumpkins. While consumers might throw out a damaged pumpkin, McKenzie will pull them and repurpose them as animal feed for their livestock. It’s a family project that reflects their values and commitment to sustainability and waste reduction.
Every Action Counts
Jake’s story reminds us that food conservation and waste reduction don’t have to come in large numbers. Every little action counts, and every small choice adds up. Whether it’s feeding animals with surplus or unsellable produce or educating your community on farm life and sustainability, anything helps. So, next time you visit a pumpkin patch, look for the stories growing, not just the pumpkins. At Jolliff Family Farm, they aren’t just growing food; they’re growing a future rooted in sustainability, connection, community, and a whole lot of love.
Follow all that is happening at Jolliff Family Farm on Instagram and Facebook.
This work is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, project award no. 2024-68015-42110, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.