It’s almost time for peaches!

Cooper Farms & Country Store of Fairfield, which supplies the eastern side of the State of Texas’ HEB stores with peaches, was selected as the April Business of the Month for Fairfield Chamber of Commerce.

Original owners, Kathy and Tim Cooper, began the farming operation in 1983.

In 2010, the business expanded by opening up the Country Store with gas station located on the southwest side of the Highway 27 and Interstate 45 intersection.

The Coopers’ daughter, Elizabeth Johnson, and her husband Brady, took over the business about three years ago so the Coopers could retire.

Located on North Highway 75, the farm consists of 300 acres. Most of the acreage is dedicated to the peaches; however, they also grow other stone fruits like plums and nectarines, as well as tomatoes, black berries, figs, watermelon, cucumber, okra, pecans, and more!

“We want this to be the place where people can come to enjoy themselves, sit out on the porch with an ice-cream float or a soda, relax, and listen to music,” explains Brady.

“We also pride ourselves in having clean restrooms, and being a safe place for families and children to come get a Sunday afternoon or after school treat,” says Elizabeth.

This Christian based, family-friendly store is best known for their delicious peach ice cream and local honey.

Other items offered at the store include fresh bakery products, fruit wines, milk shakes, craft sodas on tap, approximately 450 different glass bottle sodas, jams and jellies, dried fruits, fresh fruits, and various souvenir/gift items.

The business employs a crew of ten, with an additional fifteen added during the busy summer months. The summer road-side team consists of ten employees, and the farm works a crew of twenty hands year round.

Clay Holifield serves as Accountant/Office Manager for the business. Crew leaders are Vickie Smith and Dawn McCoy. Cooking up all the goodies is Carl Govan.

High school sweethearts, both Elizabeth and Brady are Fairfield High School and Texas A&M Graduates. They have an eighteen-month old son, Jacob, and a two-month old baby girl, Jaselyn.

Stop by to say hello and grab yourself something tasty while there!

(Photos by Nicole Schaefer)