HINCKLEY, Ill. — With no time to plan ahead for the 2011 season, Jeff Wielert returned to his family home in rural DeKalb County to establish a produce farm at the urging of his father.

Bountiful Blessing Produce Farm be was born because “even when I was unemployed for three years, we always had food on the table,” Wielert said, while seated in the office that once served as his grandfather’s blacksmith shop.

“This is where I need to be. I’ve found my peace. This is where God wants me to be,” he said.

Although he worked for several years as a director of Christian education, most recently in Atlanta, Wielert said he grew up with a large garden, learning horticulture at Kishwaukee College and working for a couple of different greenhouses in the Hinckley area.

“We started last year on a shoestring. Dad already had started seeds for a large garden,” he said.

He sold produce at a stand on the farm, on a busy corner in Hinckley and at the community’s farmers’ market. He also got involved with LocalHarvest.org where he blogs daily.

That first year went well, Wielert believes, because people want to know where their food originates. “We’re small, but we spend time growing a quality product,” he said.

His 14 acres might not sound like much, but it’s a lot of area to be planted and harvested by hand and scouted for pests three or four times a week during the growing season.

“We are not organic, but we don’t spray on a regimen. We do spray, but we start with organic compounds. I don’t use anything stronger than a one-day post harvest interval,” Wielert said.

Along with help from his family, he credits neighbor Rick Wilkening with being a great mentor. “He helps a lot of young farmers,” he said. “I can’t say enough about all the help he’s given me.”

Sweet corn is a staple, Wielert said, but he also grows about 28 different heirloom varieties of tomatoes and 17 different varieties of sweet and hot peppers.

“You don’t see these in the supermarket. I believe that, to be successful, you have to find a niche. This is one of the things that sets us apart from our competition,” Wielert said.

Eventually, he hopes to process sauces, jams and jellies. “But for now, we’re taking baby steps.”