PAWNEE, Ill. — Serena Basham recently opened Heirloom Haus, a new farmer’s market offering what she calls, “the freshest locally grown produce, meats, and local goods.”

The Pawnee area farmer grows her produce in beds, except for perennials, which start out in the greenhouse, then are planted in the field. While she has a tractor for the heavy work she said, “Most everything is done by hand.”

She started this journey six years ago when pregnant with her youngest child.  She dreamed of having a backyard garden and started out in an empty lot in Pawnee. There she fell in love with gardening and the whole growing process. “It just clicked. Since I was in love with gardening, and going to business school, this is exactly what I should be doing.”

Realizing that they needed a place in the country, Basham said, “My husband Ed and I sold all that wasn’t nailed down. We penny pinched.”

Putting all profits back into the farm, she started out at the farmer’s market in Springfield, Ill., then in June took the leap to opening her own farm market onsite. Working in a small space is a process and Basham said that she continually updates her produce with some beds working as “turn over” beds where some early spring plants were in the ground for only three weeks before planting another type of produce. The turnover beds are accomplished by using a lot of nutrient rich compost. 

At Heirloom Haus they offer vegetables using regenerative practices.  “I grow primarily produce,” Basham said.  “I grow 40 different vegetables, and two types of fruit, melons, and blackberries.”

Top selling vegetables for her are carrots, radishes, beans, and beets. Customers can also find broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, collard greens, eggplant, cabbage, kale okra, peas, peppers, and a large variety of lettuce, squash, and tomatoes. Along with vegetables, Basham is also selling beef and chicken from local farmers. 

While adding flowers to the mix Basham still favors vegetables because, “My heart is with feeding people, but I learned, that people appreciate the beauty of flowers.”

 Heirloom Haus is open Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and on Saturdays.  “When you shop here, you support local farmers that are paid equitably. This is the true heart of local foods and shopping, and the buys go back directly into the farm community.”

For details, check Heirloom Haus out on Facebook, and Instagram.