Our Story
Farming has been a part of my family for many years. Growing up on our family farm I always loved and had a connection to the earth and all its creatures. As a young person I would run through and explore the fields, snip and gather flowers, or dig in the dirt until the sun went down. Mom could always guarantee me coming home with dirty hands and knees, exhausted and happy. I would play in the woods and fields with my sister and cousins. With no limits to our imagination we spent hours entertaining ourselves building tree forts, climbing trees, or making games racing under the cool spray of the irrigation. I wouldn’t change a thing. My connection to the land goes back to my Polish and English grandmothers who taught me the joy and art of gardening. From them I learned about cultivating vegetables and designing perennial gardens. I always knew farming and gardening would be in my future.
Inspired to create my own niche within our family business I went on to graduate from URI with a degree in horticulture. At this point my passion for plants and vision for my own business led to the opening of The Farmer’s Daughter in 1998. From a small shop and one greenhouse, our business has grown into a flourishing garden center and destination in South County. It will continue to change and grow as new and exciting ideas are born.
“ My connection to the land goes back to my Polish and English grandmothers who taught me the joy and art of gardening. From them I learned about cultivating vegetables and designing perennial gardens. I always knew farming and gardening would be in my future.”
— Sarah Partyka, The Farmer's Daughter
Farm Family History
In 1936 , my grandparents started farming in South County, RI, initially on a small subsistence level, producing fruit and vegetables to feed the family. Over time my father expanded the acreage and number of crops, growing the farm into a viable agricultural business. In the early 70s my parents started The Berry Patch, one of Rhode Island’s first pick your own strawberry farms on the land that is now the site of The Farmer’s Daughter. When I established the business I realized the land had come full circle within the family. As The Farmer’s Daughter grows and evolves, I rely on many family members and a close team of dedicated employees who help in the construction, planning, planting, and harvesting, making our business what it is today.
Values/Growing Methods
Healthy crops and plants start with a rich and diverse healthy soil profile. We practice sustainable agricultural methods by supporting and maintaining a good balanced soil. As caretakers of the land we generously amend and feed our soils with natural composts, organic ingredients, manures and cover crops. All our plants and produce are grown and harvested using traditional sustainable farming practices. As responsible land stewards we take into consideration the dynamic relationship and intertwined systems between the soil, microorganisms, water, beneficial insects and pollinators, to minimize any negative impacts on the environment.