Greenwood Nursery celebrates 40 years
A lifelong pastime turns into successful business
MAY 19, 2021
JIM MUCHLINSKI
Photo by Jake Przytarski Shoppers browsed through the flower options on Saturday at Greenwood Nursery.
Horticulture is a lifelong pastime for Jeff Farber, something that became the basis for a successful family business.
His Greenwood Nursery, with locations in Tracy and Marshall, is entering its 40th years of serving area customers. Although it adds up to almost a half century, Farber said the time has gone by quickly.
“It doesn’t seem like 40 years,” Farber said. “I’ve always enjoyed what I do. When you enjoy something, the days and weeks go by fast.”
After high school he went to the University of Minnesota at Waseca to train for a horticulture and nursery career. He worked at nurseries in the Twin Cities and Balaton before opening his own business.
Once the Tracy location became well established, he added a second business site in Marshall in 1985. The Marshall facility was at first located along the Minnesota Highway 23 bypass near Independent Lumber. It later was moved to a new building at the junction of U.S. Highway 59 and Lyon County Road 6.
“We had people driving to Tracy who encouraged me to open a nursery location in Marshall,” Farber said. “The two locations have always worked well together. We serve a wide area, so it helps to have two facilities located 20 miles apart.”
Farber said he has no plans to retire. His son, daughter and son-in-law plan to continue the business as next generation owners.
He’s found that a combination of factors has enabled Greenwood Nursery to thrive over the years, at a time that many smaller nurseries have given way to consolidations in the industry. He’s continued to operate with a combination of retail business and large-scale landscaping projects.
“A business needs customers, good employees and community support,” Farber said. “We’ve been helped by having all three. I can’t say enough good things about my staff. We have some very good longstanding employees.”
His favorite part of the daily business routine involves finding the right nursery products for each customer, things that will serve people well for a long term.
He aims to have a wide selection that allows each customer to choose among different plants, all of which are well suited to the region’s climate.
“I’ve always liked how the nursery business involves working with beautiful products,” he said. “They should be things the customer will be proud to own, that will create pleasure year after year and help them to enjoy their time at home. It’s rewarding whenever someone is satisfied.”
Article courtesy of the Marshall Independent
