By Ben Cox
Photos by Ben Cox
Jenny Sauer-Schmidgall launched the Grab ’N’ Grow Greenhouse brand in 2022 at her family property on the west end of Riggston.
Sauer-Schmidgall, also self-branded as The Witty Farmer, started the greenhouse business out of necessity for her growing customer base for her flowers and plants. Within three years, the business has gained the attention of lawmakers, fulfilled a grocery need in Scott County and gained a growing customer and vendor base.
One of Sauer-Schmidgall’s repeat customers, Katy Whalen, said she noticed a shortfall in Waverly where she lives with her husband Ryan, who owns a cattle farm, “The first time I walked into Jenny’s store, I was on maternity leave with [my youngest son], and I was driving almost an hour to pick up some decent bread and some decent milk to feed my family. As soon as I walked into Jenny’s store, I looked around, it was beautiful. I was the only one in the store, which is one of my favorite parts. I left the store and I told one of my work friends and Ryan both, I said, I love this place. It’s like my favorite place on earth and I have to have one.”
Whalen says that she and her husband then began the process of contacting Sauer-Schmidgall and her husband, Mark Schmidgall, about plans to start their own store on their farm just north of Waverly.
Whalen says they will offer their own beef as well as their seven-year-old son’s eggs from chickens that he helps to raise as well as a few other different vendors compared to the Riggston store, “We will also have local pork from here in Waverly from the Doerrs. The chicken at this time will be the same, but we are looking for a local person for chicken. We will have bakery items, but not the same bakery. We will have some of the same produce, some of the same bread and some different bread. We will have the same butter, same cheese, and the same milk from out of Roodhouse because that’s where I am from. We have some friends who have a maple farm in Vermont, so we’re going to use Vermont maple syrup. Then, honey is hopefully going to be local, and then some spices, too.”
The check out and self-serve process at the Grab ’N’ Grow Greenhouse will also be the same at Waverly. Whalen credits Jenny Sauer-Schmidgall and Mark Schmidgall for all of the help and support.
While it’s not a franchise, the names of the two businesses will be tied together. The Witty Farmer at Whalen Farms is set to probably open by the end of July or early in August. There is no set date yet as portions of the building that will house the store are still being finished.
“Our friends are great farmers in the community. Why are we not buying from our friends and sharing with our community who have nothing? Why don’t we do this to share with everyone? So that’s kind of our reason why we wanted to build this,” Whalen says.
Jenny Sauer-Schmidgall says she’s excited for the Whalens and for the future of her self-serve store concept: “We are licensed and have more future stores planned. Katy and Ryan are an exceptional family and will serve Waverly and surrounding communities well. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.”
Follow “The Witty Farmer Store (Grab N Grow Greenhouse)” on Facebook for the opening date and for more information.
