Small Biz Spotlight: Harvey's Farm and Garden Center

Operated by father-daughter duo Jim and Emily Harvey, Harvey’s Farm, which is sixth generation, covers approximately fifty acres. It is the owners’ mission to preserve the land and legacy for future generations. Harvey’s grows its crops naturally and offers seasonal produce from asparagus to its own “Harrowsmith Select” gourds.

Harvey’s participates in The Westborough Farmer’s Market, offer CSA Shares to customers and our produce often finds a new home in the hands of the area’s top chefs.

The store is a Proven Winners Certified Garden Center and offer our own line of ‘Homegrown & Healthy’ veggie and herb transplants. Emily’s Gift Barn, once housing 60+ dairy cattle, now features an extensive selection of unique gift, garden and home decor items.

“We are proud to have been featured in numerous local and national publications,” said Owner Emily Harvey.

Emily was nominated as a finalist in Green Profit’s Young Retailer of the Year Award and Harvey’s is a Revolutionary 100 Garden Center, as nominated through Today’s Garden Center Magazine.

Harvey’s is located a half a mile from the Westborough Rotary, just off Route 135 at 7 Maple Ave.

Westborough Patch talked with Emily Harvey:

How long have you been open in Westborough, and why are you located there?
We have been in business since 1980. Our family has been operating our farm here for six generations, so it has been important to continue on the same land our ancestors farmed.

What’s special about the town? We are in a unique location because of our close proximity to major routes including Route 9, Route 495 and the Mass Pike, making it a convenient destination for both those in and out-of-town visitors. In an era when it’s so convenient to shop at “the box” and online, we are fortunate to have customers who understand the value of keeping their money local. They understand the value of products that are thoughtfully grown or curated and appreciate the personalized experience they receive at small businesses like ours.

Why should people shop your store/business at the holidays, in particular? At Harvey’s, we’re all about creating a memorable and nostalgic experience for shoppers. From offering our customers a ‘complimentary cup’ of our hot mulled cider, Christmas tunes playing and the smell of freshly-cut trees filling the air, we’re all about creating a genuine celebration. Farmer Harvey (fifth generation) cuts greenery from our property to design farm-made wreaths by hand, and we offer premium Fraser Fir Christmas trees that have the best fragrance and needle retention. One of the fun traditions we have with our Christmas trees is that each gets named. Everyone has lots of fun picking out their tree year after year! We are proud to offer our customers a mall-alternative where they can find unique gifts for everyone on their list in a relaxed, festive environment.

What are some special items/attractions that would draw people to your business? We offer many events and workshops throughout the season, and have lots of festivities scheduled for the upcoming holidays. From ‘Green Friday’ (our black Friday alternative), Small Business Saturday, Wreath Decorating Workshops, to Santa’s Visits and Ladies’ Nights, we have a fun season ahead!

Name one other business in Westborough you’d send people to: We have been big fans of South Street Diner for years. Mark & Phyllis Sullivan do such a great job. Whenever we have customers who are looking for a great bite to eat close-by, that’s where we send them! Their seasonal specials and creative approach to their fare is such a treat to have just down the street!