

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad & Bess Munsterteiger.
Hi Brad & Bess, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Brad learned the ins and outs of running a pick your own farm from helping his parents with their operation in Freeport starting in 1983. He developed a love for growing strawberries and dreamed of one day owning his own berry farm.
in 1998 we bought our land in Monticello with the intent of starting our own berry farm. In 1999 we planted our first strawberry plants and in 2000 we were open for business. We added blueberries a couple of years later.
About 8 years ago, Brad thought he’d try his hand at bee keeping and started with 2 hives. He fell in love with it. Two hives became 20, and 20 became 40-50 hives.
Then Bess started making lip balms and lotion bars with the beeswax. Now, honey and beeswax products are a main staple here year-round.
Four – five years ago Garlic was added to our production.
Cut-Your-Own Flowers were added in 2023.
What makes our operation work, is the knowledge and experience that we have gained over the years working hand in hand with specialty crop experts, other fruit growers and family. Having great employees is also crucial. During picking season, we have several schoolteachers that we couldn’t live without. In the off season we have several teenagers we employ for the weeding, raking, weeding, planting, weeding…..
We grow what we love and love what we grow.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have been truly blessed year after year. But there have been some problems as well.
When we first started, our dreams were bigger than our customer base. We planted 3 acres of strawberries, but didn’t have enough customers to pick the fields clean. We had a lot of fruit go to waste because we couldn’t get it all picked.
We grew raspberries for a few years, but the SWD fruit fly was just too invasive. For us, the raspberries were more trouble than they were worth. We ended up plowing them under.
One year, Brad over fertilized the new strawberry plants and fried them. We lost that whole section. To compensate, we carried over the older plants an extra year.
Then covid hit. After being cooped up for months, people were aching to get out and do something. Opening morning, we had more customers than we’ve ever had – all at the same time. The strawberry plants were overflowing with fruit. The picking was so fast and easy, that everyone was ready to leave all at the same time as well. Even though we had 3 scales going, the line to check was,…..well,……long. We never had that problem before, or since.
Frost protecting is always challenge. A lot of sleepless nights of turning the sprinklers on at midnight/1 am…
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Brad retired from being a mail carrier a couple of years ago. The farming started out as just a side gig/hobby, but now he works the farm full time. We don’t know how he managed doing both before he retired.
Bess still works full time at Midwest Rubber doing accounts payable. She doesn’t love getting her hands dirty like Brad. Aside from making the lotion bars and lip balms, she schedules the workers and runs the checkout (and, other odd jobs, as needed).
What matters most to you?
Quality, honesty, respect.
We want to offer our customers the best products.
If we give them our best, they will keep coming back.
Pricing:
- 1 lb Honey $7.50 / Creamy $8.00
- 2 lb Honey $14.00 3 lb Honey $18.00
- Lip Balm $3.00 Lotion Bar $7.00
- Strawberries TBD
- Blueberries TBD
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.strawberrybasket.com
- Instagram: the.strawberry.basket
- Facebook: Strawberry Basket
- Other: Threads: the.strawberry.basket