My article on Pearce's Family Farm:  

Pearce’s Farm: A Family Legacy Built by Bob and Mary Ann Pearce 

For over seven decades, Pearce’s Farm has been shaped by the steady partnership of Bob and Mary Ann Pearce. Their work has guided the growth of the farm and the family business that serves generations of customers across Walworth County. 

Mary Ann was a “city girl” from Elkhorn who never expected to build a life in agriculture, or with the man who would change the course of her future. When Bob spotted Mary Ann at the Delavan Roller Rink in the early 1950s, he took notice of “the pretty girl on the other side of the room.” A chance encounter weeks later led to a date, and before long, they were planning a life together grounded in shared values and hard work. 

After they married, the couple rented a small brick house a mile from the current Pearce’s Farm Stand. Bob came from a family of dairy farmers, and the newlyweds began milking cows and tending crops with the determination that only youth can sustain. “Nobody gave us land,” Bob recalls. “We bought the cows, the feed, the land, bit by bit.” 

Mary Ann brought her own approach to the farm. Though she hadn’t grown up working in the fields, she found satisfaction in growing food and sharing it. Her garden thrived with sweet corn, and she began leaving baskets by the roadside for anyone who passed. When few stopped, Bob teased, “Mary Ann, this is a losing position.” Undeterred, they began selling corn for thirty-five cents an ear, three dozen for a dollar. “Pretty cheap,” Bob admits with a grin. It marked the beginning of something larger than they had expected. 

By 1965, Bob and Mary Ann had moved to their current location and opened Pearce’s Farm Stand. What began as a roadside operation expanded gradually into a family enterprise. Sweet corn became the stand’s hallmark, known for being picked and sold the same day. Over time, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and other seasonal offerings followed, along with a corn maze and picnic area that made the stand a familiar fall stop for families. 

What sets Pearce’s apart is not only what is sold, but who is there. Bob and Mary Ann have worked side by side for decades. Even now, with Mary Ann in her eighties and Bob in his nineties, they remain visible, greeting customers, bagging corn, and checking details. “It has kept us going,” Mary Ann says, smiling in her orange sweatshirt. 

Each fall, the farm welcomes visitors to its 12-acre corn maze, which opens around Labor Day and runs through October. Two routes offer options for both younger visitors and those looking for a longer walk. Hayrides, pumpkin picking, and photo opportunities complete the experience, drawing families back year after year. 

Beyond the stand and its seasonal attractions, Pearce’s Farm operates a large agricultural enterprise. Hundreds of acres are dedicated to field corn and soybeans, supported by greenhouses that produce thousands of tomatoes each season. The farm also supplies wholesale products, including pumpkins, squash, corn stalks, sweet corn, Indian corn, mums, and gourds, to retailers across Wisconsin. 

Recent plantings reflect a careful eye toward the future. Four hundred apple trees now line the orchards, producing fruit offered for sale for the first time this year. In addition, one hundred peach trees have been added. Once considered too fragile for Wisconsin’s climate, peaches are now thriving as conditions shift, allowing the farm to broaden its harvest without abandoning established practices. 

Consistency remains a defining feature of Pearce’s Farm. Customers return knowing what to expect and when to expect it. The stand follows a rhythm shaped by weather, harvest cycles, and decades of experience. New ideas are tested carefully, with attention to long-term impact rather than immediate return. Whether adjusting seasonal offerings or expanding greenhouse space, changes are made with respect for what has proven effective. 

For customers, that continuity builds trust. Pearce’s Farm is not simply a place to buy produce, but a place shaped by familiarity and repeated visits. Many remember stopping at the stand as children and now return with families of their own. That history has been earned through consistency rather than promotion. 

As the farm has grown, so has the family’s role in shaping its future. Children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren have stepped into leadership across the operation, taking responsibility for management, logistics, and planning for seasons ahead. Bob and Mary Ann remain closely involved, but decisions are shared, allowing experience and new perspectives to work together. 

Beyond what they grow and sell, the Pearces are known for their generosity. Throughout the season, Pearce’s Farm donates fresh produce to local food banks, helping families across Walworth County put healthy food on their tables. 

From a chance meeting at the roller rink to over seventy years of marriage, from a roadside table to one of Wisconsin’s most familiar farm stands, Bob and Mary Ann Pearce have shown what steady work and partnership can build.