Goin's Blueberry Lane

As a teenager, Pat Goin spent many summers working on her cousin’s blueberry farm. Years later, she and her husband, Kevin, purchased a farm and moved with their two young daughters to the 80 acres property near North Judson, Indiana.

“It was a good move,” Pat says. “I really enjoyed working on the farm as a kid, and now my grandchildren are able to spend their summers helping out on our farm. They keep us out of trouble.”

Forty-two years later, Pat and Kevin are still producing fresh farm-raised blueberries for Indiana and the Chicago area. Goin’s Blueberry Lane grows blueberries for U-pick, ready-picked and commercially packed for wholesale distribution.

“We have a lot of return customers from the Indianapolis and Chicago markets,” Pat says. “Many of our customers are generational customers. We’ve known them for 35-plus years, and now their grandchildren are customers.”

Both Pat and Kevin are active in blueberry grower associations. Pat currently is vice chair of the North American Blueberry Council and previously served as U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council representative.

Food safety is a priority for the Goins.

In 2000, Goin’s Blueberry Lane became the first blueberry farm in Indiana to volunteer to participate in food safety audits.

“Our farm is frequently inspected through the year, which is good because we always want to provide a good, healthy product to our customers,” Pat says.

The Goins grow 10 varieties of blueberries. Their farm is open for business from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from late June until at least mid-August.In December, Goin’s Blueberry Lane hosts a holiday open house with product tastings.

In addition to fresh blueberries, Goin’s Blueberry Lane offers jams, jellies, baking mixes, dog treats and specialty ingredients such as blueberry barbeque sauce, blueberry mustard and blueberry salsa at their farm market.

Local honey, made by the bees that pollinate the farm’s blueberry blossoms each spring, is also available. “Our oldest grandson manages a couple of beehives himself,” Pat adds.

The Goins take great pride in their business being family owned and operated. Their daughter Chrissy works part time on the farm when she is not at her day job as an elementary principal. Her husband, Mike, and sons, Lucca and Remi, also help out on the farm when they can.

Their other daughter, Nichole, her husband, Kevin, and their two girls, Arleen and Elaina, also spend some of their summer days lending a hand on the farm.

To learn more about Goin’s Blueberry Lane, visit its Facebook page or website at www.goinsblueberrylane.com.