By Myles Ma
Edward “Jack” Jackowski has taken a more hands-on approach to running a nursery. Jackowski grows all of the plants he sells at his business, Jack’s Greenhouse and Farm.
Many large nurseries sell plants purchased from far-off farms, but Jackowski’s products are grown on his 23 acres of farmland dispersed around Hopewell Valley.
Jackowski, who was first called Jack during his days in the Marine Corps, has had a hands-on approach to the business from its beginnings. He bought the land at 10 Woosamonsa Road, just a few hundred feet off Route 31 in Pennington, in December 1995.
When he first purchased the land, there was nothing there but the greenhouse, which the previous owner had built in the 1970s. For the first five years of owning the land, Jackowski concentrated mostly on fixing up the property.
On the way, he learned farming on the fly. And with his days still stretching from morning until 8:30 at night, he learned that he didn’t need eight hours of sleep.
“It was just a lot of trial and error,” Jackowski said.
Jackowski credits farming for giving him his health and his tan. But it also allowed him to quit his full-time job about five years ago.
Jackowski said he learned something new every year, and since he was growing for himself, he was free to make mistakes. Now, he’s mastered farming enough to the point where he can have something to offer at the nursery every season.
In the spring, he sells Easter flowers, nursery stock and annuals; in the summer, tomatoes, melons, peppers and watermelon; fall, mums and pumpkins; and in the winter he sells Christmas trees and wreaths and fills the greenhouse with poinsettas, before closing for January and February.
That’s just the beginning of the variety of plants available at Jack’s Greenhouse and Farm. Jackowski also grows a few rarer plants, like boxwood, which keeps deer away and Sango kaku maple, whose bark turns a coral red in the winter. Jackowski’s helping hand is Chris Gaydula, who runs the nursery and has worked in horticulture for more than 25 years.
Jackowski is home grown himself. He grew up in Titusville and attended high school at nearby Notre Dame.
He lives right on his farm with wife Anita and his daughters Jaina and Sarina, who attends Bear Tavern Elementary School. Almost all of his customers are local as well.
“We enjoy getting to know the community,” Anita said.
Jack also does landscaping work. The advantage he offers is that each of the plants he uses is grown on his farm, and that customers can pick out exactly which plants they want.
Starting July 4, Jack’s Greenhouse and Farm will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (609) 737-0224.
