Grimes
Produce

Grimes Produce

Who We Are

Grimes Produce Company’s story begins in the 1930s and 40s when Ed Grey, Bessie Mae Douglas’s father, started farming. Because of this, Bessie Mae grew up on a farm. With a love for agriculture, Bessie Mae later sold her son Charlie Grimes 10 acres of land to begin farming. He grew squash and bell peppers and this same farm eventually grew strawberries giving him the chance to begin his own farming operation which would eventually become Grimes Farms.

Our family is also involved in cattle ranching with about 7,500 acres of pastureland for raising beef cattle.

Another family business is Grimes Hardware, a community focused hardware store that opened in 2012. Stacy manages the day to day operations, continuing the family’s tradition of hard work and customer care.
The store is located at 3161 Paul Buchman Hwy, Plant City, FL 33563.

grimes produce, strawberry farm, plant city, fl

From the very beginning, Charlie and Betty Grimes worked the farm side by side, their son Chuck grew up helping on the farm and in the late 70’s Chuck and his wife Debby came on full time.

Farming was a passion for all of them and each played an important role in growing the operation. Their dedication, long days, and commitment to quality transformed a small family plot into the thriving farm it is today.

Chuck’s sons Aaron and Buddy grew up working on the farm with him. They learned about faith in God, the value of family and hard work.

In 2000, Charlie, Betty, Chuck and Debby worked together to officially establish Grimes Produce Company. Each filling their roles between the farm and the produce company.

Chuck and Debby’s children continue that legacy through various roles in the family businesses. Aaron is with Grimes Produce along with his wife Missy and three of their daughters, Courtney, Taylor and Alyssa making the 6th generation working together. Buddy manages some of the farming operations and is raising his two sons Clayton and Preston on the farm the same way he was raised. Chuck and Debby’s daughter Stacy runs Grimes Hardware Center.

picking strawberries at Grimes Produce Plant City, FL

Over the years, Grimes Produce became more than a business it became a family tradition. Joel Connell, who began working at the farm after college in 2000, was welcomed into the family by Charlie himself. His dedication and love for the land became an essential part of the farm’s story. After 25 years on the farm Joel proudly serves as a co-owner of Grimes Produce. He married his wife Erika and she works alongside him, they have four children Kenley, Ella, Colt and Reid each of them have a passion for agriculture in their own unique way.

Located in Plant City, Florida, Grimes Produce is a family run farm, known for growing hand picked, high quality strawberries. Over the years, our employees have grown to feel like family supporting one another, working hard together, and sharing the same pride in what we do. They are the people who truly make this company run, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them. We’re proud to share our berries not only with our local community but across the United States and even into Canada.