Farmstand hopes to cultivate winery

Keller's Farmstand, long known for its vegetables, flowers and massive corn maze, is looking to expand its operation with a winery.

The Keller family hopes to build a winery on its Oswego-area farm site within the next few years.

"We plan to grow a lot of our grapes. They would tend to be varieties most people probably haven't heard of because they have to take the Illinois winter," Frank Keller said. "A lot of California varieties wouldn't survive here."

The Kellers actually started their vineyard several years ago, growing Frontenac and Seyval grapes. They have a small orchard of cherry trees they could use to make cherry wine, Keller said. They would likely also import grapes from other Midwestern states.

The project will be years in the making, Keller said. First, the family will have to convince voters to allow alcohol to be manufactured and sold in Na-Au-Say Township, where the family's Oswego farm is located.

The township has been dry since just after Prohibition ended in 1933. Changing it requires a referendum vote.

Keller said the family may try to get such a measure on the ballot in 2010.

"Our main thing is vegetables and the pumpkin season. But we were always looking for something that would be more year-round, and something that we've always wanted to do is grow grapes and make wine," Keller said. "It's going to be a lot of work, but I think in the long term it's going to be a lot of fun."

Plainfield site still for sale
As usual, the family's farmstands in Oswego and Naperville will open in late April with flowers, Keller said. Once produce is available, around mid-July, the Plainfield farm stand will open for business.
The Keller's Plainfield farmland, at Route 126 and Old Route 30, is still for sale. The family put it on the market in 2007 after about 12 years at the site. They moved their corn maze and other operations to the family farm at the southeast corner of Schlapp and Johnson roads.

So far, business has been good at the Oswego farm.

"Our fall festival has been really good," Keller said. "Naperville, Plainfield and now Oswego have been very good markets."

Despite the "for sale" sign, the Kellers plan to continue selling vegetables at the Plainfield site for the foreseeable future.

"Even if (the land) did sell, it would be years that we would still be able to operate on that corner," Keller said. "When it does sell someday, depending on what goes on that site, we might be able to get a little spot in the parking lot."