Many Greenhouses Added Throughout the Years

Our Growing Greenhouse Space Allows us the Best Control

In 1956 Case & Grace DeBoer sold their farm in South Holland, Illinois and bought a 40-acre farm on Joe Orr Road in Chicago Heights. Case and his son John raised onions, carrots, sugar beets, tomatoes and onion sets.

Case passed away in 1965, at which time John and his wife Stella moved to the farm. John & Stella continued to farm and raise three children.
In 1979 John Sr, Stella & John Jr started Big John’s Farm Market, joined in 1980 by John Jr’s wife Sandy. We raised vegetables to sell at the farmstand along with onion sets, and grain. After deciding to stop raising onion sets in 1983, farmers markets in the city of Chicago were added to the mix.

The first greenhouse was built in 1987 and the second in 1993. We currently have 17 greenhouses adding up to 120,000 square feet of indoor growing space.  We also have outdoor growing space to grow many spring, summer and fall crops.  

November starts the flower season as we start planting unrooted cuttings and seeds to prepare for the coming season.  At the end of January, we start planting all of our beautiful hanging baskets, combination planters and much more, including our own vegetable plants for the field.  

In mid April we open the doors to the public to come in and enjoy the beauty of the greenhouses and start purchasing flowers and plants!  April is also time to start the field work by planting the first plants and seeds in the fields for our vegetable season.

 In July we start selling fresh local home grown produce.  We pride ourselves on growing the best sweet corn in the area! 

In the summer of 2024 we opened a new location in Lowell Indiana!  At this location we continue the tradition of a fall pumpkin patch.  We offer all the fall fun activities including hayrides to the pumpkin patch, petting zoo, great donuts and school farm tours!  

The future at Big John's Farm is very bright as we raise the 5th generation of farmers, we will strive to provide you with the highest quality plants and vegetables.  Whether growing our special combination baskets and planters or the freshest produce, we are happy to offer you our absolute best!