Perry Family Farms
When Dan Perry was young, he always had a garden at his father’s house. Dan had a green thumb and enjoyed gardening. In 2013, Dan started to grow food to make chemical-free baby food for his first daughter, Maya. Four years later, when daughter Samantha was born, Dan returned to corporate America from paternity leave and gave his two weeks’ notice. Dan’s dream to start his own business, make use of his green thumb and his desire to be home with his girls became Perry Family Farms—owned and operated by Farmer Dan.
Currently, Perry Family Farms is an urban farm located in Little Canada in Ramsey County. The family grows seasonal Minnesota Grown produce using chemical-free practices. They sell products year-round including hot sauces and pickled vegetables in addition to jellies and jams, many of which are made with the family’s produce. The Perry family actively farms five local plots.
Dan and his wife, Jessica, credit several people with helping make their business a success, including Dan’s mother, Julie, and his father, Tim; Dan and Lisa Brausen; Amy and Andy Brunn; Jerry Boog and Gail Acosta.
Dan is the main operator of the farm and Jessica supports the cottage foods operation; their daughter Maya oversees worm distribution management and helps her dad sell at farmers markets. Daughter Samantha is the lead tomato and cucumber taster. Dan’s grandfather, John, manages an operation in Chisago County in a vacant lot owned by Dan’s parents and helps in any other way he can.