Atkinson Farms, Spring

When Mike and Theresa Atkinson's son Bobby joined them in the fields of the family farm, he officially became the fourth generation of Atkinsons to tend the Texan soil. Many things have changed over the generations, but Mike, Theresa, and Bobby still embrace the family's calling to provide the community with farm-fresh goods, including vegetables, berries, sweet butter, and pasteurized milk. Here is a brief timeline of the Atkinsons' history:

1961

Mike's grandfather purchases the tract of land that the family continues to farm today. At first they stick with growing tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, green onions, and radishes.

Late 1970s

After decades of harvesting the same crops, the Atkinsons decide to expand their operation, and they begin to grow leafy vegetables such as mustard greens and collards.

1983

The farm's main buyer—Weingarten's Grocery Store—closes. In order to adapt, the family diversifies, planting a wider variety of vegetables so that it's easier to sell to other area grocery stores as well as the Harris County Farmers' Market.

1988

Mike's grandfather passes away, leaving the farm in the care of Mike and Mike's father.

1991

Mike's father sells the farm to his son and retires from the family business. Around this time, Bobby graduates high school and begins working on the farm full-time. Bobby often puts in 60- to 70-hour weeks as the Atkinsons decide to expand their vegetable selection yet again.

2000

Tired of the relentless competition of wholesale farming, Mike and Bobby agree to follow Theresa's advice and open their own family market. Even though they now have their own retail outlet, the Atkinsons continue to sell their produce to local stores and farmers' markets throughout the area.

Present Day

Over the course of a typical year, the Atkinsons grow and harvest more than 60 kinds of vegetables. With roughly 100 acres of land to tend, though, they need a little help. Today Mike, Theresa, and Bobby rely on eight full-time employees—not to mention 19 tractors and more than 100 pieces of farming equipment—to help them carry on a family tradition now in its sixth decade.