
Ledgeview Gardens
Ledgeview Gardens specializes in both hydroponic and outdoor produce, with a mission of providing fresh, pesticide-free, and quality food to their local community.
Keeping Farming in the Family
Darren Vollmar’s life has always been intertwined with the land. In fact, he can’t remember a time when growing produce wasn’t a part of his life. Growing up, Darren was always surrounded by his father’s passion for gardening, which eventually led to the purchase of the property that would become the foundation for the Vollmar’s family farm, Ledgeview Gardens, in De Pere, WI. Darren’s father, Joe, instilled in him a deep appreciation for homegrown produce, and that passion has only grown.
In 2001, the Vollmars officially launched Ledgeview Gardens when Darren was 12 years old. They started with three hydroponic greenhouses, and it has expanded from there.
In the early years, Darren remembers growing only beefsteak tomatoes. Their first season proved challenging as they underestimated how much they would grow, and they struggled to sell it all. By the following year, they began to diversify but still spent much of their time delivering to grocery stores, which left them less time to spend on the farm.
When Darren turned 16, the Vollmars had expanded to various other crops like lettuce, peppers, and watermelons. He attended seven farmers’ markets each week and delivered to restaurants throughout the area. Around this same time, Darren began taking a serious interest in farming as a career.
Throughout his journey, Darren received support from his high school sweetheart and now wife, Amanda. Together, they navigated the challenges of running a family farm while also growing their own family. Along the way, Darren took a sustainable agriculture class, which inspired him to join the board of his local co-op, where he later became president.
Through his co-op involvement, Darren, alongside his friend and Vice President Sheri Howard, identified a demand for a reliable agricultural aggregator with a clear vision for successfully operating and supporting local farmers. Seeing the opportunity to fill that need, Darren and Sheri launched Seasonal Harvest in 2018, an aggregation business that helps local producers break into the wholesale market and distribute their fresh, clean products to Wisconsin communities.
Darren is the Co-owner and Logistics Manager of Seasonal Harvest and continues running Ledgeview Gardens alongside his father.
Darren plays a key role in the process of moving products from farm to market, with Ledgeview Gardens serving as the hub for incoming and outgoing products, making it the central distribution point. By collaborating with local farming partners, Darren helps streamline operations, and he also provides guidance and support to local growers to ensure they are successful and sustainable in the long term.
The benefits of working with Seasonal Harvest are invaluable, and Darren understands the impact firsthand because of his own farming operation.
“In 2022, by distributing our products through Seasonal Harvest, we were able to completely pull out of farmers’ markets,” Darren says. “We were also able to completely get rid of the marketing arm of our farm and just focus on selling about 50% of our produce through Seasonal Harvest and a few other regular customers. I don't have to leave the farm anymore. That's the convenience it affords me. I can spend time with my family and my kids and stay on the farm. I get more done in the days because I don't have to prepare to leave. It has saved me money on fuel. It’s saved me money on vehicles. There are savings all around when you start doing something like this. The convenience is key.”
This shift has had a profound impact on Darren’s life. He can now not only focus on his farm and role at Seasonal Harvest, but he can also rely on Seasonal Harvest to manage his customers and deliveries. For producers, this is an invaluable benefit of working with an aggregator like Seasonal Harvest. Producers can focus on the aspects of farming they love. For Darren, it has allowed him more quality time with his wife and children, which he sees as the greatest benefit of all.
As Seasonal Harvest continues growing, Darren’s future goals for Ledgeview Gardens are to increase effectiveness and scale back his farm operation to provide a better work-life balance for himself and his employees.
“I want to be able to afford more time with my family. I want to offer the same opportunity for our employees—I want to give them more time with their own families, which means less time at work, but also getting paid enough to manage that lifestyle,” Darren says. “So, my goal for the farm is to focus on streamlining, making sure that we are efficiently growing every product, and we're not wasting time doing any of it. I want to reduce the number of products that we grow at the farm but increase the number of individual items.”
Today, Ledgeview Gardens specializes in both hydroponic and outdoor produce, with a mission of providing fresh, pesticide-free, and quality food to their local community. Ledgeview Garden’s products can be found at local grocery and health food stores and through their CSA.
As both a producer and an advocate for local agriculture, Darren’s vision for the future is clear: a balanced, sustainable approach that benefits farmers, families, and the community.
More Information
Found in local grocery/health food stores and through their CSA.
5291 Cottonwood Lane
De Pere, WI 54115