Jennifer Garner is beloved by many for her relatable and approachable nature. Her Instagram is filled with wholesome content about motherhood and navigating life.
Jennifer’s mother, Patricia English Garner, holds fond memories of her childhood on a farm in Locust Grove, Oklahoma. Patricia recalls how her parents bought the land in 1936 with a bonus her father received for his service in World War I. They only had $700 at the time.
“My parents didn’t even have a car, so when they heard about the land for sale, they hired someone to drive them to the property. The farm consisted of a two-room house and 20 acres—minus one acre at the heart of the property, which was a Native American cemetery,” Patricia said.
She recounted how her father spent an entire day negotiating over $20 to finalize the purchase. “When they finally agreed on a price, the deal was sealed, and the land was purchased. It’s been in our family ever since,” she concluded.
The original farmhouse had no running water or indoor plumbing. Jennifer’s mother remembers her childhood on that 20-acre property fondly.
As time passed and family members grew up and moved away, the farm changed hands multiple times within the family. Finally, in 2017, Jennifer decided to buy the farm herself.
Jennifer didn’t purchase the farm just for nostalgia; she aimed to revive it as a profitable business. She enlisted her uncle Robert and aunt Janet, who had previously owned the farm, to help her.
The farm had been dormant for 40 years. Previously, Jennifer’s mother and her siblings had actively farmed there, selling pecans and growing vegetables like lettuce, radishes, and potatoes.
Jennifer sought to bring that farming tradition back to life. She co-founded “Once Upon a Farm” with Ari Raz, John Foraker, and Cassandra Curtis. The goal was to produce organic fruits and vegetables and turn them into nutritious food for children.
Jennifer shared her vision, saying, “Once upon a time… we dreamed of bringing baby food back to the roots with organic fruits and veggies harvested from local farmers, blended with love and served fresh from the fridge. We dreamed of feeling less stressed about mealtimes because we could feed our little ones foods that give them all the nutrients they need—and then some!”
For Jennifer, providing busy moms with access to nutritious food is a priority.
Since its inception in 2018, the company has been highly successful. Their products are available at major retailers across America and sold online through the company’s website.