Erin Phillips
By Martha Jacob
Sun staff

Erin Phillips, of Phillips Farm in Batavia, has taken what began as a hobby to a whole new level, and now her fresh homemade products are available at Jungle Jim’s in Eastgate as well as from her home.

Phillips is a teacher by trade but has always found joy in making things with her hands.

“I come from a long line of gardeners,” she said, “My grandmother had a tiny city lot in Cleveland where she utilized every square inch of land to grow something edible, things like pears, currants, tomatoes, peppers, apples and melons. Some of my fondest memories are of visiting her as a child. We steamed pies together and I always got to choose which canned goods we got to take home with us from her cellar.”

Phillips said that she and her husband bought a piece of property in Batavia almost two years ago. She had been canning fresh products for a few years, learning everything about the practice from books and the internet and anyone who would talk to her about it.

“We got into everything from raising chickens, making jams and butters and fresh baked breads,” Phillips said. “But I’d have to say I am especially proud of our egg business. We offer mixed dozens of brown and blue-green eggs that are natural, free-range and multi-colored. They are available directly from us for $5 a dozen or from Jungle Jim’s International Market. This year we have doubled our count by adding 60 baby chicks to keep up with the demand.”

Phillips’ eggs are gaining in popularity to the point that she drops her eggs off at Jungle Jim’s on Friday, and by Sunday they are out.

“We also offer a range of homemade jams, including cinnamon peach, strawberry, mixed berry, blackberry, strawberry rhubarb, apple butter and apple blueberry,” she said. “I strive to keep recipes simple and delicious and all jars cost $5. I make white bread, white bread with herbs, white bread with flax and chia seeds, honey whole wheat bread and caraway rye bread.”

Phillips also makes pickles of all sorts, dilly pickles, dilly beans spicy pickled carrots, pickled sweet peppers, beets, jalapenos and watermelon rind.

Teaching school and operating a successful business is not the only thing on Phillips’ plate. In her spare time she does some online writing for publications, including Backyard Poultry and Countryside Magazine. Some of her published articles include “Six Uses for Your Watermelon Plant’s Bounty,” “A Recipe for Three-Bean Salad” and “Raising Peking Ducks.”

“We’d like to invite everyone to our home and see firsthand all the items we have available, each one fresh made products,” Phillips said. “We are proud to announce that we are now official ‘Ohio Proud’ producers, meaning at least 50 percent of our products are made or grown in Ohio.”

Phillips Farms is located at 4100 state Route 222 in Batavia and may be contacted by phone at 513-600-3760 or by email at phillipsfarmbatavia@gmail.com.