‘Never guessed it would’ve been this big’: Why a Mountaintop man’s new market is gaining popularity
Ojay Guenot can still remember sitting on his Mountaintop deck last summer, sipping a beer and appreciating the view — when a business idea for a farm and nursery popped into his head.
He had no inkling at that point his idea would turn into a real-life farmers market of sorts, one that would draw customers from as far away as Punxsutawney, a 75-minute drive, and would become a stop for New York passers-by. Last July, he was just looking for a way to make a living when FedEx cut his hours and he was forced to collect unemployment.
Now, he’s just wondering why he didn’t think of the “Nala May Farm & Nursery” in Karthaus sooner.
“I just expected a handful of locals,” said Guenot, standing between his greenhouse and converted cattle barn/general store at 183 Walker Place Lane. “I would have never guessed it would’ve been this big at this point.”
On weekends, it’s not unusual to see two dozen cars jockeying for parking places to purchase fresh produce, blossoming flowers/plants and locally made goods. But last July? It still took Guenot a week or two to convince his wife the idea was worth the risk. After all, the community still had a hole left by Hall’s Market, which burned down last February after serving the community for more than a century.
“After that, you’d need to drive a half-hour to buy a dang tomato,” said Ojay’s mother, Victoria, noting grocery stores are a rarity in the area.
Guenot opened the Nala May Farm & Nursery — named after the family’s friendly dog, a white German Shepherd that wanders the farm — last October, as a test run before the spring. When DuBois residents began showing up to purchase apple cider and locals took to the business, Guenot’s confidence grew ahead of his April 23 opening date in the spring. (Nala May is currently open Tuesdays through Sundays; from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Wednesdays, when it closes at 5 p.m.)
The blue-collar businessman, who previously tried his hand at selling coal and running a body shop, started his farm and nursery from scratch and with no previous retail experience. But he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty. He befriended an Amish farmer in Mackeyville, who sold him produce while advising him what to buy and when. One introduction led to another — with Guenot finding Amish suppliers that way for more produce, canned goods and flowers.
He now uses about six main Amish suppliers, who provide about 90% of his goods. Guenot also grows some of his own crops, while using produce auctions to fill in the gaps as necessary. And he invites local craftsmen to sell their own wares inside his shop — such as homemade wreaths and knives, handcrafted birdhouses and wildlife prints from a local photographer.
He also doesn’t mind buying in smaller quantities from family members of his Amish suppliers.
“One young lady might have sold me maybe $150 worth of (flowers), but she was proud as a peacock she was selling them,” Guenot added. “That’s all she had. I bought everything she had.”
The variety in Guenot’s store is plentiful, even on a recent Monday when the shop was closed and he needed to restock. A five-shelf display was filled with canned goods, from honey to pickles to salsas and sauces and everything in-between. Boxes sat on another table, indicating that tomatoes, corn, mushrooms, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and more, would soon greet customers. And that’s not to mention the eggs or other items stored in the refrigerated walk-in.
Guenot doesn’t pretend his prices are cheaper than Hall’s was. But he said he tries to be fair, noting that locals who pay an extra buck or two still save on gas in Mountaintop’s “food desert,” which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as a rural area with no supermarket within 10 miles.
“People love the Amish quality and, to be honest with you, that’s why I love them, too. They care about what they put out,” Guenot said. “Those mass producers might get a little bit crammed and take a crappy thing of beets, stick it in a jar and sell it to you. Not them Amish. If it’s not a quality beet, they will not use it. That’s just how they roll.”
Guenot is still learning as he goes. (“People don’t like Red Delicious apples,” he said. “I learned that the hard way last year.”) But he’s adjusted, making him one of the rare business success stories to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’ll make weekly trips around the tri-county area, and his wife quit her schoolteacher job to help with the burgeoning business.
The Guenots have even bigger plans now. They’re looking to hold hayrides and run a you-pick-it pumpkin patch this fall, and they’re also hoping to highlight other local businesses whenever possible. Guenot even called the CDT after an interview, taking special care to mention all the other local start-ups around him — like Blazin’ Bigfoot BBQ, which will set up at Nala May’s this Saturday.
Guenot’s idea for the farm and nursery initially came as a way to help his community. But it isn’t just the Mountaintop area that’s embraced the destination, which is just over the Centre County line in Clearfield County. It’s people within in an hour’s drive who are looking for a scenic drive or quality goods.
And the Guenots hope that only continues.
“Before, I wondered if people were going to drive half a mile back a dirt road in the middle of nowhere,” Guenot said with a laugh. “But I saw it last fall, which gave me reassurance. ... So this feels good.”
