U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, has named Bloomsbury Farm of Benton County, near Atkins, as her Small Business of the Week.
Ms. Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
“From its Bunny Bash to the inaugural Iowa Tulip Festival, Bloomsbury Farm plants memories and captures smiles with their family-centered seasonal events,” Ms. Ernst said in a release. “Welcoming over 75,000 visitors annually, the Petersen family continues to grow Bloomsbury Farm into a premier agritourism destination.”
According to a release, in 1995, Karen and Dave Petersen opened Bloomsbury Farm on their 2,000 acres, primarily farming soybeans and corn and selling floral arrangements. When their daughter Sammy’s first-grade class visited the farm on a field trip, the couple was inspired to transform the farm into an agritourism destination.
After a devastating tornado in 2004, the Petersens pivoted and renovated the farm to become a family-centered destination dedicated to agriculture, fun, and education. The farm strives “to promote an entertaining, active, and educational experience for people of all ages.”
Today, Bloomsbury Farm, one of Iowa’s top small business agritourism destinations, welcomes more than 75,000 people annually to experience their seasonal events, and the second generation of Petersens became partners in January 2024.
The farm offers a variety of attractions, from a renowned annual corn maze in the fall to a pumpkin patch, gift shop, wagon rides, corn crib, zip line and more.
Bloomsbury Farm is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
