By Rachel Brands June 4th 2023

 

JANESVILLE

Skelly’s Farm Market was unrecognizable to its regulars when it re-opened on May 27 and debuted the renovations that have been in the works since October of 2020.

Skelly’s opening day was a busy one, according to co-owner Laura Skelly, and she spent most of it answering questions from excited guests about all the changes.

Perhaps the biggest benefactor of the expansion is the bakery, which received its own building, along with the kitchen and serving area. The extra space made more room for lines and browsing, and the kitchen and main storage unit is now climate-controlled.

“In 2020, when we were forced to spread everybody out, we realized we can’t do these big bakery lines in the middle of everybody shopping anymore,” Skelly said. “The only logical thing to do would be to move the entire bakery over and give it its own serving area.”

Skelly plans to expand the bakery menu, too, but not until after strawberry season. The new menu will include a variety of pies, milk shakes, and homemade fudge.

She also hopes to one day host farm-to-table dinners at the farm, at 2713 S. Hayner Road, but this project likely won’t come to fruition for some time, since she would need to reach out to professional chefs.

Another benefit of the renovations is the expanded porch, which allows for more outdoor seating in the shade. All this new space makes it easier for guests to spread out while shopping, sitting, or waiting in line.

“There’s definitely more space for everything,” Skelly said. “There’s more room for people to browse and not be right on top of each other.”

Laura Skelly and her husband, Scott, are members of the International Agritourism Association and attend their conferences every year. The networking and multitudes of opinions they received from the people there helped create the concept of what the new Skelly’s Farm Market could look like.

Laura, Scott, and Scott’s brother Joe designed the new building themselves and their vision was respected, with their contractor making only a few touches on the design.

Skelly’s Farm Market has an entirely new look that prioritizes comfort and convenience for its customers by providing more room for them to roam around the property.