Marian and Elton Tait purchased Tait Farm in 1950. They both graduated from Penn State University, Class of 1937, Marian in Home Economics and Elton from the College of Agriculture. Elton went on to work for Agricultural Extension at Penn State for 39 years. In addition to raising their 3 children on the farm (Sandy, David and John), over the years they also had hobby crops of sheep, chickens, hogs, horses, Basset hounds and Christmas trees. It was in the late 1970's that the 2 prodigal sons left their day jobs to return to the family farm, deciding to make their living off the land. Perennial plantings of apples, raspberries, asparagus and more Christmas trees followed, and by the mid-1980’s the farm was fast becoming the State College spot to pick-your-own fruits, vegetables and Christmas trees. The value-added food business began after a bumper crop of raspberries in 1986, when hundreds of pounds of fruit sat on the canes, it was pouring rain and no one was coming out to pick. The crop was harvested and frozen, the only problem was what to do with all that frozen fruit.

After an unsuccessful attempt to sell frozen raspberries, David Tait remembered a recipe for something he had once tried called Raspberry Shrub. This was an old Colonial concoction served by folks like Martha Washington. It was made by preserving fresh fruit in vinegar, adding sugar, creating a concentrate that was then enjoyed in the off-season by mixing with water. The original Colonial-era recipes were a little rough around the edges, but after some experimentation, a more palatable and contemporary taste was developed. The first bottles were hand labeled and sold at the farm beginning in 1987 and by 1989 a new label had been developed and David went on the road selling Shrub.

Since that time, the farm and value-added food business has continued to grow. John Tait raises the Christmas trees and basset hound dogs, and Kim K. Tait runs Tait Farm Foods. Tait Farm Foods now manufactures over 40 food products, has a year-round Harvest Shop and Greenhouse (specializing in local foods, gift collections, seasonal produce, herbs, flowers, heirloom roses and inspired gifts for the kitchen, garden and home), and has a Community Supported Agriculture project know as Community Harvest. This is a fresh produce membership that provides over 125 families with certified organic vegetables and fruits in half year and full year shares.

The company has received the following recognitions:

~ CBS Evening News - June 2003
Eye on America - Featured in a segment on Women in Agriculture

~ State College Magazine - May 2004
Cover photo and story about the farm.

~ Entrepreneur of the Year - 2004
Awarded by the Centre of Business and Industry of Centre County

~ Sustainable Agriculture Leadership Award - 2006
Awarded by the Pennyslvania Associaton for Sustainable Agriculture .

~ Wall Street Journal - July 2007
Feature on shrubs in July 1, 2006 Weekend Edition.

~ Reader’s Digest – August 2007
Featured in article titled “Home Grown”

Many thanks to the Team at Tait Farm Foods for making the above recognitions possible.