History of Abma's Farm
Our Family Tradition
At Abma’s Farm, family is at the heart of everything we do. For five generations, we’ve shared the love of farming, faith, and community with our neighbors. What began as a small family farm in the 1930s has grown into a place where families make memories- from visiting the Barnyard to picking pumpkins, joining our CSA, or simply stopping by the market for something homegrown.
Each season brings new traditions, but one thing remains constant: our deep commitment to faith, family, and the land.
Where It All Began
Our story starts with Barney Abma, born April 25, 1901, in the Netherlands. At just 17 years old, Barney came to America in 1917, searching for a fresh start. After spending time out west and in Pennsylvania, he returned home to Holland to marry Anna Vanderzee (born February 18, 1904).
In the late 1920s, Barney and Anna settled in Wyckoff, New Jersey, at the very spot where Abma’s Farm still stands today. They began working for the Yeoman Farm, renting part of the original farmhouse. The land had been in the Yeoman family since the 1800s- originally owned by Daniel Yeoman, and later by Mr. and Mrs. George Fox (née Yeoman).
In 1931, Barney purchased 50 acres from George Fox for $6,000, officially planting the roots of what would become Abma’s Farm.
A Growing Family and a Growing Farm
At first, Abma’s Farm was a simple family farm, just enough to sustain Barney and Anna’s household. They raised cows and pigs, grew vegetables, and tended an orchard.
During the 1930s, Barney and Anna welcomed five sons: Fred, Sam, William (Willy), Henry (Henny), and James. The boys grew up working on the farm, milking cows, and helping their parents however they could. As they got older, Fred and Sam branched out into their own landscaping businesses, while Willy, Henny, and James stayed to run the farm.
The brothers eventually focused on raising egg-laying hens, and by the 1960s, their flock had grown from 1,000 to 25,000 hens! The Dutch-style barn (today’s farm market) became a three-story chicken coop, and eggs were delivered across northern New Jersey on early morning routes.
Flowers, Vegetables, and Change
When Barney “retired” (in name only), he began growing flowers — a hobby that would blossom into the eleven greenhouses we operate today.
By the late 1960s and 1970s, egg prices fell while feed costs rose, and the farm had to evolve. The three brothers diversified: James grew vegetables, Willy expanded the greenhouses, and Henny continued egg routes.
In 1981, James and Judy’s son Jim graduated from Delaware Valley University with a degree in horticulture. He took over vegetable production while his father ran the market. Around the same time, Henny moved to Pennsylvania to start his own dairy farm.
Jim married Pam Westra in 1985, and they raised three children: Jim Jr., Josh, and Joy. Though Bergen County was changing rapidly- once full of open fields and barns, now bustling suburbs- the Abma family’s roots stayed strong, grounded in faith and family.
A New Generation
In 1961, youngest son James married Judy Spoelstra. As a wedding gift, Barney and Anna gave them three cows- a true farmer’s start! James and Judy raised four children: Beth, Jim, Jodie, and Kim.
Their home soon became the hub of a small but busy business. They began selling eggs and raw milk out of their house on a self-serve basis. As business grew, the operation moved into the carriage house of the old barn (now the Tomasello Winery Tasting Room), a one-room shop with a cooler for eggs and milk.
James even engineered his own “roll-away nest” system, still used today! It allowed eggs to gently roll down into a collection area, saving hours of manual work and keeping the eggs clean and fresh.
Expanding the Vision
Jim began a new venture on the property: the Compost Site, where natural materials were transformed into rich, healthy topsoil. Over time, this operation grew to serve homeowners, landscapers, and contractors across the region.
Meanwhile, the farm and market continued to grow beyond eggs and milk. Beth ran the craft section, Pam managed the compost office, and Judy oversaw market operations. In 1988, Pam started the deli and kitchen, creating the beloved chicken salad still enjoyed today.
By 1989, hayrides and pumpkin picking had begun — events that quickly became favorite family traditions. The bakery, founded by Kim in 1990, filled the market with the aroma of fresh pies, muffins, and breads. The 1990s brought more changes as Beth opened her own craft store and Kim later opened Clove Brook Market in Sussex County.
A New Era of Growth
In 2005, Willy retired, and Jim took over greenhouse operations, discovering his passion for growing beautiful annuals and designing custom container gardens.
Judy retired in 2008, and Pam began leading office operations and expanding educational programs — including birthday parties, farm tours, and interactive learning experiences that introduced children to life on the farm.
As the fourth generation grew up, each found their own path.
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Jim Jr. developed a love for gardening and eventually became Fields Manager, overseeing all vegetable production. He and his wife Anna (now our Barnyard Manager and Creative Director) launched the CSA program, which has grown from 20 members to over 400. They have three children: Colton, Charlie Mae, and Trace.
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Josh, with a degree in horticultural management, took over as Compost Site Manager in 2014, running all mulch and topsoil operations. He married Valerie in 2016, who now manages the Compost Office and Advertising/Marketing.
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Joy pursued a career in medicine as a nurse practitioner. She and her husband Dan, now Retail Sales Manager at the greenhouse, have two children: Paisley and Carter.
Carrying on the Legacy
The farm continues to evolve while honoring the past.
In 2018, after Winter Storm Quinn damaged the petting zoo, the Abma family rebuilt it from the ground up, creating “The Barnyard” — a hands-on, educational space filled with friendly animals and farm fun.
In recent years, vegetable production has expanded to include wholesale partnerships with 24 ShopRite stores and other distributors. The family also began renting 240 acres of farmland in Hillsborough, NJ, enriching production and community reach.
Faith, Family, and the Future
Through all the generations, one thing has never changed — our family’s belief in faith, hard work, honesty, and service.
From Barney’s first dream to today’s thriving farm, each generation has cared for the land, the animals, and the people who visit.
At Abma’s Farm, we’re more than a farm — we’re a family, and we’re honored to share our story with yours.
History of the Barns and Outbuildings
The Original Homestead and Summer Kitchen:
The original homestead was a one-room dwelling with a loft upstairs. In 1840, the rest of the house was completed. Today, the classic white farmhouse sits proudly overlooking the farm.
Late Eighteenth Century Dutch Barn:
The post and beam barn (now the farm market) is considered one of the best preserved Dutch barns in the country.
Most of Bergen County’s early houses belonged to farm complexes. The early mixed farming practice in the area required many buildings – barns, cow barns, stables, granaries, woodsheds, smokehouses, out kitchens- and other structures in addition to the farm houses.
These groupings of buildings were as characteristic of the Dutch-American farm as were the people and the land. Of these buildings, the New World Dutch Barn is important to the study regional vernacular architecture. A New World Dutch barn is an almost square-in-plan structure, somewhat wider than it is long, with a broad gable roof, low side walls, and major entrances in the gable ends. A wide central aisle is flanked by several narrow side aisles. The interior central space is defined by a series of anchor bents, and anchor beams stretch across the aisle to support a hay loft. The Dutch-American farmer used this spacious central aisle as a threshing floor, while large doors in the gable ends allowed wagons to pass through the barn to deposit their loads in the cavernous loft. The side aisles were used as animal stalls.
(Brown, T. Robins., et al. The Architecture of Bergen County, New Jersey: The Colonial Period to the Twentieth Century. Rutgers University Press, 2001.)