By DEBORAH BEHRENDS
Indiana Correspondent STARLIGHT, Ind. — Joe Huber's Family Farm & Restaurant has been open for decades. But in November, the southern Indiana landmark will be sold. Joe Huber's, located in Starlight, will be sold at a public auction at 10 a.m. on Nov. 17, according to Doug Harritt, owner and president of the Harritt Group, Inc. in nearby New Albany. The 166-acre property will be sold in multiple tracts. The four children of Joe Huber Jr., the restaurant's founder, all decided to retire, Harritt said. The farm, restaurant and two large party barns at 2421 Engle Road will all be sold at the auction. The auction will divide the property into 5- to 25-acre plots. Harritt said he has a number of potential buyers looking at the property. According to several servers in the restaurant, they were not told in advance of the announcement. They arrived at work the day after the news to find several reporters seeking answers they didn’t have. The family members selling the property are the eighth generation that have farmed in Starlight. In 1967, Joe and Bonnie Huber began offering the public the opportunity to pick their own vegetables. According to Joe Huber’s Family Farm & Restaurant’s website: “One hot summer day in July 1967, when they had a field full of green beans they weren’t able to get picked, Joe said, ‘Bonnie, what do you think would happen if we put an ad in the paper to pick your own green beans?’” From there, the business grew to include a farm market selling produce, gifts and seasonal decor; a party barn; and a restaurant famous for its fried chicken, chicken and dumplings and biscuits and apple butter, all served family-style. Although the official story is that family members have decided to retire, the decision doesn’t appear to be unanimous. Jenna (Huber) Clem has established a GoFundMe webpage hoping to raise $1 million to buy the property. On that page, Clem writes: “Since the death of both my grandfather (Joseph Huber Jr.) and father (Joseph Huber III in 2015), there has been a divide in the family … My husband and I have made multiple fair offers to purchase the farm from my aunts and uncles, which were not even considered. “So I can assure you that the next generation is very interested in keeping their legacy alive. I can say this with certainty, as I am the next generation.” Clem also stated she and her husband are willing to add their own funds. In the event they are unsuccessful in the bidding, they plan to donate any money raised to WHAS Crusade for Children, a charity she says was near and dear to both her father and grandfather. As of this writing, a little more than $16,000 has been raised at www.gofundme.com/save-joe-huber039s-family-farm The business website makes no mention of the pending auction. And although not many details are available on the auction itself, the Harritt Group has a webpage devoted to the sale, at www.harrittgroup.com/joe-hubers-family-farm-restaurant-auction-starlight-dream/21271 To add to the confusion, Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards, about a mile away, is a separate business with different owners, unaffected by the sale. |
