ATKINS, Iowa – Dave and Karen Petersen’s 2,000-acre Bloomsbury Farm in Atkins has traditionally been a corn and soybean farm. It was founded in 1856.

But in 1995, the Petersens started a new venue when they added Bloomsbury Greenhouse to their Benton County farm operation, complete with a floral shop, small greenhouse, and landscaping business.

After a devastating tornado in May 2004, the Petersens pivoted and renovated the farm to become a family-centered destination dedicated to “agriculture, fun, and education.” Subsequent windstorms and the 2020 derecho aftermath pushed them even further to take agritourism to the next level.

Bloomsbury Farm will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. The family welcomes over 75,000 people annually to experience the farm’s seasonal events.

“In the early years, Karen had the idea to plant a few pumpkins and invite the community out to enjoy the fall season,” the Petersens told Farm World in a joint family statement. “The business has grown into a destination for thousands to enjoy the rural beauty of their home.”

On April 28, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who chairs the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, announced Bloomsbury Farm as the Small Business of the Week.

“From its Bunny Bash to the inaugural Iowa Tulip Festival, Bloomsbury Farm plants memories and captures smiles with their family-centered seasonal events,” Ernst said. “Welcoming over 75,000 visitors annually, the Petersen family continues to grow Bloomsbury Farm into a premier agritourism destination.”

Dave grew up in a small town called Alexis, Ill. Although he grew up in Illinois, he spent a lot of time at Bloomsbury Farm in Iowa with his grandfather, and always knew he wanted to be a farmer and dreamed of running the heritage farm someday.

When the opportunity came to go back and take over the farm, he jumped at it and has continued to build the legacy. He and Karen are the fifth generation to farm, and their daughters, Jess and Sammy, are the sixth generation.

Karen grew up in Maplewood, Minn., which is near St. Paul. Although she considered herself “a city gal,” she fell in love with the farm the first time she visited. After she moved to Iowa, she started to work toward getting her floriculture and horticulture degrees at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. She also started a small fall festival event on the farm that has grown each year since.

In the early 1990s, Dave and Karen decided to plant a small pumpkin patch and invite the community. The success of the first Fall Festival sparked a passion for the agritourism industry.

The Petersens eventually joined industry groups like NAFDMA (North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association) and the Maize Group, which are groups of agritourism farms that gather to share ideas and travel each year to different areas of the United States to network and learn.

Sammy and Jess, both Iowa State University graduates, are heavily involved with managing the farm. They decided to join full-time and make Bloomsbury Farm their career and passion. When both girls were home, the family started to expand into the spring and summer seasons. This year, the Iowa Tulip Festival and the Fields of Flight Kite Festival are the farm’s new events.

The Petersens said they are honored that Ernst recognized them as the Small Business of the Week: “We work hard to create a space for the community to come to enjoy our family farm, feel connected to agriculture, and build memories together. We know that Sen. Ernst is a strong supporter of agriculture and farmers in Iowa, so to be recognized by her is a real honor.”