It's Your Business
   Published Online Apr 23, 2001
   By DEBRA PRESSEY
   News-Gazette Staff Writer

   Fresh-produce store reopening for season
   
    First Fruits Produce Co., a Mahomet area fresh produce, bakery and gifts store that opened last year, will be reopening for the season next month with an expanded selection, says one of the owners, Nancy Asbill.
   
    The store, located on Illinois 47 just north of the Early American Museum, plans to open May 11 with strawberries and asparagus grown by the Asbill family.
   
    As the season progresses, the Asbills plan to sell raspberries, apricots, cherries, sweet corn, squash, tomatoes, beets, turnips, eggplants, and other fruits and vegetables. Apples and cider will be available in the fall, Asbill said.
   
    The shop also features fresh herbs, flowers, gift baskets, soaps, honeycomb candles, honey, hand-painted gift cards, and bakery goods such as homemade pound cakes, cookies and pies.
   
    Asbill said she and her family are adding heirloom tomatoes and other unique varieties this year.
   
    Nancy and Burt Asbill operate First Fruits Produce with three of their children, sons Barak, Jansen and Tyson, and their wives. The elder Asbills get plenty of help from their grandchildren as well, Nancy Asbill said.
   
    Nancy is a native of the local area, and her husband, Burt, is a former peach and almond farmer in California.
   
    They plant 30 acres of produce. They opened the store because they were producing more than they could sell at area farmers' markets, Nancy Asbill said.
   
    They lease their store building, part of which houses the Living Word Omega Message Church. Asbill said she and her family plan to donate half the store's profits to the church.
   
    The store will open, initially, for two Fridays and Saturdays next month, May 11-12 and May 18-19, and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. both Saturdays.
   
    Regular summer and fall hours will start May 25: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday.