Maranatha Farm is one of the best-kept secrets in the ozarks
KOSHKONONG, MO. – After her husband’s passing in 2019, Mary Badiny knew it would be challenging to maintain the 53 acres she had purchased with him. The property, located in Koshkonong, was a desert when they bought it. Only a few sugar maples and cedar trees dotted the land.
But Mary and her late husband, Skip, had a love for cultivating the land. Together, they transformed what was once a barren land into a horticulture paradise called Maranatha Farm.
The farm’s primary goal is to provide organic food for neighbors and friends and a garden oasis for residents to enjoy. Maranatha Farm consistently produces a bountiful harvest of organic fruits and vegetables in addition to wintergreens raised in a 22 x 72 greenhouse.
Maranatha Farm also grows fresh herbs, perennials, raspberries, and vegetable starters in addition to fruit trees, grapes, and gooseberries.
Mary said that what makes Maranatha unique is that they grow a wide variety of produce and have an extensive system of gardens.
“Our farm is the best-kept secret in the Ozarks,” she said.
Prior to his passing, Skip toiled over a magnificent Japanese Garden – one that Mary still cares for today.
In addition to providing the community with organic produce, bedding plants, and gardening education, Mary has a special tea blend with the eponymous name “Mary’s Herbal Tea Blend.”
The concoction is formed with the help of her friends, all of whom volunteer on the farm. They help dry and bundle the herb strips for the tea, and they also help with other farm duties such as dividing seedlings and transporting produce orders.
Mary has long been dedicated to the concept of sustainability.
“The concept is one that focuses on producing the majority of what one needs to live well and obtaining the remaining goods or services as locally as possible,” she said.
“It can be practiced by country and city folks alike.”
Mary is a Seventh-Day Adventist and lives according to her faith’s principles; she believes that we all share a responsibility to care for the planet and its inhabitants.
All sales on the farm are based on a direct-to-consumer sales model. Produce is available via email subscription. Maranatha Farm is open Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Garden tours are available by appointment only.
