Our Story

Jones Strawberry Farm was started in 2008 by Orval and Sylvia Jones. What started off as a one acre field of strawberries that included a row or two of vegetables has grown into almost 3 acres forming the best strawberry producing farm in Forsyth County and surrounding areas. Orval, who grew up on their property, has been nicknamed "The Strawberry Man" by many people in the area. After his Mom passed away in 2001, he took over roughly 35 acres of the family property whose ownership dates as far back as 1789 to a German descendant. During his childhood, the farm was home to livestock such as chickens, pigs, and cows. Orval learned hard work first hand from his mother and father who ran the farm for many years. If you are lucky, you might have the opportunity to view Orval's 1955 Model 60 John Deere tractor that was restored in 2022. Orval's father, Merlin, purchased the tractor new. Known as a "putt-putt" because of the sound they emit, the tractor had not been operational since the late 1970s.

Orval and Sylvia married in 1968 and have grown a wide variety of items over the years. Early in their marriage, the then teenagers had over 2,000 tomato plants at one time. Sylvia would wake up early enough to pollinate the plants, then together they would drive the couple's two door sedan to the Food Fair grocery store in Thruway Shopping Center to deliver tomatoes. After the morning delivery, Orval would be dropped off at work at a local nursery then Sylvia would head to school for the day. The same year, Orval graduated from Forsyth Technical Community College with the first group in the history of the college to specialize in Horticulture. Nearly 50 years later, their son Eric is now the coordinator for the same program. Over the years they gained experience growing geraniums, cucumbers, squash, field corn, pumpkins, broccoli, and brussel sprouts among other things. True entrepreneurs at heart, in 1977 they started Elite Landscape Service & Nursery, Inc providing lawn care services to residential and corporate customers. Still in business today, the company is managed by their oldest son Eric.

For many years Orval had envisioned operating a corn maze on their property. In 2021, that vision came to life with the addition of a 5-acre corn maze and pumpkin patch managed by his youngest son Brent. The 5-acre field used for the maze today had not been plowed since 1974 when neighbors rallied around the family because Orval's father was unable due to a diagnosis of cancer. The same two-bottom turning plow from 1974 was used in 2021 to turn the field for planting.