Rick Lopata of Lopata Farms says people who buy his sweet corn often tell him it’s the best they’ve ever had. But if those shoppers ever buy from his parents at Betty’s Fresh Produce, they might have a hard time picking a winner.
Lopata Farms and Betty’s Fresh Produce are essentially the same farm by two names, run originally by Betty and Ron Lopata and since joined by Rick and his wife, Autumn. Together the four raise traditional row crops, as well as an abundance of fruits and vegetables to sell at local markets. Though they sell corn under two names, it all comes from the same field.
Rick says working so closely with his parents can be stressful at times, but it’s often a lot of fun.
“I’m a grown up now, so I’m not, like, ordered around,” he joked.
While his parents focus on a wide variety of produce, with their rhubarb and asparagus being especially popular in the early growing season, Rick works full time at Rockwell Collins and focuses mainly on tomatoes, pears and berries as a part-time farmer. 
The approximately 5-acres of sweet corn the four farmers grow together sustained some damage from the recent derecho storm, but Rick said animals like birds and raccoons are the bigger threat. The farmers use a speaker that plays predatory bird calls all day and night to try to scare off the pests.
Rick’s son, Luke, adds a third generation to the sweet corn effort. He joins his dad and grandpa at markets to bag and distribute the corn, and Rick says he hopes Luke continues to enjoy farming into the future so he and his son can keep the legacy going.
“If I ever get to retire, I might do it more like my parents do,” Rick said.