Plow Maker Farms

About Us

Plow Maker Farms is a family farm that grows great food. Our motto is simple: delicious food grown well. We don't spray chemicals on our crops and we protect and develop insect and wildlife habitat. We don't want to eat toxins and we are betting that you don't either.

Our Name

Plow Maker Farms came from our family name Fluegel. Currently we have three generations of Fluegels working together.

Fluegel is the Americanized spelling of the South German family name Pflügl or Pfliegl (and you though Fluegel was hard to spell!). It means 'plow maker' or 'farmer' in German. Likewise the Middle High German word pfluoc means 'plow'.

The German name Flügel also means a 'wing', which can describe a jutting piece of land extending beyond the boundaries of a farmer's land.

Odd fact: Fluegel (Flew-gal) has an Urban dictionary meaning. It is used as a verb: to be Fluegeled. i.e. "I was so Fluegeled last night" or "That's so Fluegel". Or used as a noun: a person who entertains and is an urban legend.

The Farmers

Ollie Fluegel

It all started with a pepper plant. Well, actually a lot of pepper plants. Ollie and his cousin Eric decided they should grow peppers and make hot pepper sauce. Due to a combination of wanting to try different peppers and not wanting to sacrifice any seedlings to thinning, there was soon a jungle of plants taking over Steve's living room.

Susan suggested reviving the old greenhouse to plant the adolescent peppers. Somehow Steve got involved and before we knew it Ollie and Steve had built a functional pepper and tomato greenhouse once more.

Steve Fluegel

Steve started Plow Maker Farms several years ago so he could spend time with his children; Annabelle and Ollie. After some years of a farming break, he and Ollie started it up again.

Steve likes to experiment with different plant varieties and growing conditions.

Steve grows many different varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Tomatoes come in all colors, shapes and sizes. If you have only been eating red tomatoes from the grocery store you may want to try some of the different heirloom tomatoes available.

Annabelle Fluegel

Annabelle is skilled at making plants grow. She is a great weeder and one of our best tomato flavor testers.

Jane Fluegel

Jane enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and her happy cows (not necessarily in that order). Currently she has six calves and six grandchildren so they are neck and neck.

Jane is actively increasing pollinator habitat on her farm. She is currently planning a native berry bed, beetle banks and windbreaks. Jane also designs beautiful landscapes using native and low water use plants.

Susan Fluegel, PhD

Susan is responsible for website design and development, most photos, and all tall tales on the website.

Susan is a Nutritional Biochemist with a MS in Entomology; BSs in Environmental Management, Biology, General Agriculture and Food Science and Human Nutrition; and a minor in Chemistry. She believes that natural wholesome food is healthy for everyone and that grumpy people should eat more fat (preferably in the form of ice cream or dark chocolate). Currently she is working on a new website on how to treat Long COVID, MetS and chronic pain.