When two farmer brothers purchased a small country store on the brink of bankruptcy in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, they initially considered tearing it down and returning the land to farmland. Instead, after consulting with the store's employees, Jay Paul Hoover and Neal Hoover chose to keep it open as a farmer's market and discount grocery store. That decision, made in 1989, has led to the evolution of Whispering Pines Fruit Farm into a full-service bulk food store and market that now serves households across Central Pennsylvania.
The store's growth from a struggling country store to a comprehensive market is significant because it demonstrates how a small, family-owned business can adapt and thrive in a competitive retail landscape. By expanding its offerings over the decades to include a bakery, a deli, a bulk foods department, and a full-line grocery, Whispering Pines has become a one-stop destination for many local families. The store's ability to pivot and diversify has not only preserved jobs but also provided a valuable resource for the community.
Central to the store's identity is its orchard, which produces apples, peaches, and cherries that are harvested and sold in the store as each crop comes into season. Apple cider is also available. Fall marks the store's apple season, when orchard fruit is sold alongside the supplies many local households use to prepare applesauce, pies, and preserves at home. This integration of farm-fresh produce with home-preservation supplies underscores the store's commitment to supporting a DIY food culture.
The bulk foods department at this Amish bulk food store carries a wide range of staples, including spices, flours (including gluten-free varieties), sugar, oatmeal, pasta, rice, alternative sweeteners, bulk candy, and fresh ground peanut butter, with many items available in 50-pound bags. The deli slices meats and cheeses to order and prepares subs, wraps, sandwiches, homemade salads, and deli trays, along with ring bologna and meat snack sticks. Customers can place deli orders online for pickup. The bakery prepares baked goods from scratch daily.
For home food preservation, Whispering Pines stocks canning and curing supplies such as Mrs. Wages pickle and salsa mixes, pickling and canning salt, pickling lime, and food strainers for making applesauce. For home meat processing, the store carries Morton Tender Quick, pink curing salt, and jerky, bologna, and summer sausage kits from Hi Mountain Seasonings and Con Yeager Spice Company. Many of these items are also available through the store's online shop.
Whispering Pines Fruit Farm is located at 76 Orchard Hill Road in Mount Pleasant Mills and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store is closed on Sundays. According to the company, it has received more than 850 customer reviews with an average rating of 4.7 stars. Those interested in learning more can visit Learn more at wpfruitfarm.net, and view images of the store's offerings at this link and this link.
