Greg’s Produce Barn, a market offering an assortment of locally grown crops to Oktibbeha County residents, opened for its last day of the season on Sunday. The market will not open its doors again until May 2024.
The dark wooden barn is covered in colorful signs advertising peanuts, watermelons and sweet potatoes. Located in Longview, it stands on the side of Highway 12 West with a big light-up sign that reads “GREG’S PRODUCE BARN.”
Customers are greeted upon entering by owner Greg Bollinger, who welcomes them to look around. Customers can find fresh apples, plump muscadines, glossy peppers, bright squash and vibrant tomatoes that are all grown in the healthy field beside the barn. Depending on the season, the public can even find flavorful watermelons and seasonal pumpkins.
The store has been open since 2004, and it provides uncommon crops, such as Vardaman sweet potatoes, yellow zucchini, specific peppers and more. In addition to these products, Greg’s Produce Barn also sells freshly grown butterbeans, peas, tomatoes and other common crops.
The market supplies customers with fresh and uncommon produce that Bollinger either grows or transports himself from other local suppliers.
As namesake and sole employee of Greg’s Produce Barn, Bollinger said he works his hardest to ensure the happiness of his customers.
“Honestly, I enjoy growing. You know, a lot of work doing this and going and going. It seems to be rewarding in some areas, you know, peace of mind. I’m not destitute, but I’m not going to be a millionaire either. I still enjoy it. I enjoy helping people get what they’re looking for,” Bollinger said.
Adam Wright is a supplier that works with Bollinger. He grows peas, butter beans and sweet potatoes at his family farm in Vardaman. Wright has been working with Bollinger for as long as Greg’s Produce Barn has been open.
Wright talked about how fresh produce is valuable because customers know where it is coming from, stating that local connections are important.
“It keeps the money here, in the local places instead of going to larger corporations. It helps to keep it here in Mississippi,” Wright said.
Bollinger said that most of his suppliers have been working with him for 20 years. He has made connections throughout Mississippi and Alabama. Bollinger personally picks up and delivers all his products, echoing the importance of keeping business local.
“I’ve been lucky, or blessed you might say, to get people in my life that have what I need here and there. So, I feel lucky in that area, but it takes a while to get to that point,” Bollinger said.
Dodie Danehower has been a customer of Greg’s Produce Barn since it opened. She said that the store offers reasonable prices and quality produce that is lacking in traditional stores.
“He grows it, it’s right there, it’s like going down to the barn to get your vegetables, and I like that,” Danehower said.
Bollinger makes an effort to create honest connections with his customers.
“I’m going to be honest, I’m honest here. If you ask me if a watermelon is any good, and I know it’s not, I’m going to tell you it’s not. That’s how you do it. If you’re going to lie to them, you just end up hurting yourself in the end,” Bollinger said.
The busiest times of year for Greg’s Produce Barn are June through mid-September. Bollinger said that it took him around 13 years to realize that it would be best to close the shop during winter. He learned a lot from his first years in business.
“I remember a lot of lessons. Thinking you know what you don’t know because there’s a lot to learn. You think it’s just going to jump off and take off, but it doesn’t. You’ve got to put in the effort to having good stuff, fair prices and all of it. It comes together, but there’s a lot of learning curves in between,” Bollinger said.
Pat Upton is an Ackerman resident who has been coming back to the store for many years. Upton said that the variety and freshness of produce, as well as Bollinger’s kindness is what keeps her coming back.
“It’s probably the closest produce place of that nature from Ackerman. It’s easy to get to. It’s right off the highway. It’s easy to get inside the store, and he is very helpful,” Upton said.

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