One of 91原创鈥檚 most deep-rooted family businesses is celebrating a rebirth, of sorts.

Ralph鈥檚 Farm Market started in 1991 with produce sales out of a hay wagon positioned along Fraser Highway in Murrayville.

From those humble beginnings grew a business that鈥檚 become a 91原创 staple at 22728 Fraser Hwy.

A new era for Ralph鈥檚 begins next Wednesday, Jan. 17 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. when Ralph鈥檚 unveils its new 11,000 square foot store to the public. The store includes a meat shoppe, all-day bistro that seats up to 30 customers and offers wi-fi and USB ports, a deli/bakery, as well as grocery and produce sections.

Specializing in fresh B.C. produce, as well as in-season fruit from the Okanagan, the business 鈥� owned and operated by founders Ralph and Elizabeth Merk and their family 鈥� has grown steadily over the years.

Ralph鈥檚 parents Rudy and Marian purchased a small Osoyoos cherry orchard in the early 1980s as they embarked on retirement.

In 1984, Ralph married Elizabeth and they rolled up their sleeves to promote fresh BC fruits and vegetables out of the back of their old, yellow van.

鈥淚 started from Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Aldergrove, I sold (the fruit) to friends, and I just went door-to-door, and I sold everything,鈥� Ralph recalled. 鈥淪o I thought, I鈥檇 do it again.鈥�

In the summers of 1983 and 1984, Ralph鈥檚 parents along with Elizabeth sold produce in Fort St. John. Then, in the fall of 鈥�84, Ralph started selling at Granville Island.

鈥淕ranville Island supported, basically two families for a long time,鈥� said Murray Redekop, Ralph鈥檚 brother-in-law who also worked at Granville Island and now manages the 91原创 store鈥檚 produce department.

鈥淲e sold at Granville Island extensively for 17 years, and we wholesaled on the side, as well.鈥�

Murray鈥檚 wife (and Ralph鈥檚 sister) Dianne, the store鈥檚 grocery manager, reminisced about the days in Osoyoos.

鈥淢y parents had a lot of trees, and Ralph, at that time, was trying to decide what he wanted to do,鈥� Dianne said. 鈥淗e was in between jobs. Dad and him thought of selling fruit door-to-door along the coast. For a season, he made enough money to buy a truck and they went up to Fort St. John for another season.鈥�

The establishment and success of Ralph鈥檚 Farm Market in Murrayville is the realization of a dream of Rudy鈥檚, who passed away in 2003.

鈥淒ad and mom were behind Ralph in everything he did,鈥� Dianne noted (her brother was unavailable for an interview as he was picking up supplies, with the store unveiling just days away). 鈥淩alph did a lot of the work and his dream was for it to be a family business.鈥�

The property was purchased with a produce market in mind, she said.

Ralph鈥檚 started out as a seasonal business, but it didn鈥檛 take long before it became a year-round enterprise, spurred by customer demand.

鈥淭he two things sold from the hay wagons were corn and potatoes, homegrown right here on 22 acres (along with Okanagan produce),鈥� Murray said, noting that blueberries are also grown on the fields.

This year, 20,000 pounds of blueberries were harvested from the fields.

When Ralph鈥檚 opened its doors year-round, the business expanded, adding groceries to the mix.

Fast forward to 2017, and the old building was razed to make way for a newer, more modern structure that鈥檚 visible on the south side of Fraser Highway at the top of 鈥楬ospital Hill.鈥�

鈥淚t was never built to be a permanent and long-standing structure,鈥� Murray said. 鈥淪o over the years it just weathered. I think the option was either to do an extensive renovation, or build. Ralph鈥檚 dream was to build, all along.鈥�

Ralph鈥檚 daughter Jenny said the anticipation of the new store opening has been off the charts. 鈥淧eople are really wondering when we鈥檙e opening,鈥� she said.

Jenny said Ralph鈥檚 Farm Market is not just a business, but a lifestyle for the family. She along with her four siblings, as well as their cousins Julie and Karen spent much of their childhoods on the farm.

鈥淲hen we were little we鈥檇 build little forts under the hay wagon and we鈥檇 help sample the corn and we were out in the potato field picking potatoes and we鈥檇 work in packaging with Auntie Di鈥�,鈥� Jenny said.

鈥淢y older brother Jason, he manages the incoming fruit that comes from the Okanagan, and he lives on the farm in a separate house with his wife and two daughters. Ralph鈥檚 mom lives with them Murray and Dianne on the farm as well. My mom and dad live with my two younger sisters, so we鈥檙e almost all there.鈥�