About the Greenisen Farm

The Greenisen Farm​

The Farm on the Depot Road has been the home to four generations of the Greenisen Family.  About 1895, Jacob and Elvina Whiteleather Greenisen moved to the farm as renters.  In 1908, Garrie C. and Celia Halverstadt Greenisen moved to the farm while Jacob and Elvina moved to the Lisbon Road.  Garrie and Celia purchased the farm in 1916.  They planted an orchard, had a retail milk route in Salem with milk provided by the Jersey herd on the farm and planted field crops including hay, wheat and potatoes.  A variety of peach was named after Garrie C called the Garrie peach.  After Garrie's untimely death caused by a cut infected with corn smut, Celia attempted to run the farm with hired help until 1940.  Galen and Marguerite Schmid Greenisen moved to the farm to help.  Galen milked Jersey cows, had registered Hampshire hogs and raised hay, oats, wheat and corn.  Galen's sons, Gary and Phil, began taking care of the field work in 1970. Galen continued with the milking eventually switching to Hereford beef cattle while living on the farm until his death in 1989.  Marguerite continued to live on the farm until 1992 when she decided to move to a condo.  Phil and Marge Staples Greenisen purchased the farm and moved into the farmhouse.  Phil continued to farm as well as work off the farm.  In time, the fields were leased to other area farmers while off the farm careers and the horses occupied the days.  Many changes have occurred over the decades that Greenisens have lived here.  We hope that the farm can continue to be a gathering place for the extended family and future generations will enjoy it as well.