She’s just 15 years old, and a soon-to-be freshman at Bridgeport High School, but a potential career path and business could be waiting for Harper Randolph. She’s on the current staff of H.C. Monroe Farms, which is located in West Milford.

 

It should be noted that “current staff” is entirely family. It should also be noted that this particular family business was created specifically for the potential future of Harper, who is a special needs young lady.

 

Do not let the tag dissuade you from thinking she does not have a business acumen. But what it comes down to for Harper for the time being is what she likes about her job working on a farm to help nature produce the family’s products.

 

“My favorite part of the farm is picking and selling,” said Harper.

 

That is a good thing. Working on the farm and selling the wares from the labor is what Suzanne (Pomeroy) and Jeff Randolph envisioned when starting the farm two years ago. The decision came after Suzanne opted to step away from her 17-year career at BHS where she served as an English teacher the entire time.

 

The decision was made as Jeff continues his job at MPLX. And it was made shortly after the parents added to the family with the birth of now 3-year-old Monroe, who joined Harper and 10-year-old Collins in the family mix.

 

And for those not paying attention, the kids’ names spell out the farm in order – H. (Harper), C. (Collins) and Monroe for, well, Monroe. Pretty simple equation. The equation for the farm that is now in its second year, however, is the ultimate in a family’s love for their child.

 

While the family works on the farm and are named after all the siblings, Suzanne said it is Harper – who has not been officially diagnosed with a specific diagnosis but is mentally impaired – and her special needs that is the solitary reason for the opening of the farm. And it happened when everything kind of just fell into place.

 

“When you’re a parent of a child with special needs, obviously the future of that child for a parent looks different than a parent who is neurotypical as they say,” said Suzanne. “Jeff and I have wondered once school is over for Harper, what the next step would be. We wondered how we can still provide Harper with communication with other people, socialization, a purpose, a job,” she said. “The big question just remained what was coming after school.”

 

Things lined up to get what is looking to be the answer Harper is already an outdoor girl. She likes being outside. She loves painting flowers. She loves rides on the side-by-side four-wheeler.

 

“We knew she already had an interest in the outdoors, but nothing dawned to us how to connect it with the questions we had about what to do once school was over,” said Suzanne.

 

It was in Suzanne’s last year teaching at the high school where discussion began on a Future Farmer’s of America program. Jeff and Suzanne thought it would be a good outlet for Harper. Then, they took it a step further.

 

“We were able to take inspiration from her love of the outdoors and combine that nicely when Jeff’s parents purchased 20 acres in West Milford,” said Suzanne. “We went all in with the farm, started a business, and registered it with the state, and here we are.”

 

Indeed, they are here. And not just down on the farm in West Milford. H.C. Monroe, since July, is a regular at the Bridgeport Farmer’s Market at Charles Pointe on Sundays. This year has been good to the family and their new business, but 2020 proved – as it did on so many fronts – pretty difficult.

 

“I guess 2020 was tough on everyone, but it was really tough on the farm life. We took losses and didn’t produce a lot,” said Suzanne, who sold to those they knew and utilized online sales. “We were second guessing ourselves at the end of the season.”

 

The 2021 year has witnessed a turnaround. Mother Nature has lent a hand to the family’s own labor, and things have worked out well with their debut at the Farmer’s Market.

 

“This year, I will tell you, being at the Bridgeport Farmer’s Market, has been a dream for Harper. She loves to wave and interact. She’s a great salesperson,” said Suzanne. “She’s got that smile that people just warm up to and when she’s making her pitch they just are like ‘throw it in the bag.’ She has been thriving.

 

“It has been wonderful to be blessed with the output of crops, which leads to the most important thing,” she continued. “We’ve watched Harper grow doing this and interact so well with others.”

 

One of those Harper regularly interacts with is Collins, the 10-year-old sister who is “bouncing around, filling bags, and likes to make change.” That’s what happens when it is a family business – all hands are on deck, which Suzanne said certainly includes Jeff’s parents Jeff and Donita who own the acreage the farm sits on.

 

That farm is producing tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, egg plants, green beans, corn all available at the Farmer’s Market and if there are extras you can find out how to purchase them off of their Facebook and Instragram pages (@hcmonroefarms). The farm is also expected to yield pumpkins this fall. Things are going much better in year two for the family.

 

“This year we were able to break even as far as output of materials and seeds this year so we’re still in the red in how much we invested. This year gives us hope that we can make a little bit of money,” said Suzanne. “It all goes into the farm account and the hope is that the accounts grow with money that Harper can live on. As parents, it is important to know she will be taken care of.”

 

Right now, they’re handling the job. And Suzanne said they are getting a big lift from another area.

 

“I can’t thank Bridgeport enough for being a community of inclusiveness. Harper has always been welcomed no matter what activity,” said Suzanne. “It truly is amazing so how many embrace her and include her.”

 

Randolph is part of the community. She was born here. She grew up here. Worked in a professional career here. And now she and Jeff are raising their family here. It is because of that the end goal does not necessarily end with Harper if all goes as planned. Instead, the goal is to give back in manner those have given to her.

“Certainly, we want to provide Harper with an employment place, but one day down the road we want to be able to keep it up at a level where we can start a small company and employ others with special needs,” said Suzanne. “That is our end goal post retirement for my husband. We want to give back to the community and help out the way it has helped us.”

 

The new business endeavor has planted the seeds to just that. The idea has already taken root. After all, a good farm keeps growing. This one just has little bit of magic in its favor by the name of Harper.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Jeff and Suzanne Randolph with, from left, Harper, Monroe, and Collins. In the second photo Collins is shown watching progress on the farm, while she's with her mom and dad in the second photo at the Farmer's Market. In the fourth photo, Harper is shown with some of the farm's goods, while she's shown, left, with her sister Collins below busy at work. Submitted photos courtesy of Suzanne Randolph.