Glendale Enterprises
About us:
Several generations ago, the Wilkerson family settled on a farm in Glendale, a hamlet located ten miles north of DeFuniak Springs in Northwest Florida. Since then, crops profitable enough to grow ranged from cotton, corn, and soybeans to peanuts and chufa, depending on the vagaries of both the weather and the marketplace. Adjacent to the farm is a non-profit, green cemetery, Glendale Memorial Nature Preserve. For those looking for an inexpensive no-hassle burial of loved ones along with room for their pets.
Providing pasture was simple and relatively cheap, so adding cattle to the mix became an obvious way to increase income. Corn, of course, would fatten the cattle. And velvet beans, highly valued for adding nitrogen to the soil and as a food crop for cattle, would climb the cornstalks; so planting velvet beans was a no-brainer. Our velvet bean seeds have been handed down from our crops, and crops of other Florida panhandle farmers and cattlemen, generation after generation.
Today, interest in velvet beans has skyrocketed largely due to the reach of the Internet. Word has spread of their value beyond fertilizing the soil and as a protein source for domesticated animals and wildlife. Many websites tout the medicinal value of the L-dopa-laden beans, so we’re growing more to meet the demand. We have restored a stone grist mill that we use to grind the beans into powder. When you see the video you will see what a family farmer can do when not in debt to corporate or investor bean counters. And as a small, family-run business, we live, eat, and breathe our seeds (along with a bit of dirt and dust!). We grow, nurture, harvest, dry, clean, bag, and store our own velvet beans, and we take great pride in them. We know that you will like our service, and you will love our seeds and find uses for powder. We enjoy serving you and learning about your successes. Please feel free to write or call with any questions you might have.
Original video of the velvet bean gristmill created by Ralgat Troll.
The Velvet Bean offices are located in the hamlet of Glendale in the Florida panhandle, 40 miles north of the Gulf Coast and about midway between Mobile, Alabama and Tallahassee, Florida.
Telephone: (850) 859-2141
Download printable directions here: directions.pdf
Exit I-10 at DeFuniak Springs. Take 331 north to Hwy-90, and 90 east to Hwy-83 (in town). Driving north on Hwy-83 about 9 miles will bring you to our sign and kiosk. At the kiosk follow the directions pictured below, or stop and pick up a print of these directions. We will be happy to see you!