Dana and Bernard Boyle — A Family Farm That Keeps Growing

If you’ve ever pulled into Garner’s Produce and felt like you didn’t just shop—you belonged—you’re not imagining it. There’s a warmth there that goes beyond sweet corn and ripe tomatoes. It’s the kind of place where someone remembers your name, asks how your husband’s doing, and notices when you haven’t been by in a while.

Behind that little stand (and the bustling markets up the road and up the interstate) is a story rooted deep in family, faith-in-hard-work, and the Northern Neck kind of community that shows up when it matters.

Dana and Bernard’s story begins the way so many Northern Neck stories do: through people who know people.  Though they had grown up just miles apart—both raised in farm families—they hadn’t crossed paths until that introduction. They began dating in 1997 and married in 2005. Next year marks 30 years together—a partnership built on shared grit and shared vision.

Long before Garner’s looked the way it does today, there was a little white stand across from the farmhouse driveway. It was simple—nothing fancy. But it was a beginning.

As a kid, Dana’s job (along with the other younger cousins and sisters) was to relieve the older girls.  One summer she saved about $300—and learned the kind of work ethic you can’t teach with a lecture.

But what stands out most isn’t just the hours. It’s that she wanted to be there.

Even as a young girl, she was determined to tag along on late-night trips to wholesale markets—so determined that she once climbed into the truck after her dad went to bed, planning to sleep in the cab so he’d have no choice but to take her. (She only tried that a couple times before deciding midnight market runs weren’t quite as romantic as they sounded.)

After high school, she didn’t head straight to Virginia Tech. She began at Rappahannock Community College, and somewhere in that season realized something important: when her dad needed help, she was willing to drop everything—even class.

Not because she had it all figured out. But because helping him mattered.

Eventually she knew that if she was going to build something lasting, she needed more than farming skills—she needed business tools. So she completed a business management program at Virginia Tech and finished her four-year degree in Ag Econ. She wanted structure, systems, and a foundation strong enough to grow on.

Here’s something you don’t hear every day: Dana’s Dad wanted her to lead.

She’s seen plenty of farm families struggle through transitions. But her dad’s mindset was simple:

“Do what you want to do. If you make a mistake, learn from it.”

He was happy to stay behind the scenes—tractor driver, fieldwork, doing what he loves. Even now, in his mid-80s, he’s still out there when the weather’s right.

Garner’s didn’t appear overnight. The family’s farming story goes back to around 1960, when her dad and uncle began farming piece by piece. There were long nights, early mornings, lean seasons, and wholesale runs that felt like a gamble.

Her uncle helped build the vegetable side before passing away in 1985. The work continued. The stand continued. The family kept going.

And eventually, it became something more than anyone expected.

If you’ve met Bernard, you know he’s not the loudest voice in the room. But in the life of Garner’s, he’s the one people call when something breaks, stalls, freezes, or won’t make sense. Years ago, one of the younger employees nicknamed him “the Renaissance Man,” because it felt like he could fix anything.

What stands out most isn’t just what he knows—but how freely he shares it. Whether it’s helping a neighboring farmer calibrate equipment or fixing a car in the parking lot, Bernard operates with an abundance mindset. Around here, that kind of spirit matters.

From the outside, it may look like a simple stand. But behind it are greenhouses, unseen fields, months of planning, and around 30 employees during peak season.

Ask what they’re most proud of and you’ll hear:

  • customer service
  • product quality
  • investing in employees

But more than anything, it’s the heart behind it.

These days, it’s less about transactions and more about people. It’s noticing who walked in. Asking the extra question. Making sure each person feels seen.

One of the most exciting developments at Garner’s is a project they’ve been dreaming about for nearly 10 years: a commercial kitchen, supported by a grant.

The vision is practical and local:

  • fresh “slice and dice” options (think chopped sweet potatoes, butternut squash, ready-to-go produce)
  • salsas, fajita mixes, and value-added items made from what they already grow
  • the ability to safely preserve surplus
  • more baking capacity 

Their hope is to have it ready around early-to-mid June, with more food options potentially rolling out later in the summer.

Winter and Summer CSA programs are expanding, too, giving families the convenience they’ve been asking for.

Through it all, the story remains about family, legacy, and community.

Deeply rooted in the Northern Neck, Dana and Bernard are not only committed to their farm, but to the future of this place—including working alongside Bay River Realty as clients and community partners who value strong local relationships.

When asked what she hopes never changes about the Northern Neck, her answer was simple and steady:

That even with growth and change, we’ll keep the ability to work together and help each other—no matter our differences.

That’s the Northern Neck at its best.
And it’s Garner’s at its best, too.