Kori Thomas has taken a lifelong love for the farm and turned it into a dream come true.

As the planting season begins in earnest, farm families across the state are hard at work preparing for what they hope is a productive season including Kentucky Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Farm Woman of the Year (FWOY) Kori Thomas and her husband, Micah.

The couple owns and operates Peach Tree Farm and Greenhouse in Allen County. The third-generation farm consists of commercial beef cattle, an orchard of peach, apple, and pear trees, 29 varieties of pumpkins, row crops, and hay production.

In the past two years, Thomas has opened both an agritourism venue and retail garden center on the property, where she sells annual bedding plants and hanging baskets as well as perennial flowers, trees and shrubs.

“We're on the farm where I grew up and we like to say we're very diversified," she said. "We started with cattle which was kind of all we knew at the beginning, but then we thought we'd need to do something else. So, we planted peach trees. We started with 120 and we just planted probably 40 to 50 more."

From there, the farming operation has continued to grow. Thomas said mums came next along with three greenhouses in a span of three years. They now have five greenhouses, and their farm continues to grow. 

“We just keep adding more to do, and we still have more ideas,” she said. “We're even looking at maybe putting up a sheep barn. I really enjoy the animals.”

Having worked off the farm, Thomas said she couldn’t imagine retiring just sitting at a desk and she knew it would take more work to keep the farm growing.

“I just think it's a good way of life, and I hope that it's teaching our kids a good work ethic and teaching them that you have to work to get anywhere and do what you love to do,” she said. “Hopefully they see that I enjoy it and know that's what you want to be happy with your life.”

Part of what is fueling the growth of the Peach Tree Farm and Greenhouse is a presence on social media something Thomas said has proven to be very beneficial to them.

“You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and we are on YouTube,” she said. “We post videos so that people can see what it takes to produce the things that we do and that it is a lot of hard work. I think if it was me on the outside looking in, it would be neat to see what it takes to get all this done. So, we just try to expose people to the agricultural world and show them what hard work does.”

More and more Thomas is hearing from customers who are seeing and commenting on her social media posts.

“It's always good when people come out to the farm and they say, ‘I love watching your videos,’ and we have a lot of people who like and enjoy them,” she said. “Social media gets your name out there and it's the least expensive way to do it. I think it's helped us a lot and our page is growing tremendously.”

In being name FWOY, Thomas said to be complimented and awarded for something that she loves is an honor.

“I was very excited about it and to know had there were a lot of incredible candidates and that I won out of all these amazing women, it has been an honor,” she said. “I love what I do, and I enjoy every minute of being out on the farm and it was just amazing to get that phone call and quite the compliment to be awarded for something that I love so much.” 

While Thomas stays quite busy on the farm, she takes on many other activities including volunteer efforts as the USDA representative for the local allocation of Ag Development funds, host of the 2024 Allen County Farm to Fork Dinner, member of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and Allen County Cattlemen's Association, Allen County Extension Board and Council Member, Allen County 4-H volunteer, a children’s ministry volunteer at her church, as well as a home school teacher for her children.

She is also a lifetime KFB member and Thomas, and her husband were named the 2020 Allen County Young Farm Family of the Year. She is involved in the KFB Generation Bridge program and participates in the KFB Certified Farm Market program.

Farming has always been a part of her life and now she is serving as a role model for others to follow their dreams.

“As a kid I wanted to be on the farm and helping more and more but that was not something women did in past generations,” she said.  “Now, if women feel the need to be the farmer, then that's fine. I think it's just the key to happiness and finding what you love and finding your passion.”