There’s a new business in Chester and a new lease on life for an old manufacturing building.   Green Valley Country Store and Feed, conducted a soft opening on December 11 at the old C.A. Smith building on Carolina Ave,     Owned and operated by Farin Weltner and Jason Powell, the store is the latest expansion of the Green Valley Dairy’s endeavors.

While the store is new to Chester, Green Valley Dairy and the family that has operated it, is known to many in the Chester area.  Located just over the PA State line on Gas Valley Road, Green Valley Dairy has been home to five generations of Weltners, raising and milking Holsteins as a means of income.   Green Valley was once an independent retailer and Albert “Sonny” Weltner was owner and milkman  delivering glass bottles of milk and homemade ice cream to homes in Northern Hancock County.

Sonny is now semi-retired, and his youngest daughter, Farin,  has taken over management.  The dairy farm now continues to raise and milk Holsteins and provides milk to larger retailer.   In addition to raising three sons, Farin and her husband, Jason Powell, opened Green Valley Country Store in Hookstown in 2020.

Transforming the large building into a local business has been a dream of the two.   For the past year, Jason and Farin and family have been hard at work cleaning the building and getting it ready for business.  It was no easy task, but the large building is now spic and span.   Farin points out the great bones of the building and the tremendous potential it holds.   The Country Store will feature “Uncle Sonny’s Homemade Ice Cream,”  a favorite many local people were  driving to Hookstown to keep their freezer stocked.   Green Valley also offers Green Valley soaps and candles along with homemade dog collars, Duck Blend coffee, Highland Homestead meat and a variety of specialty items.  The feed and seed store will also feature hay and straw.

Hours of operation and the store’s offering can be found at the store’s website at  Greenvalleycountrystore@greenvalleycountrystore or on Facebook.                      .

A grand opening of the Green Valley Country Store and Feed    will be scheduled after January 1.