Shelby and Ross Produce: Rooted in Family
For five generations, the Shelby family has passed down a tradition of farming and family.
Spectacular sunsets, singing cicadas and roadside wildflowers make Oklahoma summers so special, but what would the season be without watermelon and sweet corn? The bounty is best shared with the ones we love, and for Shelby and Ross Produce, family is at the root of everything they grow. Their farm-to-table crops are harvested with generations of tradition behind them.
Owners Cristin and Bill Shelby built their business with their three children on their farm in Webbers Falls, where they grow several varieties of watermelon, cantaloupe and sweet corn on more than 2,000 acres. The rich, fertile farmland in the Arkansas River bottoms has been in Bill’s family for five generations, dating to a pre-statehood Cherokee Nation allotment that originally consisted of 40 acres. Bill’s grandfather, Robert Ross, began farming the land in the 1960s with sweet corn, soybeans and wheat. Today, the family is known throughout the region for the quality of its produce.
“Bill, my husband, remembers going around with his grandpa, with a trailer load of watermelons, selling them kind of door to door as a kid,” says Cristin.
When they were old enough to drive, Bill and his cousins traveled to roadside stands, selling produce as far away as Branson, Mo.
“Both my grandpas were farmers; my dad was a farmer, and so it’s all I ever really knew,” explains Bill.
Kate Shelby, age 14
A legacy of hard work and community
The Shelbys’ three children, Eli, 16, Kate, 14, and Claire, 10, are being raised much the same way, with a legacy of hard work and community that continues to shape their lives.
The family not only farms together but also harvests and sells together at the Tulsa Farmers’ Market every Saturday morning throughout the summer. Rising at 4:15 a.m., the family loads up and drives from their home in Muskogee to share their watermelon and sweet corn with loyal customers. Since 2007, Shelby and Ross Produce has been a favorite at the Tulsa Farmers Market, often selling out before the end of the day.
“We see the value in farming, and in the kids learning how to do something that creates value; we see value in them,” said Bill. “They are learning to work with their hands and also learning to talk and interact with customers, look people in the eye, show respect.”
“It’s honestly pretty incredible because we get to do this together, and the kids take a lot of pride in what they do and find a lot of joy in it, too,” Cristin added. “Their friends aren’t doing that type of stuff. That’s not how they’re spending their summers. I think that’s kind of hard, but I think they really do appreciate what they’re doing.”
An entrepreneurial spirit and the value of a dollar have been ingrained in the children, and all three agree they are benefiting from the experience.
Excessive screen time and social media have become a nonissue for the Shelby children, who have benefited from a simpler life rooted in the family business.
“I’ve learned to be social and talk to people politely, and I’ve learned good manners,” said Kate. “My favorite part is eating the stuff we grow and being like, ‘Wow, we did this!'”
Claire Shelby, age 10
Claire, the youngest of the three children, says the most important thing she has learned through the experience is “just how to treat the customers and how to interact with people. And the watermelons are my favorite.”
In the future, Eli plans to continue working in the family business, while Claire hopes to become a dentist.
“I haven’t really decided what I want to do yet,” said Kate, “but one thing that sounds pretty fun to me would be opening a doughnut shop.”
At the heart of all the Shelby children’s future endeavors is an extraordinary work ethic.
“Honestly, seeing a product taken from the field, knowing how long it takes to develop, and getting to go and interact with customers one-on-one, there is something really, really valuable about learning how to show respect for your customer, and part of that looks like us producing a really great product,” Cristin said. “We are trying to build a community of people who trust us as their watermelon, sweet corn and cantaloupe people, and they’ve been coming back year after year because we have a great product for them.”
For the Shelby family, the harvest is about more than watermelon and sweet corn. It’s about preserving a way of life, passing along lessons that can’t be taught in a classroom and ensuring the next generation understands the value of hard work, family and community. Long after the last watermelon of summer is sold, those are the traditions they hope will continue to grow.
Bill Shelby sells melons to customer Diana Allen of Tulsa.
Find the Shelbys at the Tulsa Farmers Market
Looking for fresh Oklahoma-grown watermelon, sweet corn and cantaloupe? You’ll find Shelby and Ross Produce at the Tulsa Farmers Market every Saturday during the growing season.
- When: Saturdays, 7 to 11 a.m. (or until sold out)
- Where: 1 S. Lewis Ave.
The Shelbys have been a favorite vendor at the market since 2007, and many customers make their stand one of the first stops of the morning. Arrive early for the best selection, especially during watermelon season.
