Jim Gilles grew up in Owensboro, KY, where his family raised beef cattle. When he came back to the family farm, he noticed customers wanted access to locally raised beef, but many hesitated to buy a half or quarter of beef. Not everyone could afford or store that much meat at once. So, he started selling individual cuts of beef at Owensboro Regional Farmers Market on Saturdays during the summers.
What started with his own beef soon expanded to raising chickens and incorporating pork, milk, and cheese from other farmers alongside his market offerings. By 2016, seasonal Saturdays had expanded into a year-round, on-farm retail store carrying milk, cheese, pork, and produce. Today, Hill View Farms Market a reliable place for people to pick up products from more than 20 local farms.
Setting up an on-farm store started when a vacant house on the farm became available. Jim and his family had considered renting it, but they decided to take a chance and turn it into a storefront instead. “We didn’t have anything to lose,” Jim said. “If it didn’t work, we’d just fall back on renting the house out.”
Happily, the on-farm store worked. As Hill View gained traction and a loyal customer base, Jim added SNAP as a payment option around five years ago. He knew the importance of making local food more accessible and saw how programs like Kentucky Double Dollars (KDD) helped shoppers stretch their benefits at the farmers market. benefits used at the market.
When he heard CFA would be piloting on-farm markets and roadside stands, Jim was excited to sign on. In 2025, Hill View Farms Market began offering Kentucky Double Dollars to allow SNAP customers to double up to $20 of their
“I kind of knew what I was getting into,” he said, having seen the program in action at the Owensboro Regional Farmers Market. He worked closely with CFA staff to understand the required reporting and design a system that fit how Hill View already operated. “Honestly, getting SNAP was more difficult than figuring out how to do KDD at the store.”
Using a simple voucher system—dated and tracked with stubs—Hill View began offering KDD, making it easier for SNAP shoppers to return, redeem vouchers, and buy more.
“It helped folks who use SNAP to come to the store more often and buy more,” Jim explained.
Hill View’s SNAP sales continue to grow gradually, and the store is committed to welcoming more shoppers who want fresh, local food from Kentucky farms.
For other farm stores considering the program, Hill View’s experience shows that with the right support, it’s possible to make KDD work for on-farm retail, too—not just for farmers markets. If you have a farm market or roadside stand and are interested in offering incentives, check out Kentucky Double Dollars here: https://kentuckydoubledollars.org/retailer-or-farm-stand-information/. CFA can can work with you to accept SNAP if you are interested!
Learn more about Hill View Farms Market here: https://www.hillviewfarmsmeats.com/