On this episode of Legacy on a# Plate, we head south to visit the family farm that's been delighting# generations, one cinnamon roll at a time.

Hi, I'm Michelle Bernstein and welcome to# Legacy on a Plate.

Join me as I visit the iconic restaurants that have shaped South Florida# history, one plate at a time.

Let's dig in.

I'm ready to make my way to Homestead,# the agricultural hub that for the past 70 years has been home to one of South# Florida's most beloved family destinations.

With their delicious shakes and# linew worthy cinnamon rolls, this farm transcended its roadside stand# beginnings to become an iconic South Florida experience.

We native South Floridaians# can't wait until strawberry season begins.

This is not farm.

My name is Thomas Blocker.# Uh I have been the bakery manager at Nberry Farm for the last 40 years.

The beginning starts about 1924 when two Nouse# brothers from Missouri came to Miami to help with the building boom.

That lasted for a few# years.

A hurricane came through and that kind of stopped that process.

They went back to their# agricultural roots, went not too far from here out by Miami Speedway and started raising produce.

And# they were successful at that for several years.

Successful enough that they were able to build# a couple of houses.

And the founders of Nberry Farm were born in this area.

The American dream# probably wasn't something they had in the back of their minds.

They were young men just trying# to make a living.

However, if you look at their history and what they've done, obviously, it's# an American dream.

You started with nothing.

you were able to build on that and make an# establishment where people would be responsive to what you did and actually word of mouth# carried them on and that was only because they were hardworking and diligent and honest.

Well,# we're kind of talking about generational tradition and you will find that if you interview some# of the people, they're going to tell you their parents brought them, they brought their children,# they remember their grandparents bringing them, and they want to share that same experience# with their children.

The other thing is, especially early on when we open up and it's# been a few months before anybody's had anything, there seems to be this desire to have bragging# rights to say that you waited in line.

And not only bragging lights that you waited in line,# they actually brag about how long they waited.

So, I can't explain it.

It happens and we're glad# that it does.

The bakery was a a second thought.

They didn't intend to do a bakery.

It was all# about farming.

Someone suggested after tasting my mother-in-law's cookies, maybe she could# sell the cookies at their little roadside stand that they had set up.

She did that and it totally# evolved over the years from like 60 through today.

So, Thomas, we are where the magic happens.# This is the magic.

This is incredible.

I don't want to take too long in here because I know# everybody is moving.

About how many of these cinnamon buns do we go through in a day?

Do you# know?

Yeah, a lot.

That's That's the standard answer.

A lot.

Should we say thousands?

Uh,# you probably could.

Yeah.

Depends on the day, right?

The staff is really good.

They# know what they're supposed to do.

They don't have to go very far.

They've got their# steps.

It's a dance and they got to dance.

What time does this operation begin?

In the# morning.

What time?

Uh, we have somebody here at 4 o'clock in the morning.

In the in the# morning.

And, uh, cinnamon roll production usually starts right around 6:30. in order# to have hot rolls when we open up at 8.

You guys are selling these all over the country# now.

Yeah.

And people wait in line.

I mean, this is this is really what we are all about down here.# Yeah.

This is this is all word of the mouth.

There was no advertising.

Nothing of the sort.

They# just opened up the doors.

People came in.

They liked the product and we're just trying to meet# demand.

No, they love the I've love the product.

I have been standing in this line since I was this# high.

I mean, this means so much to all of us in Miami.

You know how often we hear that story all# the time and generation after generation.

Not only is it a generational business, but the people# that come, we hear that my parents brought me, my parents, my grandparents brought me.

We want# to bring our kids and so the tradition continues.

I have always enjoyed seeing the smiles on# the faces whether they come to the grounds and they they throw out a a blanket or they get# on one of the tables or we've had people bring tents.

We've had people bring stadium chairs# and they just enjoy being in that area and I think it's the satisfaction that I see or have# seen from the people that come is probably the most satisfying thing that I've had.

Thomas# You're the best.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for coming.

Thank you for having me.

That's# uh this one two times with us and you've been here multiple times before over your I come as# long as I possibly can as many times as I can a year.

Um I love it here.

I love your family# and thank goodness y'all are still putting it out.

I don't know how you do it but it's really# it's really wonderful.

There's there's a little bit of love inside.

Just a little a little# bit.

They enjoy what they're doing and we're happy to do that.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thank you for# coming.

Appreciate it.

And wait for next time.

I'm going to wait in line now and get my bun like# everybody else.

Okay.

Enjoy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No better way to end the day here# at Knosberry Farm than of course a warm just baked sticky bun and# chase it down with some strawberry milkshake.

And I'm going to take# the rest here to my neighbors.

I'm Michelle Bernstein and# this is Legacy on a Plate.