George Gagel’s Truck Farm is a signature business in heavily-populated southwest Jefferson County. Creating a break in the line of homes along Lower Hunters Trace Road in the Louisville suburb of Pleasure Ridge Park, Gagel’s is a farm market where loyal customers come in the spring for plants and flowers, and then return regularly in the summer and fall for fresh produce, pumpkins, mums, etc.

The sudden sight of the explosion of colors from Gagel’s flowers will grab your attention as you travel down the busy road.

“Their mouth drops open when they see all the color; it’s pretty breathtaking when people come in,” says George.

The Gagel family has been farming in the area since migrating from Germany in 1840. George is the fourth generation to make a living off farm production. He has a sixth generation -- two granddaughters -- working for him.

Gagel’s has eight acres of produce and about 100,000 square feet of space in seven greenhouses on his 10 ½ acre site surrounded by schools and homes. Flowers and plants use about 70 percent of that space, with produce accounting for the remainder.

George says his most popular item is hanging baskets of flowers and plants. He turns out about 10,000 per year. Their web site, www.gagels.com proclaims “our hanging baskets are legendary.”

There’s also a garden center with bedding plants, house plants, nursery stock and herbs. And there is produce aplenty, staring in late spring with bibb lettuce and broccoli. The summer season brings on tomatoes, squash, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, carrots, okra, greens, beets, green onions and more. Due to the limited acreage, George doesn’t grow sweet corn and green beans, but has them for sale at his market from Gallrein Farm in Shelby County, which has a lofty reputation for its corn and beans.

George sells wholesale, using a colorful truck for delivery. “It’s my traveling billboard,” he explained.

He also sells at the Southwest Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s at Valley High School.