Vincent Farms in Delaware: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Vincent Farms is a fifth-generation family operation near Laurel in western Sussex County, Delaware, that the Cape Gazette says farms about 3,000 acres of melons, vegetables and grain and ships from Richmond to Boston. In 2021 the Delaware Department of Agriculture gave the Vincent family the Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service to Delaware Agriculture.
| Location | Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware |
|---|---|
| Founded | Five generations of family farming; start date not published |
| Sectors | Melons and vegetables, grain, agricultural equipment sales |
| Scale | About 3,000 acres, per a Cape Gazette editorial |
| Why it is elite | 2021 Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service to Delaware Agriculture; Farmers to Families Food Box participant |
| Ownership | Vincent family; fourth generation Clay and Ray Vincent, with fifth generation involved |
| Official website | Delaware state announcement of the 2021 Secretary's Award to the Vincent family |
History of Vincent Farms
The Vincent family has farmed in western Sussex County for five generations. The state describes a long history of selling food in retail markets along the Eastern seaboard and into Canada. Clay and Ray Vincent represent the fourth generation, their mother Carole the third, and six of their children work in the business, with two young granddaughters named as the sixth generation waiting to join.
In June 2021 Delaware Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse surprised the family with the Secretary's Award, created in 2008. The state cited its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the farm joined the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program, hired staff to process boxes and contracted truck drivers for deliveries across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
What Vincent Farms Grows and Raises
The Cape Gazette reports that the farm grows melons and vegetables for grocery stores and grain that feeds poultry operations, a typical Delmarva rotation. Lancaster Farming lists Vincent Farms among five brokers that meet Delmarva watermelon growers each season to set planting acreage for East Coast markets, which tells readers it is a major melon marketer.
The state also notes that the business includes agricultural equipment sales. Delmarva watermelon growers supply East Coast markets from mid-July into October, a window that grocery buyers want covered by reliable supply, so scale and logistics matter as much as the crop itself.
How Vincent Farms Makes Money
Produce for retail markets
Melons and vegetables are sold into grocery supply chains along the Eastern seaboard and into Canada, according to the state announcement.
Grain for poultry
Grain grown on the farm supplies Delmarva's poultry industry, which dominates Delaware agriculture. The USDA 2022 Census shows poultry and eggs accounted for about $1.59 billion in state sales.
Food box contracts and equipment
The Farmers to Families Food Box Program raised sales to the farm's box supplier and created work for processing staff and truck drivers. The state also lists agricultural equipment sales as part of the business.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Vincent Farms
The first lesson is to pair a high-value crop with a stable one. Melons carry the upside, while grain sold to nearby poultry houses keeps the rotation and cash flow steady.
The second is logistics as a product. The farm moved produce by truck through the food box program on short notice because it already had drivers, packing capacity and buyer relationships. Third, a multi-generation team spreads management roles, which eases succession.
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How to Contact Vincent Farms
Website: https://news.delaware.gov/2021/06/10/sussex-county-family-receives-secretarys-award-for-agriculture/
No official farm homepage appeared in the sources reviewed, so the best verified public page is listed. Find business contact details through local Laurel, Delaware listings; details were not independently confirmed in November 2026.
Vincent Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Delaware news release on the 2021 award - State announcement naming the Vincent family
- Cape Gazette editorial - Independent coverage with acreage and markets
- Lancaster Farming on Delmarva watermelon - Trade coverage naming Vincent Farms as a broker
- USDA NASS 2022 Delaware Census profile - Delaware sales, crops and poultry
- Delaware Department of Agriculture accomplishments - Specialty crop grants and the Delaware Grown brand
Vincent Farms FAQ
Where is Vincent Farms?
It is near Laurel in western Sussex County, Delaware.
How big is it?
A Cape Gazette editorial says it farms about 3,000 acres.
What did it win?
The 2021 Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service to Delaware Agriculture.
What does it grow?
The Cape Gazette says melons and vegetables for grocery stores, plus grain that feeds poultry operations.
Vincent Farms shows how a fifth-generation Delaware operation stays competitive by combining produce, grain and logistics. For the statewide view of Delmarva farming, read the Delaware farms guide alongside the other profiled operations.