Bright and early, the MaMa Jean’s crew set out to visit yet another local farm. Every Jeaner had been anticipating this specific tour because farms that specialize in growing exotic fruits are rare and far between. GC Riley & Co. is a beautiful 30 acre farm quaintly settled in Pierce City, Missouri. Co-founder, Colton Drollinger, welcomed our team into their spacious office where our tour begins.
Raised in Pierce City, Colton was originally interested in sports turf management after working for the Springfield Cardinals through college. However, when a passion fruit flower caught his eye, while walking through MSU campus with his father, everything changed. This intriguing plant sparked a whole world of exotic plant research for his entrepreneurial Dad, Greg. Only a month after graduating from Missouri State with his degree in Environmental Plant Sciences, Colton formed the LLC of GC Riley & Company with the goal of starting Missouri’s first dragon fruit farm.
In 2019 they began construction on their first greenhouse, refurbishing a frame to create a unique double peaked structure. They purchased their plants from a nursery in Florida and re-homed them in September of 2020. Even though their plants are relatively young they have already begun producing more than expected. This father and son team are truly pioneering exotic fruit farming in the midwest as they are currently the only farm to be growing dragon fruit locally.
“The only downfall of growing in a greenhouse is that no one has done it before and there is no data out there on the production of this plant”, says Colton. While dragon fruit 
generally only produces in the summer, in Mexico, Colton hopes to see a harvest all year round in their controlled greenhouse environment. Most of the dragon fruit you see in the United States is imported, so we’re pretty excited to have our own local growers here in Missouri.
The greenhouses are monitored 24/7 by a computer controlled system that Colton has programmed himself. The humidity, sunlight, and water are all carefully monitored. If anything is off, Colton will receive an alert via text and email so he can make proper adjustments. In the future Colton plans on creating a second greenhouse for more dragon fruit and expanding into growing passionfruit as well.
Our team is shown the Fertigation Room where water is filtered and purified with a UV light before being pumped out to the greenhouse. GC Riley only uses natural pesticides and fertilizers with no chemicals. Organic practices and sustainable processes are used as often as possible. Next door we get to see the Production Room where all the picked fruit is cleaned and packed before it gets delivered to market.
In the greenhouse we were met with rows and rows of climbing catcti that are carefully supported on wooden structures. Every evening the dragon fruit flowers will bloom, turning the greenhouse into a secret garden. Colton and his team must wake up very early to hand pollinate each bloom so the plant can bear fruit. As the morning hours approach, these stunning flowers quickly wilt and close up. Vibrant pink and purple scaly fruit will begin to form in its place. It’s easy to see how this remarkable fruit fits it’s name (minus the fire-breathing part, of course!).
What makes dragon fruit so special? Dragon fruits are naturally high in fiber, and loaded with antioxidants which may help reduce free radicals. Naturally fat free and packed with vitamins and minerals, it’s the perfect for breakfast or low-sugar snack. A perfect blend of sweet and tart all in one.
The fruit is served best chilled and cut in half. Simply scoop out the flesh and seeds much like a kiwi fruit.
Dragon fruit helps:
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Moisturize and smooth skin
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Decrease bad cholesterol level.
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Lower blood glucose levels
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Prevent formation of cancer causing free radicals
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Improve appetite
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Enhance metabolism
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Improve digestion and reduce fat
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Maintain healthy eyes
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Strengthen the bones and teeth
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Aids in tissue development
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Promotes healing of cuts and bruises
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Improves memory
