“This place feels like you’re just hanging out in the backyard with your friends. It’s open, it’s inviting, it’s cool” said one visitor of Winghaven Pizza Farm.
There are plenty of beautiful sights to see at Winghaven, with lush green trees and foliage filling the surrounding bluffs and hills in the distance and fields of tall healthy stalks of corn, and the sounds of children playing on a playset and exploring the beautiful tall grass filled hill and surrounding woods, and gorgeous floral and edible landscaping surrounding the unique, open concept pizza farm restaurant.
People from all around come not only for the delicious, locally sourced pizzas and many local craft brews, but also for the ambiance. “It’s feels less like you’re at a restaurant and more like you’re at your neighbor’s house” said one visitor. Another visitor noticed something a little different; as she put it “I groaned when I noticed the restrooms were porta-potties; however, upon entering, I was delightfully surprised! It was so clean, and the water was as blue as the ocean” she said with a chuckle.
I was privileged enough to visit in August, when the pizza special of the month was Caprese. AH-MAZING! I honestly could have eaten the entire pizza by myself because it was so good, but I chose to share with another person, who also agreed she would have loved to have her own caprese pizza to herself!! The combination of homemade crust and garlic, basil, tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar we’re lust worthy.
A cool little tidbit about their restaurant, the Winghaven Pizza Farm is a family owned and operated. Originally starting as an apple orchard, Winghaven got its cleverly created name due to the many birds who found a “haven” in the Grover’s apple orchard while traveling their migratory path down the Mississippi River. And now, to our benefit, five generations later, the Apple orchard was transformed into the beautifully unique, family owned and operated property that is now called the Winghaven Pizza Farm. Winghaven Pizza Farm is definitely a “must-do” one of a kind, dining and gathering utopia!
Let’s Talk With The Owners!
Rob Grover – Owner
So, what’s your story? How long have you been here in the Driftless, Were you born in the Driftless, What keeps you here in the Driftless? I have been in the Dirftless my whole life and am the fifth generation to love on my family’s farm, where Winghaven Pizza Farm is located. My great-great grandfather settled on the land in 1852, and I stay here because I feel a strong connection to the land, and have a passion to preserve it for generations to come.
Tell us about what you do for work or your business. I am the Co-Owner of Winghaven Pizza Farm and also serve as the Economic Development and Tourism Coordinator for Trempealeau County.
Tell us about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career with your business. Converting the barnyard of an 113 barn into a successful food and music venue.
We’re constantly making things better, faster, smarter or less expensive. We leverage technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to do more—with less. Tell me about a recent project or Problem that you made better, faster, smarter, more efficient, or less expensive. As the creator of most social media, I am proud that we have been able to successfully promote our business and tell our story with very minimal advertising costs.
Tell us about some of the people you’ve met, that stand apart from the rest, while here at your Business or workplace. I have met a lot of folks who have never been to the Driftless, or a pizza farm! I love having the chance to educate folks on why this is such a cool place to live, work, and play.
Tell us about someone who has influenced your decisions for yourself or your business. My Grandma Grover was both the most hardworking and kind person I have ever known and taught me to treat every person with dignity. I have tried to carry on those traits into our business. My Grandpa Grover was a man with vision, and from that I am always looking at what is something that adds value to the business that we can do next.
What do you think will change about your business or business process over the next five years? I think we will definitely move into doing more special events. We would also like to do more partnerships with local businesses where folks coming out to the farm can try their products.
What do you wish other people knew about you or your business? That you can enjoy our place rain or shine!
If you were to tell a friend to come and visit the Driftless Area, and they ask “Why” … what would you tell them? Because it has something for everyone, of any age or ability. And, it’s the most beautiful place in the Midwest!
Let’s Get Personal
If you weren’t here running your business, what would you be doing instead, or what would your life be like? I would probably work as an archivist for a historical society. I love local history and research!
How do you develop yourself outside of your work environment? Personal development can take all shapes and sizes. It can be found in a hobby, a purposeful pursuit, or in an appetite to explore. I love getting lost in old antique shops, historical buildings and grounds, and going to interesting places where I can see a new perspective on things.
What are some of your favorite places to go and have fun here in the Driftless? For outside life, it’s Perrot State Park in Trempealeau. For good old fashioned fun, the Dells!
What are some of your favorite places to eat here in the Driftless? Winghaven, of course! But Wason’s Supper Club and Beedles Bar and Restaurant are up there too. I really enjoy Supper Clubs.
What might our readers be surprised to know about you? Other than plane tickets or hotels, I have never ordered a product online! It’s not that I am against it, I just don’t shop much and I love seeing something in person before I buy it.
What are you most curious about in life? Why we put round pizzas, in square boxes, and then cut that pizza into triangles.
What is the most courageous thing you have done in your life? Opening Winghaven and running for political office.
If you were to tell a friend to come and visit the Driftless Area, and they ask “Why” … what would you tell them? Because it has something for everyone, of any age or ability. And, it’s the most beautiful place in the Midwest!
Greg Roskos – Owner
So, what’s your story? How long have you been here in the Driftless, Were you born in the Driftless, what keeps you here in the Driftless? I was born and raised on a beef cattle farm near Arcadia, WI. Besides a couple years of grad school in Madison and a University job in Iowa, I have lived in the Driftless area my entire life. The Driftless is where I choose to live because I prefer being surrounded by exceptional natural beauty, and many of my friends and family also call this area home. I enjoy many outdoor activities in the Driftless, such as kayaking, biking, hiking, camping, and fishing, and felt a strong urge to move back to this area because of how abundant these activities are all around us.
Tell us about what you do for work or your business. I am co-owner of a seasonal outdoor pizza restaurant called Winghaven Pizza Farm, which is located on a family farm near Galesville, WI. I am responsible for menu development, accounting, and sourcing a variety of local beer and wine for our bar. We also have live music and many outdoor games for people of all ages.
Tell us about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career with your business. We are proud to provide over 20+ part time jobs, have served thousands of pizza to people from all around the Midwest, and serve a wide variety of snacks and beverages that support many local small businesses.
We’re constantly making things better, faster, smarter or less expensive. We leverage technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to do more—with less. Tell me about a recent project or problem that you made better, faster, smarter, more efficient, or less expensive. We have implemented a number of processes to improve efficiency, including using an app-based employee clock in/out system, updating our website to include automatic social media updates, and using two-way radios for staff to communicate during busy shifts.
Tell us about some of the people you’ve met that stand apart from the rest, while here at your business or workplace. We have visitors who thoroughly enjoy our family-farm setting and the old barn that still stands on the property which brings back fond memories of their own family farms and enjoying time outside with their family. Listening to their stories and sharing their strong connection to family and farm makes them feel unique to our business model.
Tell us about someone who has influenced your decisions for yourself or your business. My passion for food and cooking comes from my mom and my grandma, who are no longer with us. Growing up, I would always help them cook for holiday meals, and they would encourage me to try new foods every chance I could, which influences my passion for sharing good quality food with others.
What do you think will change about your business or business process over the next five years? With any growing business, there are always process improvements to implement each year. We hope to offer more private events, and to continue to seek out high quality products and ingredients so our customers continue to trust us for their weekend adventures!
What do you wish other people knew about you or your business? We make all of our pizzas to order, meaning our kitchen staff starts assembling the pizza only after the order has been placed. Sometimes we can have a significant wait time due to order volume, but we put a large amount of care and attention into each and every pizza. Our restaurant model is focused on a quality slow-food instead of a fast meal, so we provide a variety of lawn games and exceptional live music for our guests to enjoy while they wait. We truthfully hope our customers see our restaurant as an afternoon/evening event for people of all ages.
Let’s Get Personal
If you weren’t here running your business, what would you be doing instead, or what would your life be like? I have always been drawn to academia, so if I weren’t running Winghaven Pizza Farm, I would be working to further develop student entrepreneurship and business development at one of our many well-respected colleges or universities in the area.
How do you develop yourself outside of your work environment? Personal development can take all shapes and sizes. It can be found in a hobby, a purposeful pursuit, or in an appetite to explore. I am always seeking a new hobby or interest to explore. My grandfather taught me to always seek out knowledge in any form, so I do that by challenging myself in different ways. Examples would include making homemade pasta, training for a spring triathlon, or attempting yoga at Elmaro Vineyards.
What are some of your favorite places to go and have fun here in the Driftless? I thoroughly enjoy all the downtown renovations in La Crosse, which include a number of great patios and Riverside Park. The place closest to my heart is southern Trempealeau County, with wonderful family businesses such as Elmaro Vineyard and Ecker’s Apple Orchard. The Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge is also a favorite stop for its walking trails, kayaking, and birding opportunities.
What are some of your favorite places to eat here in the Driftless? I love trying new food and I have a soft spot for supper clubs and coffee, which are both found all over the Driftless area. Some of my favorites dining spots include Beedles (Centerville), Sullivans (Trempealeau), and Kickapoo Coffee Roasters (Viroqua).
What might our readers be surprised to know about you? The two things people might like to know about me is that I have a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development and I am a Certified Beer Server. These are two very different educational backgrounds that both play major roles in my duties as co-owner of Winghaven Pizza Farm.
What are you most curious about in life? Definitely food culture. I love to try new foods and recipes, and talk to others about food preferences and how their cultural and regional backgrounds influence their cooking and eating habits. I also love learning about where food comes from, and how improved farming practices can improve ingredient accessibility, especially in a state with four seasons!
What is the most courageous thing you have done in your life? It would have to be starting Winghaven Pizza Farm with Rob Grover. We were able to take a farm and turn it into a successful seasonal restaurant in a year with very little to start with besides a great location and a will to see it through to completion. It was definitely a leap of faith, but our dedication to the project is what made it all happen.
If you were to tell a friend to come and visit the Driftless Area, and they ask “Why” … what would you tell them? I would tell them that the Driftless truly has something for everyone. If you like cities or forests, bluffs or rivers, supper clubs or modern bistros, the Driftless has it all. Also, the variety of communities between the different towns in the Driftless means that each day you spend exploring means another fascinating local culture to dive into. The rich farming histories and preservation of our natural forests, rivers, and lakes made this area unique and well worth the stop!
About Winghaven
It all goes back 167 years ago to 1852, when N.B. and Mary Grover first settled on our farm and, like their ancestors in New England, planted apple trees. Two generations later, Henry and Evelyn Grover thought the growing orchard business needed a more formal name. With our farm being right on the migratory bird path due to its proximity to the Mississippi River, many ‘winged’ guests found a ‘haven’ in the apple trees. So, the name Winghaven Orchards was chosen. Though we no longer commercially grow apples (our next door neighbors, Ferguson’s Orchards, do an incredible job of that), the now 5th generation of the Grover Family is proud to honor our ancestors by using the name Winghaven Pizza Farm! Come visit us to add yourself to the history of the farm.
Winghaven Pizza Farm N18057 Grover Lane Galesville, WI 54630
bluffs and hills in the distance and fields of tall healthy stalks of corn, and the sounds of children playing on a playset and exploring the beautiful tall grass filled hill and surrounding woods, and gorgeous floral and edible landscaping surrounding the unique, open concept pizza farm restaurant. 
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