About Wish Farms

Harris Wishnatzki was a Russian immigrant who came to New York City about 1900. Harris was selling fruits and vegetables from a pushcart when he met fellow pushcart peddler Daniel Nathel. They both built up their businesses. In 1922, Harris Wishnatzki and Daniel Nathel both had large fleets of pushcarts selling produce on the streets of New York City when they joined forces to set up a wholesale business. Wishnatzki & Nathel was born.

In the late 1920’s, the firm had a buyer in Florida that sold strawberries to them. Harris Wishnatzki spent several winters in Florida while getting involved with the produce buying. In those days, growers brought their produce daily to farmer’s market auctions to be traded. Harris become a regular buyer at the Plant City auction. He fell in love with the Central Florida area. He moved his family south in 1929 to set up a produce shipping operation in Plant City. Meanwhile, Daniel stayed in New York to run the wholesale market side of the business.