Dixon Melons is a family-owned local grower and distributor of high quality, vine ripened, specialty melons in Montana. In 1987, Harley and Joey Hettick decided that the small patch of melons they were growing in their backyard were better than any melon available in local grocery stores, so Dixon Melons was born and has been going strong ever since. We now grow 25 acres of melons and have become a household name in Western Montana. The growth and success of our business has been a family affair. We are passionate about the work we do and the people who love the fruits of our labor.
Harley Hettick – Owner/Founder
Harley has been the President of Dixon Melons since its inception. Harley worked as a photographer straight out of High School with Melroe Bobcat, marketing their products with his photos. He went on to work for the Missoulian for 11 years while simultaneously taking on free-lance photography jobs for various well-known publications such as People Magazine, Smithsonian, etc. Switching gears after years of photography, Harley sold satellites and became an expert in sales. Harley and Joey met and married and decided to open Big Sky Tractor and built a very successful business selling Kubota tractors, once again proving his high level of salesmanship and marketing expertise. Around the same time, they started the tractor shop, they also began Dixon Melons and Harley put his experience in growing, sales and marketing to work. Harley and Joey’s understanding of business, marketing, sales, growing, and hard work is the foundation of what Dixon Melons has become today.
Joey Hettick (1950-2022)
Joey created the infrastructure that is Dixon Melons today! Throughout her life she built three successful businesses. The Silvernale Cafe was a restaurant that she built, owned, and worked tirelessly for 7 years, while also raising 4 kids. Joey and Harley started up Big Sky Tractor in Missoula and her unwavering dedication to work and understanding how to run a business made it thrive. The small patch of melons grown in Harley and Joey’s Garden in the mid-80’s sparked an idea in Joey’s mind for the business we continue today. She ran Dixon Melons and Big Sky Tractor simultaneously. From 1987 to 2021 Joey planted, weeded, marketed, sold, delivered, as well as kept meticulous books as the Farm grew through the years. Her drive and passion for the business is what inspires us and each person that has worked for us to find the value and joy in our Farm.
Faus Silvernale – Owner
Faus has grown up working at Dixon Melons since childhood. He is Joey’s son and has made Dixon Melons his life’s work. Faus is the logistical guru and irrigation specialist of the farm. He works out the layout of the fields and calculates psi to deliver water to all our plants through drip irrigation. Twenty-five acres of melons are nourished through Faus’ expertise of how irrigation works and his daily care and problem-solving skills in the field. Faus is also responsible for taking orders from grocery stores, farm stands, and the Western Montana Grower’s Coop and coordinates the deliveries to get melons out to them in a timely manner. His constant learning through experience and research is invaluable to our family farm.
Cassie Silvernale – Owner
Cassie has been working for Dixon Melons since 2005. She married Faus in 2013 and became part owner of the farm soon thereafter. Cassie has a BA degree in Elementary Education and a BA degree in Art Education K-12 which has helped make her a confident and thoughtful leader. Managing, training, and motivating employees is Cassie’s responsibility in the business. She oversees and works alongside employees daily through planting, weeding, harvest, and field cleanup. Cassie also coordinates getting our melons and workers out to the multiple Farmer’s Markets we attend throughout the season.
