Inspiring Conversations with Jason Riley of Bellawood Farm

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Riley.

Jason, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Bellawood Farm began through the partnership of three Marine Corps veteran families. Jason, Nathan, and Phil all served in the Marine Corps, collectively for nearly fifty years. The idea of purchasing the farm and businesses developed after Jason and his family moved to the Canal Winchester area in 2021. After visiting the farm and the previous business, Jason saw the potential of the farm to be an important part of the local community and to be a destination place for dining, shopping local products, celebrating events, and staying on-site. The 82 acres of the farm provide the perfect backdrop for the steakhouse, butcher shop, event venue, beer garden, Air BnB, and more. The partnership was formed over two years as the team went through a due diligence and business plan development process, ultimately closing on the property in December of 2024. Now managed collectively by Jason and Angie, Nathan, and Phil, the team has worked on rebranding, establishing the business’s reputation (Bellawood Farm was nominated for Canal Winchester business of the year in 2025), building the staff, renovating, and more. The farm is named after the Battle of Belleau Wood, which is one of the most famous battles in Marine Corps history.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting, owning, and operating a business is always challenging; especially a complex business such as Bellawood Farm. Planning and executing operations for a multi-revenue stream business requires an incredible amount of planning, coordination, and communication. Bellawood Farm comprises a steakhouse, wood-fired pizza operation, a retail and butcher shop, an event venue, a beer garden, and Air BnB, camp sites, and various other aspects. The leadership, management, logistics, customer relations, marketing, and various other requirements to run a business as complex as this is a team effort, and the team is daily confronted with new and unforeseen challenges (for example, a storm recently knocked down four power lines along the road in front of the farm!). As all business owners understand, you can plan and prepare as much as possible, but you will always encounter the unexpected and unforeseen.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Bellawood Farm?
Bellawood Farm specializes in excellent customer service, great food, and local products. The wood-fired pizzas are some of the best in the Columbus area. The retail and butcher shop focuses on Ohio-made products, including locally made milks, cheeses, honeys, breads, pastas, beers from Ohio breweries, and many other Ohio Proud products. We also process beef, pork, lamb, and goat from local farmers and sell those products in our retail store and steakhouse. The steakhouse, wood-fired pizza, and bakery products are made from scratch. The location, products, and service provide a one-of-a-kind and unique experience that you won’t find elsewhere in the Columbus area.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
As a business owner, you have to be able to adapt quickly to changing situations, make the most of every opportunity, and be able to laugh when things don’t go the way you expected. Grit, determination, and the ability to see humor in difficult situations are keys to running a successful business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bellawoodfarm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellawoodfarmohio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570072794959
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bellawood-farm-canal-winchester-2