Perhaps she had a predilection for strong French cheeses because her father was from France. On the other hand, her love for the outdoors came from summers spent in her mother's home state of Minnesota, where Stephanie and Claire roamed in nature outside of the cabin their great-great-grandfather built in 1914. That's where Stephanie says that Claire felt "comfortable with the ebb and flow of things. It sort of set the pace for her life."
They attended the French International Studies Program at Sunset Elementary School. Stephanie remembers a fourth-grade field trip to Reims—as only a French program in the 1980s would facilitate—the area of France where they make champagne. Their mother and toddler Claire took the train to Reims to meet the class. "All the kids were coming home with all of this champagne," she says, recalling that even Claire got a taste at that tender age.
Claire attended Carver Middle School, MAST Academy, and the University of Florida. After graduating from college, she met her future husband at Timo Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach, where they both worked, she as a hostess and he as a manager. She made him a CD mix for Valentine's Day, but it wasn't until their paths crossed again when they both managed fine wine import portfolios that sparks really flew.
Claire worked as a photo editor and staff writer at Wine News Magazine. In 2008, she appeared as a guest on the PBS program Check, Please! with chef Michelle Bernstein, where she chose Hiro's Yakko-San as her restaurant to highlight. During the program, she shared that she was "raised French," which turned into a running family joke. Claire was entirely good-natured with a wonderful, dry sense of humor and didn't mind when her sister's band J-Lep recorded a song ribbing her about it.
She went back to school and became a nurse, a sort of reflection of her childhood dream of one day becoming a veterinarian. "She was interested in helping and helping animals," Stephanie says. "She was a very empathetic person always. I always said to people that she was the nicer one. She was always kind and did care." While she only practiced nursing for one year, she was generous with her knowledge, especially on the subject of childbirth.
From left: Co-founders of Harpke Famly Farm Tamer Harpke and his late wife, Claire Hutin
Photo by Claire Hutin
Despite Her Health Struggles, She Devoted Her Life to Her Family, the Farm, and Helping Others
Harpke started growing microgreens in the yard of their Hollywood home by watching YouTube videos. Soon, his hobby would turn into an actual farm. Around this time small family farms were starting to flourish around the country, and Harpke Family Farm was at the fore of this slow food, locally grown movement. Claire provided the support, realism, and foundation Harpke needed to make his vision a reality. "They were a very good team," Stephanie says. Claire's creative contribution was her culinary background, "and her experience eating so much food in her life!"Claire was diagnosed with an under-researched cancer, chondrosarcoma, in 2016. This rare, insidious cancer is more typically seen in older people, and for that reason, she never found a cancer community to support her in her illness. A couple of years later, she fell down during a routine delivery, shattering her pelvis. While in the hospital, she endured a harrowing experience getting the medical care she needed. Not long after, she became pregnant with her daughter Penny, to whom she was entirely devoted.
Harpke Family Farm, which was named New Times' Best Organic Farm in 2017, has been referred to as the "Michelin farm" because it focuses on providing local chefs—restaurant and private—with tailored and fresh ingredients. Its impressive client list includes Hard Rock restaurants, Elcielo, Four Seasons Hotels, Fiola, Orilla Bar and Grill, Maty's, and Itamae AO.
"We know what chefs need and want," says farm co-owner Maria Emerson. "We care about customizing things. So if they want a certain size or color, we not only can do it, we're really happy to do it. They've cornered a niche in the farming subculture with their personalized growing. Emerson became a friend of the farm after signing up for its shorter-lived CSA and was soon contracted to work with them. In 2019, she gave them the Christmas gift of a new website. When Claire was pregnant, she showed Emerson the ropes to take over administrative duties while she spent her time with Penny. Even when health issues forced Claire to act in a more advisory role, Emerson says, "Whenever we were making a decision, we were like, 'Let's run it by Claire.'" A consummate hostess, they held monthly financial review meetings at the Harpke house, where Claire would serve a nice bottle of champagne. "It was so Tamer and Claire," Emerson recalls of their warmth and hospitality.
She Inspired Every Life She Touched With a Beautiful Aura, a Smiling Face, and a Strong Work Ethic
Co-worker Jata Rahim says of the two, "It's beyond the business, it's family." He first came to the farm to buy kale. "I looked around at that farm and thought, 'I want to be a part of the crew,'" he recalls. He and Harpke share a true connection. "They say when you meet somebody from the heart, there's no more you, and there's no more me. There's just one."The farm was Milagros "Millie" Baylac's first job. Now working as a manager at a landscape company, she says she learned how to lead by watching Claire run the business and manage the farm. She always made sure employees felt respected and comfortable. Most impressively, she says, "They were also with us working just as hard, if not harder, honestly!"
"Her business acumen was amazing," Rahim says. "Claire with her smiling face and her beautiful aura, but Claire stood her ground." They used to call her "OSHA" (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) because she was there to protect them from themselves. She also made sure the farm was stocked with the foods he liked to eat while on the job. He says Claire would always ask, "Habibi," using the Arabic word for "sweetheart," "Are you drinking enough water?"
Eight Years Fighting Cancer Never Altered Her Nurturing Spirit and Commitment to Her Family
Despite being very ill, Claire never seemed sick outwardly. The cancer was a more aggressive form which precluded her from an experimental treatment. While she lived with the cancer for eight years, she barely survived a rare lung infection last year, recovered for a few months, and started chemotherapy. Through all of this, she continued to volunteer at Penny's school until December of 2024.On Christmas night, she knew she had to go to the hospital. (Ever practical, she wanted to wait until the emergency room wasn't busy, Stephanie recalls). A few weeks later, on January 8, Claire passed away. "She really wanted to be here," Stephanie says of her beloved sister. Claire had so much to live for and fought for it daily.
The Family and Farm Look Ahead
Harpke appeared on a James Beard Foundation Advocacy Roundtable in Miami on Jan. 22, two weeks after Claire died. There is no question that she would have wanted him to do it. She was committed to the farm even though, Rahim notes, "She didn't get to see the fulfillment of the dream."The farm has had to move locations twice and will find a new home again in the coming year. Harpke and his team also have some land in Delray Beach, where they may plant a citrus grove and open a high-end farm stand.
Rahim sees Penny on Mondays on her way to martial arts class. "And that's the highlight of my week," he says. They play soccer together and ride on the golf cart. Penny grabs fistfuls of her favorite plants to eat, and when Everglades tomatoes are in season, she picks every red one for herself. "These days whenever [Penny] sees flowers, she says, 'I need to pick flowers for mommy,'" Emerson says. When Rahim sees her composing her bouquets, he says, "Wow, look at the love here."
The family is raising funds for Penny's education via GoFundMe. Visit harpkefamilyfarm.com to learn more.
