May 2024 Produce Parable Great Grilling By Adam Calder, Produce Manager The smell of hickory smoke; the sound of sizzling steaks; the taste of those dark strips of caramelized sugar seared onto fresh produce after it touches a hot grill; these things combined mean it is the season for back yard grilling! Our grocery [...]
April 2024 Produce Parable Salama Seedlings By Adam Calder, Produce Manager A few months ago, we were saddened to hear that Lonna from Onion Creek Farm was retiring from growing seedlings. Even though seedlings are small, this absence created a huge hole in the projected sales numbers for the produce department. It was no [...]
Helpful Tips for Extending the Life of Your Produce • Make sure not to mix fruits & veggies Fruits emit ethylene as they ripen; pairing them with veggies will result in premature spoilage. • Keep produce cool Low temps slow the rate of respiration, which in turn keeps the [...]
National Organic Standards Updates By Adam Calder For the first time since the 1990’s, the United States Department of Agriculture updated the rules for the National Organic Program (NOP) that regulates the integrity of organic industries. The updates close loopholes that previously existed in the NOP, and seek to maintain and improve the faith [...]
Seasonal Transition Update Adam Calder, Wheatsfield Produce Manager This is a time of year for transitioning seasons, and it is also a time of transition for many of the produce items we sell at Wheatsfield. During the winter months, many crops are raised in the desert growing regions of Arizona and Mexico and distributed [...]
HELPFUL TIPS FOR EXTENDING THE LIFE OF YOUR PRODUCE • Make sure not to mix fruits & veggies Fruits emit ethylene as they ripen; pairing them with veggies will result in premature spoilage. • Keep produce cool Low temps slow the rate of respiration, which in turn keeps the item fresher, longer. • Avoid [...]
We're selling Christmas Trees at the Co-op! Oneota Slopes Farm - your Christmas Tree Grower: Located in Decorah, Iowa, Andy, Emily Johnson and their three daughters grow 10 acres of pine, spruce and fir trees along the slopes of Northeast Iowa. After living in Georgia for a few years, Andy and Emily returned to [...]
By Adam Calder, Produce Manager No one wants to cut into a melon they just bought to find it under-ripe, over-ripe, mealy or rotten. The following should be a helpful guide to help you select the perfect melon the next time you go shopping for one. With this knowledge in hand, you should feel [...]
By Adam Calder, Produce Manager The local season got off to a bit of a slow start this spring with all of the rain making it difficult for farmers to get out there and plant crops in mucky, muddy fields. We are in full swing now though, with local produce all over the place! [...]
By Adam Calder, Produce Manager Much like a mighty thunderstorm, spring has rolled across the plains, and in its wake the land has come alive once again. The trees have all their leaves, the flowers are blooming, the birds sing and the bunnies are bouncing. This cool, wet spring weather is helping Lee’s Greens [...]
