Getting the Most out of your Pepper Harvest

Do you want to add value to your pepper harvest? In this post, we’ll first discuss choosing the correct pepper variety, then cover finding creative ways to package your peppers, and lastly, we will refer to a few common value-added processes.

Carmen (F1)

Choosing the correct pepper variety:

Before the seed is ordered, it’s important to make the correct varietal choices. Ask yourself the following questions: What types of peppers perform best in my region? Are there regional favorites that my customers have asked for? What is the intended end use for the peppers? Are there under-served ethnic markets or restaurants?

Here at Johnny’s, we help our customers clearly identify the main benefits and attributes of each of our pepper varieties, including their intended end use. It pays to research the specific demands in your region before picking a type or variety of pepper.

Check out what other growers are selling at local farmers markets. If you have adventurous customers and most growers there are not growing specialty peppers, this might present you with an opportunity. If your customers are culinarily conservative, maybe the standard pepper varieties are best for you. Another good idea is to contact restaurants in your area to find out what they are looking for. You can show them pictures of unique varieties in Johnny’s catalog or on our website.  It’s better to do your homework ahead of time so you don’t get stuck with peppers you can’t sell.

Creative Packaging:

If you’re looking for a new, unique way to package your pepper varieties, try some of the ideas below:

•           Sell your snack peppers in mixed pints of small bags and market them as the perfect-sized, healthy snack
•           Offer different colored bell peppers in mixed packages
•           Combine similarly-sized specialty peppers such as Aura, Glow, and Lipstick and offer them as a colorful snack-pack  

Red Flame (F1) (OG)

Value-Added Processing

• Ristras: They take a bit of effort, but they typically sell quite well. String the peppers before they are dry to prevent breakage. Red Flame is a good choice for Ristras and wreaths. Bangkok would also make a nice mini ristra or wreath.
• Chiles: Chiles can also be dried and ground to sell as powder or flakes. Please note, this requires eye protection and a respirator so you won’t burn your eyes or lungs in the process. Again, it’s important to research the demand for this type of product in your area, as the selling price of this product would have to be quite high to justify the effort. 
•  Jalapenos and Serranos: Peppers can be smoked and sold as whole or powdered chipotles.
•  Anchos (Poblanos): These can be dried and powdered and made into mole sauce.
• Anaheims (Numex): These peppers are easily roasted and can be sold for several times what unroasted peppers fetch.

Specific Pepper Varieties:

• Carmen is a sweet Italian frying pepper that is also great roasted.
• Hungarian Hot Wax, Capperino, and Golden Greek are all good peppers for pickling.

Highlander (F1) (OG)

Continue exploring additional resources on the topic of value-added processing at Johnnyseeds.com by reviewing  “Getting Started with Value-Added Crops”. This article covers finding your niche and business basics for value-added processors. Also, be sure to read our profile on Johnny’s customer, Freedom Farms in Maine, where we discuss their process for roasting peppers.

Not all Open Pollinated Heirloom Seeds are Created Equal

The great thing about heirloom seeds is their proven performance. They’re also generally widely adapted and have great market acceptance and recognition. Growers all over the world have been saving seed from these open pollinated varieties.  The question is where should you source your seed? 



Russell's Extra Choice Mix

It really depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.  It’s nice to imagine saving seed year after year and having pride and legacy develop on your farm or homestead, but how do you know if you’re getting the same high quality tomato that was first planted one, five, or even 25 years ago? Do you remember when your favorite tomato variety seemed to have more pronounced shoulders, a rounder shape, or a more upright plant habit?  

The truth is, not all seed savers, or seed production companies are created equal. Seed quality and performance can vary greatly from stock to stock. Let me help explain this, by presenting two examples below:

Find out more about our Breeding
Program at Johnnyseeds.com

Company A contracts a farmer to grow heirloom tomatoes. Since they’re desperate to ensure a seed source and their inventory is getting low, they provide the farmer with the remainder of their seed stock, which is leftover seed from a previous years’ production. The seed is in poor shape and the farmer struggles with low germination and poor plant vigor. Half of the transplants don’t make it to the field. To meet his contract, the farmer delivers seed from every tomato produced, regardless of the quality. This includes the fat ones, the skinny ones, the seed from the fruits that have some purple blotches, as well as seeds from the purple fruit with some red blotches. The farmer saves seeds from the plants that barely set fruit, the diseased plants, and the ones that might have cross pollinated with his own tomatoes.  Compound this seed saving process over a few productions and the tomato’s original great characteristics start to fade away.
 

Learn more about Johnny's
at Johnnyseeds.com

On the other hand, Company B contracts with several well-established and seasoned seed growers. The seed company provides disease-free, high germinating, true-to-type seeds to farmers geographically located in an area where common tomato disease and pest pressure for that crop are low. The farmer isolates the production crop from his crops of the same plant family on the farm.  The seed company frequently visits the growers and walks the production. Together, they select fruits that are healthy and disease free. They grade the plants and fruit on their health and for being the best possible match to the characteristics of the variety’s lineage.  They identify any off types, or lower quality plants and quickly remove them from the production. Upon harvest, the seed is lab tested to ensure high germination, and vigor. Grow-outs are performed to test seed quality prior to being released to consumers. The process is repeated next year using these “true-to-type” seeds.

Brandywine tomato

These scenarios happen every year in the seed production industry.  Don’t believe it? Try growing the same exact heirloom varieties from three different seed suppliers. Grade each one based on uniformity, plant health, and being true-to-type. 

Johnny’s knows that as a grower, you’re proud of your product. We know you may not always be the only one to market with a Brandywine tomato, but we can help you have the best looking one there, by ensuring our seed production is held to a high standard that we are proud of.  We also rely on our seed growers to return to us the type of seed they would be proud to buy. One of the reasons we are able to offer our customers such great quality seed is due to the specialized seed growers we work with.  They are the ones that walk countless times during the season to make sure Johnny’s gets a product they are willing to put their name behind. 



Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions about seed saving, our seed production or anything else you might be curious about.

 

Randy Cummings
Territory Sales Representative
South Central U.S
rcummings@johnnyseeds.com 

Save up to 10% on Selected Seed-Starting Supplies

Winter Caterpillar Tunnel Structural Trial (2011)

In March 2011, we tested our caterpillar tunnel under heavy snow load to see how the structure would respond. Now that winter is upon us, we're re-posting our results from the trial. Let us know your thoughts on our findings by leaving a comment under this post!

Goal: To see if either caterpillar tunnel version (with, or without purlins) could withstand winter snow load.

Results: Very interesting. We picked two of the four tunnels that were built in May, 2010, planted onions in them, and buttoned them up for the winter. Both tunnels were structurally the same, with a center ridgepole made of chain link fence top-rail, but one of them also had purlins about three feet from either side of the ridge. These purlins, were used in the summer to trellis vine crops, and carried that load quite well. They really stiffened up the whole structure. However, in summer, they tended to cause the plastic to collect rainwater. This made me think that the purlins would either make it so strong that it would better carry the snow load or they would catch more snow than the tunnel without purlins and cause a collapse. It looks like the latter is the case.

Summary and recommendations: It is important to note that we intentionally did not remove snow in this trial, as we were looking for structural failure in worst case conditions. Removal of snow, even just next to the tunnel that failed, probably would have prevented its failure. Doing so would have greatly reduced the pressure bearing in on the sides (and therefore the plastic's weight felt on the top). If you intend to use a structure like this to overwinter crops in northern climates where snowfall is a concern, I would recommend a maximum of four foot bow spacing during construction, not using side purlins in winter tunnels because they catch snow, and, of course, the removal of snow whenever possible from the sides and top of the tunnel. It would also be prudent to shore up the bows internally with notched two-by-fours placed vertically under every other bow as a means of additional snow load insurance and peace of mind.

You can view the complete gallery of this trial below:

The 26-page illustrated manual for the bender used to make these tunnels may be downloaded on the Quick Hoops™ High Tunnel Bender's product page.


Adam Lemieux
Johnny's Tools & Supplies Manager

Warm Winter Greens Salad

Some of our Research Department’s Favorite NEW for 2014 Products

Artisan Tomatoes

 Tastes as good as they look! Try them all; only Johnny's has the entire line up of Artisans.

 

Glow Pepper

 

Sweet specialty peppers from our Breeding Program.

 

Bel Fiore Radicchio

 

Stunning, adaptable, unique, and great for adding flare to a salad mix.

 

Raja and Suraj Eggplant

 

These mini eggplants that can be sold along with Ophelia for a tricolored eggplant container.

KN Bravo Radish

 

A purple daikon- color is inside and out.  Striking and unique!

Babybeat

 

The perfect fit at a time when beets are increasing in popularity and baby vegetables* continue to be trendy.

Adelaide Carrot

 

A true baby carrot*

 

Mini Kabochas

Single serving wintersquash.

*Please note: Babybeat and Adelaide are what we call “genetic minis”.  This means the variety is a mini or baby size at full maturity, as opposed to simply being harvested early/immature. 

Why go with a genetic mini instead of simply harvesting and immature full size variety?  Because the flavors will be fully developed and the tops will be proportional to the roots.

Standard Shipping Now Available for Canadian Customers

Our December Commercial Sales Team blog comes from Chris Siladi, Commercial Sales Rep for Canada. Here’s some background information on Chris:

Chris started with Johnny's in 1998 with over five years of experience working on market farms and in the fresh vegetable retail trade. He has enjoyed growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers for over 40 years. Chris has more than 15 years' experience helping growers in Canada and international markets, during which he has remained current with emerging farming techniques and acquired extensive knowledge of existing markets. He has helped many growers to become more efficient and successful while building a strong relationship between the grower and Johnny's Selected Seeds.

As the Commercial Sales Rep for Canada, Johnny’s recent improvements to our Canadian shipping process are especially important to Chris.

 

“Johnny’s now offering Standard Shipping to our Canadian customers means that they’re able to place an order on our website or through our Contact Center and receive the same rates that we offer our customers in the United States*.  You now have the option to choose the Standard Shipping rate indicated for the value of your order (see chart to the right). This is a huge change for Canadian customers! Before now, you could place an order on our website but a Johnny’s customer service representative would have had to contact you and let you know the various shipping options available for your order. Now, if you choose Standard Shipping as your shipping method, you can simply place your order online, see the applicable Standard Shipping chart, and you can continue to check out on the website with confidence that your order will be shipped via the Post Office and arrive shortly; no phone call is required before your order ships.**

 

 

“In the many years I have been working with Canadian growers, I’ve heard complaints that placing an order was sometimes difficult because a customer had to make a choice of various shipping methods. Now that our shipping process has been streamlined, our Contact Center staff is able to spend more time interacting with you about the things that are important to you, such as your choice of products, rather than the issue of shipping logistics.

 

We are confident this will improve the shopping experience on Johnnyseeds.com, as well as placing an order via the phone or by mail, for our Canadian customers. We are looking forward to your feedback on this new process. This change was prompted by our customer- your input is very valuable to us. Please do not hesitate to let us know how you think this new process is working.”

 To learn all the details about our improved shipping to Canada, visit Johnnyseeds.com now >>>

 

To contact Chris, you can reach him via email at: csiladi@johnnyseeds.com, or Toll-Free: 800-854-2580, ext. 5311.

Otherwise, for general inquiries about Johnny's Commercial Sales, email service@johnnyseeds.com and we will get back to you shortly, or visit our Territory Sales Representatives page at Johnnyseeds.com.  

*Canadian customers are not able to receive free shipping on orders over $200.00

** Please note, we cannot offer Standard Shipping on orders worth more than $1,000

 

What’s New at the Farm- A Look Back at 2013, and Forward to 2014

Each year about this time, we sit back and look at the growing season; what worked and what didn’t, as well as what could stand some improvement. We also consider the challenges we may face in the next growing season. Some things like weather and pests are give ins each year, but other large issues that only surface once in a while for a grower - and how they’re approached- will determine your level of success that season. A varied list of challenges await all farmers each growing season and to assess them now, and come up with a thought-out plan of approach, will hopefully lessen the effects of these issues in the busy Spring planting season ahead.

I’ve outlined below some challenges we faced in the 2013 growing season and how we plan on overcoming these issues in the upcoming year.

Soil:

This was a big issue in 2013. A part of this was getting our compost and fertilizers delivered and spread on time; supply problems you could say. For compost, we had four suppliers and of these four suppliers one had weed issues, one had rocks in the compost, and one had delivery problems. The fourth was the most expensive, but they have an excellent product and their delivery schedule is second to none. If I needed 300 yards for Monday morning, when I got to work on Monday there would be six 50-yard trailer dumps waiting to unload. The best product and best service gets my vote. All of our compost for 2014 has been delivered and will be ready to spread when we are next spring.

 

We use pelletized chicken manure for our organic fertilizer. We have been purchasing from a company which also spreads the product. With our dry, then wet Spring, we had many problems getting our fertilizer spread in time to do our fieldwork. In early May, when the field conditions were fairly dry, the supplier first couldn’t get the product and then didn’t have time to spread it before the heavy rains arrived. When everything else finally cooperated, the spreader truck was out of commission. The end of May found us scrambling to fertilize, prepare the soil, lay the plastic, and plant all in a rather frenzied procession. For 2014, we purchased our own new fertilizer spreader which holds four tons (our old one held 600 pounds). I will order our soil amendments (based on soil test results) this month so we’ll have them on hand come February 15^th. The advantages of this include having adequate supplies on hand, being able to spread in that early season window if we have one, not having to worry about the roads being weight posted, and lastly, being able to haul 4 tons of material instead of 600 pounds. Loading one- ton bags will be faster and easier than using 50 pounders too. Four tons will cover eight acres so many fields can be spread with one load instead of many.  

Weeds:

Weeds are a constant challenge in any farming system. In our squash and pumpkin trials and nurseries, we like to leave a bed between planted beds so it’s easier to trace the vines for accuracy in determining which fruit go with which vine. This amounts to approximately ten feet of space between the strips of plastic in which weeds like to grow. Weed control while the plants are small is relatively easy; it’s once the vines come out into the open and are between the beds that weed control becomes difficult. The vines make it nearly impossible to mechanically cultivate the areas with weeds. A few years back, we started using hay mulch for weed control; a good idea but fraught with drawbacks.  The labor it takes to roll out and spread 350 large round bales of hay is a tremendous amount. To put in perspective, it takes approximately 320 hours.  The thickness at which it rolls out varies with how the hay was baled and what type of grass it was. A thin grass, like annual bluegrass, rolls out to a 3-4 inch depth whereas a swale grass can be a foot thick. Therefore, the bale may cover two hundred feet, or it may cover only fifty.

 

This year we purchased a straw shredder which unrolls and shreds the bales before spreading them onto the field. We took delivery of this unit last month and did some testing in the field to try it out. It will put down a uniform layer of hay mulch to four hundred linear feet twelve feet wide. Two people should easily be able to spread 3 acres a day; therefore all of the work will be finished in less than three days.   

 

Another success from 2013 was widening out the rows of crops on plastic that have row covers on them. We cover our peppers to prevent cross pollination and to give the plants some protection from the harsh Spring elements.  We use wire hoops to keep the row covers up off the plants, however. This also prevents us from cultivating the peppers as we don’t have a tractor tall enough to straddle the covered rows. By spacing out the rows to allow us to go between them with our smallest tractor, as well as a four foot tiller, we can now cultivate out the weeds all season long. It uses a bit more room this way but saves a tremendous amount of hand labor, which we can always use somewhere else. We’ve used this spacing for years in our tomatoes to facilitate equipment for spraying so the setup was easy to figure out. This allows more crops with wider spacing for next year; at least the ones with row covers.

The Land Base:

 You can almost never have enough good land to have a good rotation plan. If we had 35% more land than we need in any given year, think how much we could put into cover crops and devote to rotation plans. Last year I added a twelve-acre field and this year I added seventeen more. I think that’s good for a while. We’ve got a couple of small land projects that will add another four acres of good soil. Many of our fields need work to become productive again so this is where we’ll focus some of our attention in the upcoming years. We added a couple thousand feet of drain tile this year and have some stumping to do next year, so it looks like we’ll be busy in 2014 too. Farming is always busy!

 

The Weather: 

No, I can’t control the weather. All we can do is prepare for the worst and enjoy the best. We do everything we can in the previous Fall so we don’t have to do it in the Spring. Two years running we’ve been on the fields earlier than ever before, and then we got constant rains which put us behind. Once you get behind, it’s pretty hard to catch up and stay caught up. This year we’re implementing a seven day work week schedule. No, not seven days in a row but rather spreading out the work to seven days instead of five. It’s just too hard to schedule the same two days a week off for everyone. We work hard all week then everything stops for two days then we’re back at it for another round on Monday.

I realize not everyone wants to work only on sunny days and have rainy days off. Me neither, but I do want to get the work done, and if we have the optimum weather conditions and it just happens to be a weekend- we’re going to work. And, if we get heavy rains during planting season, I know we have done everything possible to get the crops planted correctly and on time. At all costs, try to be ready for Spring long before it gets here.

Lastly, one final thing I think will make a big difference to the folks working on the farm, is for me to spend more time in the field and less in the office. I like being in the field; that’s where I started. I can do everything here that needs to be done, and more importantly I can train folks how to do the tasks we need to do. I researched most of the equipment here; in fact I bought most of it, and know how best to use it to achieve the results we’re looking for. I know the funny little nuances and quirks of the equipment and tractors. I know how to cultivate and plow and spread compost and so on. I also know how I want it done. I want it done to the same high standards we do everything here at Johnny’s. I’m sure the farm crew will enjoy more of my presence in the field in 2014.

Until next time,

Brian

New for 2014 Products - See Them Now

Q&A with The National Young Farmers Coalition

We recently interviewed Wes Hannah, the Communications Coordinator and Organizer for The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC). Below, he gives some background information on the NYFC including what the organization offers, and sheds light on valuable resources, for young farmers everywhere.

• Can you give us a brief description of what The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) does?

 

Learn more about
the organization

NYFC is a grassroots coalition dedicated to representing, engaging and mobilizing young and begining farmers and ranchers to work toward their success  In our advocacy work, we bring the young farmer voice to the table on federal policy discussions.  In areas ranging from USDA programming to food safety regulations, NYFC makes sure the next generation receives the support it needs to be successful.  At the same time, we work with farmers around the country to organize local coalitions.  These affiliated groups organize for mutual aid in everything from social networking to labor sharing to group purchasing of supplies.

 
• What resources do you think are most valuable for young farmers to explore?

We have the privilege to interact with thousands of farmers at all different stages in their careers.  I would say the most valuable realization that young farmers have is that there is an immense amount of knowledge out there, whether on the production side or the business side.  The key is recognizing your needs and reaching out; we see connections developing all the time between beginning farmers and their cooperative extension agents, more experienced farmers, and especially between each other.

At the same time, I think there are some specific resources that we heartily recommend more young farmers should explore.  We've worked with land trusts around the country looking at the way they combine their conservation focus with incentivizing land transfer to a younger generation.  While there's a lot more that can be done, young farmers need to be reaching out to land resources like that. 

Additionally, there are great programs out there from the USDA and state governments designed to support education and land access for younger farmers.  The more demand we as a movement can show for those programs, the more we'll be able to successfully push for improving and increasing them.

 

• What are the some of the biggest challenges that young farmers face?

That question lies at the core of NYFC's mission.  When NYFC first formed, we conducted a survey of over 1,000 young and beginning farmers, asking them that very question.  The greatest challenges young farmers are facing are land access, lack of capital and credit, and access to healthcare. 

The cost and availability of land is an enormous issue for beginning farmers, especially given that many do not come from farming backgrounds.  We've seen a huge increase in land prices over the past decade, along with a concentration of land in the hands of older farmers.  These together mean that the next generation is facing a tougher time in acquiring the land they need to start successful businesses.

Starting a farm can be an expensive proposition, so the concern over lack of capital is not surprising.  We've seen many new farmers turning to vegetable production over animals or other enterprises because of the lower start-up costs.  Despite the USDA programs designed to help them, many beginning farmers still struggle with accessing those basic needs for their new operations.

Finally, healthcare tends to be a huge problem.  Farming is one of the most dangerous professions in the country, and because many new farmers are self-employed, many of them can't afford health insurance.  We have heard numerous stories of on-farm accidents that put a huge financial strain on a farm because of that problem.
 

Visit the National Young Farmers Coalition at http://www.youngfarmers.org/

 

• What do you think are some of The National Young Farmers Coalition biggest triumphs over the past year?

NYFC has been taking on a number of different issues, from pushing for the passage of a pro-farmer farm bill to analyzing the way land trusts interact with beginning farmers.  One recent triumph is our food safety campaign.  Earlier this year, the FDA released their draft of new food safety regulations for produce farms and facilities.  This was the first time those laws were rewritten in nearly seventy years, and there are huge long-term ramifications for how they affect beginning farmers, as well as the entire agricultural community. 

NYFC worked with a coalition of other organizations in poring over the rules and producing a comprehensive analysis.  We worked with our affiliates and members around the country to organize the National Day of Action to Save Local Farms, a grassroots project designed to compile hundreds of comments to the FDA before their comment period closes.  To date, we've organized over seventy letter-writing parties in thirty states, and we are confident that we can effect positive change in the FDA's regulations.

 

• What are some of the perks of being a NYFC member for young farmers?

Being involved with NYFC means being a part of a nation-wide community of beginning farmers who share resources, organize in local coalitions and advocate for each other.  Being a part of that community means creating better systems that will improve conditions for all farmers everywhere. 

At the same time, we know that farmers need immediate support in their careers.  That's why we've worked with more than a dozen agriculture-related companies to provide useful discounts to help out right now.  NYFC members have access to 5% off at Johnny's Selected Seeds, 10% off Working Person's Store and many other great deals.
 

You can sign up for email updates at the NYFC website

 • What role does Social Media play in the work the NYFC does?

Social media is a huge part of NYFC's work.  The coalition's organizing and advocacy successes depend on the activism and enthusiasm of thousands of our supporters.  We rely on the viral energy of beginning farmers to spread the word and recruit each other.  While in-person  meet-ups and conversations form the backbone of farmer organizing, social media often jump-starts our outreach and allows us to stay connected with countless young farmers on a regular basis.

 

• What are some of the biggest misconceptions people tend to have about getting into farming?

There is a common conception of agriculture in America as been focused only on large mono-culture farms.  The truth is, the farming community in this country is incredibly diverse, from the small-scale, intensive vegetable farms and dairy operations to the massive tracts of wheat and corn.  There is a place for every newcomer to find success, regardless of their passion.

 

• What’s the best way for someone to learn more about the work that the The National Young Farmers Coalition does?

The first step is to check out NYFC's website at  youngfarmers.org!  We have more information about the growing beginning farmer community and how to get involved.  We also have resources and databases for more information, and regular updates on the NYFC blog.
 

Photo courtesy of the NYFC website

Growing for the Greater Good

Our second Commercial Sales team blog comes from Ken Fine, Commercial Sales Rep for Massachusetts and the Northern Midwest. Here’s some background information on Ken:

Ken has worked with commercial growers at Johnny's Selected Seeds since 1999. Prior to coming to Johnny’s, Ken studied as an apprentice at the UCSC Farm and Garden Project in Santa Cruz, CA. He then operated a 3 acre Market Garden in coastal Maine, selling specialty lettuce and produce to area stores and restaurants. He likes to stay current with successful farming techniques, trends in consumer interest, and the best varieties of vegetables, herbs, and flowers available.

Current sales territory: Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

For his blog topic, Ken has taken the opportunity to describe a few of the farm-based organizations that help foster constructive change in their local communities. These types of organizations can be found throughout the U.S, creating sustainable alternatives in our food system and helping people - especially young people - be inspired and experience personal growth by growing food.

THE FOOD PROJECT- MASSACHUSETTS

Recently I received news of the year-end harvest dinner at one of Johnny’s long-term customers. The Food Project in Massachusetts celebrates the achievements of the staff and volunteers at the many Food Project facilities in Lincoln, Dorchester, Beverly, and elsewhere. At the 2nd Annual Gala - Celebrate the Harvest event, the organization featured guest Will Allen of Growing Power.  According to the Food Project website, their mission is to “grow a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system. We produce healthy food for residents of the city and suburbs and provide youth leadership opportunities...”

MOUNT VIEW FARM:

Sometimes, one farm can make a huge impact. Founded by Michael Docter as Food Bank Farm in Hadley, MA, the good work of growing food for the benefit of the community has continued into the next generations there. Apprentices from Food Bank Farm have gone on to start their own CSA programs serving thousands of subscribers in Massachusetts. One apprentice, Benjamin Perrault of Mount View Farm in Easthampton has carried on another tradition. His bustling farm still plants a portion of their acreage specifically to produce first quality vegetables for The Food Bank of Western Mass.

According to their website: “Mountain View Farm leases a large parcel of land owned by The Food Bank and, in exchange, we provide 100,000 pounds of fresh, local, chemical-free produce to The Food Bank for distribution to front-line food assistance providers and people in need throughout our region. In Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts, approximately one in every ten people suffers from chronic food shortages or needs emergency food assistance.”

Mount View Farm in Massachusetts

 

GROWING POWER - WISCONSIN

At Growing Power, based in Milwaukee, WI, founder Will Allen does more than make inspirational keynote speeches. The many facilities powered by staff and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are growing tremendous quantities of quality farm produce that goes directly to the people of urban Milwaukee who need it most. In fact, one of the missions of Growing Power is to alleviate the perils of living in a “Food Desert” that traps so many urban residents. 

Established in 1993, Growing Power has offered agricultural-based training, hands-on experience to community members, and spread their mission that you “cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.”

 

Growing Power High Tunnel full of Greens

                              

DETROIT, MICHIGAN-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

Another rapidly expanding healthy food movement location is Detroit, Michigan. There, staff and volunteers of Greening of Detroit, Earthworks Farm, and countless other small community projects are utilizing available land within the city to make a difference. Healthy food and healthy lifestyle choices are becoming available to thousands in the community who are eagerly embracing the delights of farming and gardening.

To learn more about any of these organizations or to locate one near where you live, follow these links or get in touch with me for more information.

• The Food Project
• Mount View Farm
• Growing Power
• Greening of Detroit
• Earthworks Farm

To contact Ken, you can reach him via email at: kfine@johnnyseeds.com, or Toll-Free at: 877-564-6697, ext. 5307.

Otherwise, for general inquiries about Johnny's Commercial Sales, email service@johnnyseeds.com and we will get back to you shortly, or visit our Territory Sales Representatives page at Johnnyseeds.com.