Fresh local produce at its peak
With plenty of moisture from early summer, fresh, local crops are at their peak for the state’s 3,950 vegetable growers.
August is Pennsylvania Produce month, making it the prime season for an abundance of many crops such as sweet corn, potatoes, snap beans, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cantaloupes, watermelon, zucchini, and other squash, lima beans, lettuce, beets, carrots, onions, fresh herbs and more.
According to the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program, 49,400 acres of vegetables are planted each season producing more than 280,000 tons of produce for fresh and processing use.
Mark Duda, owner of Duda’s Farm in Brownsville and former board member for the research program said, some vegetables were ready in mid-July because of multiple plantings.
The farm also had fresh picked corn available in June for Father’s Day, the first time ever, Duda remarked.
With cabbage planted last week, Duda said zucchini is not far behind and should be ready to pick in November.
Although Duda’s vegetables are doing well, he said the dry weather the region is experiencing is of concern.
“We are pumping a lot of water to the vegetable crops,” said Duda. “We have a lot of corn we can’t irrigate that it’s not affecting right now, but if we don’t get rain soon it will.”
Duda added the same goes for the pumpkins.
Gregg Langley of Grindstone said peak production of sweet corn at his farm has passed, but some of the fields planted later are experiencing a delay because of a lack of rain.
“It’s usually bumper crops this time of year, and if you don’t have irrigation the dry weather is holding things back,” said Langley.
Langley further added that Labor Day will mark the last sale of sweet corn as he gets ready for pumpkins and soy beans.
Strawberries were ripe in June at Triple B Farms in Monongahela followed by raspberries in July with tomatoes, corn, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini now in harvest.
Carolyn Beinlich, farm co-owner, said crops are plentiful and being sold direct at the farm and also at a farmer’s market it operates on Monday and Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Chess Park.
Shopping at a community farmer’s market is another way to enjoy locally sourced produce, including PA Preferred vegetables from a variety of growers.
The State Department of Agriculture launched PA Preferred to identify and promote food and agricultural products grown, produced, or processed in the state.
With over 1,000 farm markets and community farmer’s markets participating in the promotion, many are hosting special events and offers to customers.
PA Preferred produce, which is marked with a blue and yellow logo, can be found at local supermarkets while some restaurants also serve it.
Duda’s sells produce to Eat N’ Park, Beinlich to Whole Foods and McGuiness Sisters and Langley to wholesale grocery stores.
“As more people are recognizing the freshness and quality of local produce, supermarkets are making a special effort to purchase more of their fruit and vegetables from Pennsylvania growers in season,” said William Troxell, program spokesman.
Sweet corn is the state’s largest vegetable crop ranking it as the seventh largest producer with growers planting about 14,700 acres a year, according to the program.
Potatoes are the state’s second largest vegetable crop at about 8,900 acres and snap beans, the third largest with about 8,000 acres grown.
The majority of snap beans are grown for processing, ranking the state fifth in the nation for production.
Pennsylvania ranks fourth in pumpkin production as the state’s fourth largest vegetable grown in 6,900 acres.
Tomatoes are the fifth largest vegetable crop with 2,300 acres ranking the state 13th in the nation. It also includes another 1,000 acres of processing tomatoes.
Rounding out the other top ten are peppers at about 1,200 acres; cantaloupes and cabbage at 1,000 acres; squash, 900 acres; and watermelons, 800 acres.
“High quality, farm fresh produce is worth a premium price in terms of its superior taste and nutrition,” said Troxell. “Local growers need to charge reasonable prices to cover their increasing costs of fuel, fertilizer, labor, and other supplies, but consumers can often find real bargains on local produce in August when the season is at it peak.”
A list of the state’s farm markets can be found at www.paveggies.org or at www.agriculture.state.pa.us. under “Online Services.”
Those interested in joining the Be Local Network can contact Clint Rhodes at 724-439-7518 or by email at crhodes@heraldstandard.com. Discount cards are available at the Herald-Standard, 8 East Church St., Uniontown, and at the Greene County Messenger, 82 West High St., Waynesburg.