814-L«nc«ster Farming, Saturday, February 6, 1999
Buyers And Growers Examine Supermarket,
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.)
Growers and buyers compared
notes at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and
Vegetable Convention last week
here at the Hershey Lodge and
Convention Center.
A panel presenting both buyer
and grower viewpoints included
James Hensel, buyer for Oregon
Farm Dairy; Charles Breneman,
buyer for Weis Markets; Richard
Stauffer, buyer for Four Seasons
Produce; Ronald Copenhaven,
Lebanon County grower, and
David Miller, York County
grower.
“It’s important to have a market
ing contract before you grow the
produce. Don’t suddenly show up
at the door to sell a truckload,” said
Hcnsel.
He suggests contacting buyers a
year in advance to find out how the
supermarket wants things packed,
the quality expected, and the deliv
ery processs.
Copenhaven, who grows 70
acres of peas and double-crops
other vegetables, said, “Chain
stores never pay the highest prices,
but they don’t pay the lowest either
when die bottom drops out of the
market"
Growers should space out plant
ings as much as possible to stretch
the length of time in supplying loc
al supermarkets with produce.
Hensel said that a grower sup
plied him with 1,500 heads of
broccoli from September through
Christmas.
“Communicate often with the
buy < i If it rained 10 days and you
can’t deliver, tell him as soon as
possible, Hensel said.
Breneman said that Weis Mark
ets has 160 stores and they prefer
to deal with local agriculturalists.
Even if you are told “no” one time,
check periodically with the buyer.
Breneman said that he is aware
that growing conditions can hinder
quality, but the store must provide
top-quality produce to consumers.
Produce coming in must pass
standards by a trained USDA
inspector. The delivery will be
turned down if it is not packed
Pictorial History of Eastern
American Agriculture
During the 20th Century
Recalling our Eastern U.S. agricultural heri
tage, a new book entitled 100 Years of Eastern
American Agriculture (a pictorial review), will be
published by Lancaster Farming in time for
Christmas giving and the millennium celebration.
This work will feature several hundred photographs
that show life on the farm from 1901 through the
1990’5. Lancaster Farming is commencing work
on this pictorial history right now, but we need
your help.
WE NEED YOUR HELP...
If you have photographs of bygone days that
show old agriculture enterprises and events during
this century, would you please share them with us
and our readers? Prospective entries would include
photos from family albums that show activities
such as hay making, milking, range shelters for
poultry, harvesting, planting, types of livestock,
Of course, all photos will be returned to their owners
may prohibit us from printing every photo submitted.
Chain
according to terms adhered to in
the contract.
Breneman recommends that
growers invest in a refrigeration
unit if needed to maintain quality
of products until they reach the
market.
Stauffer said that Four Season
Produce supplies 250 Pennsylva
nia stores and 600 stores along the
eastern seaboard. They prefer new
boxes be used in place of bins and
that items such as asparagus be
placed in one-pound bundles.
Don’t mix grades and sizes. More
and more buyers are demanding
consistent quality with the same
packaging they would receive if
ordered from California.
Ronald Copenhaven grows 70
acres of peas in Lebanon County
and double-crops with other
vegetables.
As a Christian, he said that he
strives to maintain honesty in all
dealings. Sometimes beans look
wonderful, but Copenhaven
believes that a buyer should be
warned that they won’t maintain
the quality if they had been picked
after lots of rain.
Unlike many growers, Copen
haven said that he plants a crop and
then prays for a market He cau
tioned against promising to supply
too many stores and not being able
to deliver.
On the other hand, if Copenha
ven promises to supply a store, he
will grow more than what he has
committed to in order to compen
sate for bad weather.
“It’s better to plow some under
than not have enough,” Copenha
ven said.
“I do whatever it takes to
accommodate a buyer. If beans
aren't growing fast enough. I’ll
pick one-fourth of a crop rather
than the whole one in order to have
enough beans. But if you pick too
young, you can kill the next yield."
Growers often need to meet
buyers’ odd delivery times. Many
want delivery in the morning. This
requires farmers to pick the crop
the day before. It’s also stressful to
wait in line for several hours until
the trucks ahead of you unload,
Copenhaven said.
Announcing the publication of
fair or farm show activities, and farm organization
and extension , 4-H, FFA ect.
In summary, Lancaster Farming is looking for
photographs of people, places and things that de
pict the history of agriculture during this century.
-The photographs should be identifiable, includ
ing the names of at least some of the individuals
in the photo, and the time, place and background
of the photo.
-Lancaster Farming will print a credit line with
each photo to identify the person or organization
who shared it with us.
_You may bring your photos to our Lancaster
Farming office, 1 East Main St., Ephrata, Pa. or
send them to;
Store Contracting
Some stores require growers to
cany liability insurance. Miller
said that it costs him $ ISO to $220
per year to carry a $1 million-$2
million liability policy.
Miller grows cantaloupes,
watermelons, and sweet com in
York County for several chains,
roadside stands, and local
groceries.
“I’m not an expert, but what
works for us is quality, constant
supply, uniformity in product,
dependability, honesty, and
communication.”
Although it is difficult to pro
vide constant uniformity, Miller
believes in doing everything possi
ble. He uses drip irrigation.
“Leave smalls and seconds in
the field. It's hard to do, but the
only way to uphold quality,” Mill
er said.
Sweet com especially needs to
be top quality with no worms, no
seconds, and the right age.
Lancaster Farming
Ag Photo History Book
Box 609, 1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
Growers and buyers held a panel discussion on selling to supermarkets and
chains. From left are Ronald Copenhaver, David Miller, and Richard Stauffer.
unharmed. Space
Both Miller and Copenhaver
appreciate the stability in pricing
that contracts offer.
From the buyers’ viewpoint.
Top Tomato Growers
(Continued from Page B 12)
Schultz farm yielded an average of
18.17 tons of A grade fruit per
acre.
“The tomato industry has had its
ups and downs, but die last few
years, significant improvements in
quality has been accomplished,”
said Kohl.
He attributed quality improve
ments not only to growers’ efforts
m 4H
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
- The 13th annual 4-H Benefit
Auction will take place on
Saturday, February 20, begin
ning at 9:30 a.m., in the Farm
and Home Center Auditorium,
1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster.
The auction will feature
items including Kellogg’s cereal,
animal and pet products,
Winross trucks, Breyer models,
live plants, cookbooks, model
train items, and much more! A
j few special items include a Penn
State basketball signed by the
men’s basketball team, Diamond
Spring Water, and a Pioneer
Seed wagon. Numerous gift cer
tificates for merchandise and
area services will also be sold.
Food items will be sold
throughout the day by partici
pants of the 4-H Exchange
Program. Proceeds from the
auction will benefit the county’s
4-H program, which involves
about 4,000 youth, ages 8-19, in
“learn-by-doing” 4-H projects
and emphasizes the develop
ment of life skills. The program
Breneman said that he secs
increasing opportunities for grow
ers because customers want local
produce as fresh as possible.
but also to Pik Rite for developing
a portable harvester to work on the
eastern seaboard. Pik Rite received
the Industry of the Year Award for
its diligence in harvesting develop
ment and for helping to advance
the tomato industry.
This year, grower award win
ners received jackets instead of
engraved plaques for their
accomplishments.
is also fortunate to have the sup
port ofsoo adult and teen volun
teer leaders. Monies raised will
be used toward the purchase of
educational materials, entry
fees to events, transportation
costs, volunteer leader support,
and other 4-H expenses.
Gift certificates to be sold for
services and merchandise
include The Village Greens, The
Amish Village, F.M.Brown’s
Sons Tack Shop, Bube’s
Brewery, The Castle Roller
Skating, Simon Candy Co.
Outlet, Hoss’s, Dutch Apple
Dinner Theatre, Fulton Opera
House, and Esbenshade’s
Greenhouses. Tickets for the
Strasburg Rail Road. Hershey
Bears Hockey, Rainbow Dinner
Theatre, and Sight & Sound per
formance of “Noah” will also be
available.
Tb receive a complete list of
sale items or make a donation
for the auction, contact the
Lancaster County Cooperative
Extension office at (717) 394-
6851.