FreshPoint

Filtered by: Local Farm Spotlight

By Chef Francy Deskin
12/3/2018

clementines vs mandarins freshpoint produce (1)

Why Clementines are Mandarins, but not all Mandarins are Clementines…

Clementines vs. Mandarins… When it comes to Clementines vs. Mandarins, the Mandarin is the master orange of the family, and Clementines, tangerines, and satsumas all fall under this umbrella. Referred to as mandarins because they are thought to have originated in China, and as they passed through the trade route across Africa (Tangier in particular,) they...

By Chef Francy Deskin
5/8/2018

freshpoint produce peas shoots and tendrils

People, passion, produce, peas: shoots and tendrils

Continuing our blog about English peas, Marvin and I had a nice chat about another avenue of spring peas: shoots and tendrils. Marvin Wilhite of Cahaba Clubs in Odessa, Florida in the Tampa Bay area is a long standing business partner of Sysco/FreshPoints across the country, but here in Florida, we are fortunate enough to...

By Chef Francy Deskin
3/20/2018

Florida blueberries, no B.S. and more anthocyanin

I said it. I meant it. No B.S. Referring of course to the growing soil preferred by Florida blueberries. Florida blueberries prefer acidic soil, and even the most-ungreen-of-thumbs, such as me know that manure is far too alkaline to contribute anything good to the terroir of Florida grown blueberries. Blueberries have not always been a...

By Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter
1/9/2018

kaoae-banana-farm-andy-freshpoint-produce

The remarkable story of KAOAE Farm Bananas

Farmer Andy Sheaffer lost a lot of trees and banana plants during California’s historic Thomas Fire, but the family’s house was not harmed and his family and farm team are all safe, so he’s feeling grateful. But now comes the rain; it’s too much for recently burned terrain to absorb. Road closures are everywhere around...

By FreshPoint
11/27/2017

The technology of beautiful greenhouse tomatoes in the winter

As you sit in the comfort of your home, have you ever eaten a perfect tomato on a salad or a burger and wondered the journey that has taken that tomato from field to fork? Or in the case of Mastronardi tomatoes, greenhouse to fork? Recently, members of the FreshPoint team had the pleasure of...

By FreshPoint
8/28/2017

weiser-family-farm-freshpoint-produce (2)

From chemistry teacher to staple on the farmers market: touring the Weiser Family Farm

FreshPoint Southern California recently visited the Weiser Family Farm for a tour and learning opportunity on the Tehachapi Grain Project. They were fortunate to have Alex Weiser as their tour guide, and he explained the farm’s history, walked through the cattle barns, and had a beautiful lunch made with local and sustainable ingredients. The Weiser...

By FreshPoint
8/8/2017

freshpoint-produce-freshpik-farm-raleigh 6

Apprentice Diary: Entry two—Visiting one of our sustainable agriculture farmers

When we talk about sustainability, we don’t just mean the environment—our employees are our greatest asset, and the foundation to our great success. We work with internships, local schools and colleges for placement, and various in-house leadership programs throughout the year, developing people with a passion for produce. In this diary series, Maria Elisa Vollmer...

By FreshPoint
7/10/2017

Apprentice Diary: Entry One—Integrating a passion for sustainability

When we talk about sustainability, we don’t just mean the environment—our employees are our greatest asset and the foundation to our great success. We work with internships, local schools and colleges for placement, and various in-house leadership programs throughout the year, developing people with a passion for produce. In this diary series, Maria Elisa Vollmer...

By Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter
6/19/2017

The best tasting, sweetest corn we’ve found

The corn grown in the Brentwood area of California’s Sacramento River Delta is the best tasting, sweetest corn we’ve found. Known as Brentwood corn, this product has the well-deserved reputation across the country as the benchmark against which all other corn is measured. However, all Brentwood corn is not created equal! Over the past eight...

By Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter
4/3/2017

You haven’t had asparagus until you’ve had Zuckerman’s

“Doing cartwheels of joy!” — Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter The California Sacramento River Delta boasts exceptionally rich peat soil. This magnificent soil and the area’s climate combine to grow what many people consider the world’s best asparagus. In 2004, Russ Parsons’ prescient article about the state of California’s asparagus crop, Delicate Harvest in Crisis,...

By FreshPoint
2/21/2017

Local Farm Spotlight with Tom West Blueberries

Local Farm Spotlight: Tom West Blueberries Tom West Blueberries is a 20-acre farm in Ocoee, FL. After World War II, Tom West returned to Ocoee, Florida, and began growing and harvesting citrus. Later, in 1954 he incorporated to Tom West Inc. In 1964, Tom was joined by his son Milton West in the citrus farming...

By FreshPoint
2/8/2017

Local Farm Spotlight with Lady Moon Farms

Farm Spotlight: Lady Moon Farms Lady Moon Farms is a 2,400-acre farm in Punta Gorda, FL growing items such as lettuce. With a dream to live in the country, smell the fresh air and see the stars at night, Tom Beddard founded Lady Moon Farms in 1988 with his wife Christine on five acres in...

By FreshPoint
1/17/2017

Local Farm Spotlight with Frog Song Organics

Local Farm Spotlight: Frog Song Organics

Frog Song Organics is a 60-acre farm in Hawthorne, FL growing items such as radishes, leafy greens, okra, roselle, and sweet potatoes.

You can create a salad just like this with Frog Song Organics' beautiful local leafy greens, radishes, sweet potatoes, and more! — You can create a salad just like this with Frog Song Organics’ beautiful local leafy greens, radishes, sweet potatoes, and more!

Co-founders John Bitter and Amy Van Scoik started Frog Song Organics in the fall of 2011. Their mission was to produce nutritious food for their community and create meaningful employment opportunities. They also aim to demonstrate that farming can be accomplished with the “triple bottom line” – with respect to their human, ecological, and economic resources.

To get off the ground, they started paying volunteers in food.

By Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter
1/12/2017

in the farmer's hands, Rincon del Mar Ranch's beautiful cherimoya

“Tropical flavors make winter bearable!”

Karen Beverlin, The Produce Hunter says, “Tropical flavors make winter bearable!” Every Rincon del Mar Ranch cherimoya is hand-pollinated, and every one is truly delicious. “It tastes like summer, but here it is, brightening up our winter—it is so delicious,” The Produce Hunter says. Pictured above in the farmer’s hands, is beautiful Rincon del Mar...

Top Info