Written by: Tyler Blance Produce Merchandising It’s August in the Northeast, and the tassels on the corn stalks are swayin’ in the breeze!  Locally grown sweet corn is in full-swing this time of year, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. At Price Chopper, we’re big on supporting local farmers and growers- we’ve been working with many of our farmers for decades!  Our locally grown produce program encompasses a large variety of fruits and vegetables grown right here in the Northeast, but we get extra excited about sweet corn. We have local growers that supply us corn straight from the farm to various stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as our warehouse.  Additionally, we support a variety of different smaller-sized sweet corn growers, from Pennsylvania up to the northernmost sections of New York and Vermont and down into Connecticut, and each of these growers means a lot to us.  After all, we’re a business local to the Northeast, so we make it a priority to support growers (like small sweet corn growers) in the communities we’re a part of, and we’ve done so for a long time. Take small town, third generation farmer Frank Grabowski of Castleton, Vermont for example.  When the nearby Rutland Price Chopper opened its doors to the public in the early 90’s, Frank began delivering us his hand-picked sweet corn, grown just a few miles from the store.  Every summer since then, Grabowski Farm sweet corn has been trucked up the road to our Rutland store for customers to enjoy.  Nowadays, the farm still runs the same “mom ‘n pop” way, with the addition of Frank’s son and recently his grandson, and the delivery addition of our West Rutland store, located right next to some of Frank’s corn fields! This summer, make sure to enjoy plenty of sweet corn, especially local sweet corn. And if you’re in the Rutland area, visit Frank Grabowski’s farm stand, located on Old Route 9 just past the West Rutland Price Chopper! Stop by our locally grown pinboard on Pinterest to check out more of our local growers!

Written by: Tyler Blance- Produce Merchandising

Cherries are a classic fruit that everyone is familiar with.  When you’re shopping at your local Price Chopper this time of year, chances are you’ll find a freshly-stocked and vibrant cherry display.  I’m here to tell you a little story and give you some information on those cherries. We get our cherries from the Mathison family in Washington at Stemilt Growers- a family that was a pioneer in the cherry industry.  Stemilt is a Native American term that means “coming from the mountains”- Pretty cool!  Last week, a group of teammates from our Produce team took a trip out to visit the folks at Stemilt, located on the beautiful Stemilt Hill in Washington, to take a tour of the operation.  They were very impressed- the Mathisons have been farming the same land since 1893!  Kyle Mathison (pictured in overalls in the group photo) is a 4^th generation cherry farmer whose passion in life is growing cherries.  Kyle’s cherry farming passion helps to create the beautiful, luscious cherries that you can find in your local Price Chopper! On the nutritional end, cherries make a great snack.  Cherries are high in antioxidants and contain melatonin, which helps you maintain optimum brain function.  They’re low in fat and calories, cholesterol and sodium free, and on top of all that: they’re a great source of vitamin C and potassium. So there you have it! Next time you’re journeying through our produce department, you’ll know a little more about those beautiful cherries that catch your eye. There are lots of great recipes for cherries, but today I’d like to offer a simple, delicious way to create the classic cherry pie.  When 80’s hair band Warrant sang that oh-so-catchy “She’s My Cherry Pie,” they may have been referring to this easy and awesome recipe. Written by Tyler Blance- Produce Merchandising

Local Produce in our Brand New Marshalls Creek Store!

    Last week, we cut the ribbon and opened the doors of our brand new store in Marshalls Creek Pennsylvania, built in the beautiful countryside southeast of Scranton.  Our Marshalls Creek store is chock full of unique items and local products, but one thing we are particularly proud of providing for our Marshalls Creek chopper shoppers is local fruits and vegetables. Journeying through the produce department of this rural PA store, shoppers are presented with a variety of fresh, local produce from nearby areas.  A. Gurda Produce, a local grower in the Middletown, NY area happily supplied us with their beautiful locally grown lettuces and radishes straight from the farm.  Andy Gurda’s crops are grown in what’s known as the “Black Dirt Region” of New York State; the dark, rich soil was created at the end of the Ice Age!  Talk about a throwback. Marshalls Creek is a short drive away from the “Jersey Fresh” produce of the garden state: New Jersey.  We featured a variety of Jersey Fresh items for our shoppers to explore: Blueberries grown under the popular “Top Crop” name, basil, green and yellow squash and cucumbers straight from Jersey were all on display in our colorful, freshly-stocked produce department.  And to top it all off, we had a special visit from Top Crop’s own blueberry mascot and a member of the Donio farm operation! Locally grown produce is something we take a lot of pride in supplying throughout the communities and areas we’re a part of, so we were happy to add Marshalls Creek into the mix.  As for the rest of our Chopper Shoppers, the local produce season is coming into full swing, so keep an eye out for locally grown fruits and vegetables in your neighborhood Price Chopper!  I’ll be updating you throughout the summer with locally grown happenings, so check back to see what’s growing on near you!

 

Written by Tyler Blance

Produce Merchandising Intern

 

 

 

 

Price Chopper has been buying from local growers for over 75 years. Currently, we do business with over 70 local growers; some deliver to our warehouse, some deliver directly to our stores. An important part of our locally grown program is Price Chopper’s involvement with 4H, a youth development organization that gives children the opportunity to grow and sell fresh produce in their communities. The Golub family has been supporting 4H groups since 1965. Children who belong to 4H can plant, grow, and sell their produce in our stores. Locally grown 2012 has been off to a great start this year. I’ve journeyed out to three local farms so far:

• Shaul Farms in Middleburgh NY
• Davandjer Farms in Pine Island NY
• Paul Mazza Farms in Colchester VT

Each farm has been an important part of our locally grown program each summer and fall. Shaul Farms, located right outside of Middleburgh, NY, has been working with Price Chopper since 1985. Back then, Dave and Jim Shaul would load up a pickup truck of straight-from-the-ground produce and head over to our Cobleskill, NY store (after a days work on the farm was completed) and bring in their fresh crops. These days, Shaul Farms supplies a number of Price Choppers all around the Capital District and Oneonta. Currently the farm is shipping lettuce to our stores, so keep an eye out for locally grown Shaul Farms lettuce! Davandjer Farms in Pine Island NY started with a simple 10 acre plot of land. The farm has grown into a much larger operation; currently they have around 190 acres of crops! Andrew Gurda (owner) and his team supply Price Chopper with onions, although some stores carry his lettuce and baby red potatoes. Look for the greyhound label on certain onion bags; it’s from Andrew and his farm! In addition to being an established local grower, Andrew supports and donates to Produce for Kids: an organization that encourages healthy eating among kids and families. [wpvideo 4t4F9Hbx] Paul Mazza Farms in Colchester Vermont has been in Price Chopper’s locally grown program for ten years. Paul Mazza (owner) has been farming on his own for 27 years: starting with 20 acres and growing his farm to 250 acres! Currently, Mazza Farms supplies Vermont area stores with fresh, delicious strawberries. “Vermont strawberries have more taste than Florida or California berries. There’s nothing like Vermont strawberries!” Mazza confidently claims. Price Chopper’s locally grown program will continue to run all throughout the summer. Local farmers have been working hard to provide people with fresh, flavorful produce, so enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor! I will continue to update you on locally grown happenings, so check back to see what’s growing on near you!