Locally Sourced

Frecon Farms

For 65+ years the Frecon family farm has been a labor of love, focused on providing Boyertown, PA and the surrounding area with fresh fruit to enjoy with the ones they love.

Richard S. Frecon came to the United States and worked a serious of jobs before landing a produce in-spections job in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 1944 he settled in Bucks County and purchased Boyertown Fruit Farms in the Apple Basket of the East. Richard established Frecon Orchards focusing on apple and peach production, revolutionizing packing procedures and growing practices. He and his wife Martha raised 6 children, all of whom have worked for the family business throughout the years. Richard’s mother Mary started a small roadside stand in 1951 selling directly to travelers and passersby. Over the years, this small roadside stand grew into one of eastern Pennsylvania’s first full service retail farm markets.

In 2005 Hank and Steve Frecon and their long-time friend Chris Adukaitis launched their website and Frecon’s Pick Your Own; attracting visitors from all over the tri-state area. They bought Frecon Orchards Outlet and changed the name to Frecon Farms. Today, they continue to pursue retail opportunity and have grown the PYO business with a series of events throughout the year.

Parker Farms

Parker Farms is dedicated to creating solutions for their customer’s produce and logistics needs, generating extraordinary value for our growers and providing a dynamic, challenging and rewarding workplace for our employees.

Eastern Fresh

In 1683, four Sheppard brothers moved to southern New Jersey and began their own vegetable farm. Since then, farming has been a family tradition for many generations of Sheppards. They began farming in their current location on Sayres Neck Road in 1888.

Today, Sheppard Farms is operated by Erwin and Tom, both Cornell University graduates. They farm 1500+ acres, and in peak season employ up to 240 workers. The Sheppards have always taken pride in their finished product and look for ways to continue improvement. In 2010 they began construction on an upgraded packinghouse. In 2015 they upgraded their asparagus packing machinery, which they will expand upon again in 2016.

Eastern Fresh Growers is the sales company for Sheppard Farms, Jersey Legacy Farms, and other farms in the area on a per commodity basis.

MJB Mushrooms

Located in the heart of Mushroom Country— Chester County, Pennsylvania, MJB is a family-owned marketer and packer of fresh quality mushrooms. They represent neighboring mushrooms growers.

WAC Mushrooms is MJB’s white mushroom supplier. Billy Catana was immersed in the mushroom business from a young age, with his grandfather and father. In 1988, he started his own business, WAC Mushrooms. Billy is a smaller grower; he employees 40 workers who carefully hand select each mushroom; WAC moves about 85,ooo cases per week. Tom Masha supplies MJB with crimini and portabella mushrooms. MJB’s primary source for maiitake, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms is a larger grower, Kennett Square Specialties in Kennett Square, PA. The town is dubbed the Mushroom Capital of the World.

Fifer Orchards

It all began in 1929 when Charles Frederick Fifer moved his family from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to the fertile lands of Kent County, Delaware pursuing his passion to grow high-quality fruits and vegetables. The moderate climate and hearty, well-draining soil of this agriculturally rich region provided ideal conditions for growing a diverse mix of fruits and vegetables, including: peaches, apples, tomatoes, sweet corn, asparagus, and more. Charles began with 300 acres of land and belief in crop diversification, farmland stewardship, and growing high-quality produce. He understood that farming is inherently a gamble and that having all of your eggs in one basket can lead to disaster. His vision was accurate and this philosophy is what has enabled the farm to weather storms and challenges over the past 95+ years.

Today, Fifer Orchards continues the legacy of Charles Frederick Fifer and his vision. Fourth-generation Fifers continue to grow a diverse mix of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables.

Dan Graiff Farms

Dan Graiff Farms is a fourth generation family-owned and operated farm. They take pride in providing the food industry with the highest quality products. All aspects of their business are closely super-vised by family members so that we can ensure the highest quality stan-dards, from production to finished product. Dan Graiff manages the grow-ing and production side, while Jamie is involved in sales and purchasing. Our Food Safety Program is run by Dan’s son Scott (a 5th generation farmer) and Doris (Mom) manages the office.

The Graiffs farm 250 acres in southern New Jersey. They also work closely with other family farms in Florida, California, and Canada to a provide year-round supply. All growers pride themselves on quality and safety, with GMP, GAP, and food safety programs in place.

Graiff’s products are washed, peeled and packed daily in their newly reno-vated facility, under the Five Star Premium Greens and Herbs label. They are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to ensure the safest and highest quality products, which they guarantee 100%. They take pride in being good stewards of the land, using IPM programs and crop rotations to ensure sustainability, as well using 100% recyclable packaging.

Hudson River Fruit

Hudson River Fruit Distributers was established in 1963 by Isadore “Izzy” Albinder and his son Harold. Izzy first entered the apple business back in 1932 after emigrating from Russia. He saw an opportunity to broker apples, so he purchased a purchased a push cart and sold apples in the streets of Brooklyn. A time came when Izzy had trouble finding apples of high enough quality. He decided to venture up to the Hudson Valley, and began fostering relationships with apple growers, some of whom they still work with today.

Ploch Farms

The history of the Ploch family farm can be traced back to the 1800s when Ryan’s great grandfather moved from Germany to northern New Jersey and started a dairy farm. In 1916, they converted to growing vegetables. With a large family, the Plochs sold the 9-acre farm to divide it up between everyone. Ryan’s father and uncle moved to Vineland in 1973 and bought the land they’re farming today.

Today, Ploch Farms is a cornerstone of the wholesale market in the region. John and his son Ryan farm about 250 acres with a focus on quality. They grow a wide variety of vegetables but are best known for their herbs and leafy greens.

Culver’s

Basciani Mushroom Farms

There aren’t too many people like us” even among the mushroom-growing families of Kennett Square and its environs, says Michael Basciani. “We’re one of the very few, if not the only, fourth-generation mushroom farmers in the country. Not many make it that long.”

The Basciani saga begins along the Adriatic Sea, in the Italian province of Abruzzi. Even today, the province is hardscrabble country. And it was from here in 1915 that Michael’s grandfather left for a new life. “He started picking mushrooms for the Pratt family in 1915,” says Michael, “just like the immigrants from Mexico who come into Chester County nowadays.” Within five years, the grand old man was in business for himself. Three sons followed him, and one son’s three sons followed in turn—Michael, Richard, and Mario.

You don’t last four generations in a family business without family values being of paramount importance. Hard work is one of those values. “This is not a business where you get a scheduled vacation,” says Basciani. It’s a year-round, wake-up-in-the-dead-of-the-night-to-check-the-temperatures business. It’s labor-intensive, and the workers do some back-breaking work. “You gotta be a people’s person,” Basciani says. “If the workers don’t see you working harder than them, it’s not going to motivate them. You have to be the example!

Huntsinger Farms

Elvin Huntsinger started Huntsinger Farms, Inc. in 1921. The family farm is currently being operated by his daughter Ruth Terwilliger, son-in-law Alan Terwilliger, and his three grandsons John, Stephen, and Neil Terwilliger. Elvin was an innovator in the field of potato growing and packing. He was one of the first to pack potatoes in poly bags in the late 1950s.

Huntsinger Farms is located in Hegins, Pennsylvania where they grow 80 acres of red, white, and golden potato varieties. They also produce potatoes in the fertile muck land around Sodus, New York. They plant, grow, harvest, store, sort, and pack potatoes differently than most American potato operations. They have adopted technology from European agricultural practices to maximize the quality of their finished product.

Huntsinger’s Mission Statement: To provide the consumer a safe and high quality potato product by utilizing sound agricultural and business practices.

Circle M Farm

Sheppard Farms (Eastern Fresh)

In 1683, four Sheppard brothers moved to southern New Jersey and began their own vegetable farm. Since then, farming has been a family tradition for many generations of Sheppards. They began farming in their current location on Sayres Neck Road in 1888.

Today, Sheppard Farms is operated by Erwin and Tom, both Cornell University graduates. They farm 1500+ acres, and in peak season employ up to 240 workers. The Sheppards have always taken pride in their finished product and look for ways to continue improvement. In 2010 they began construction on an upgraded packinghouse. In 2015 they upgraded their asparagus packing machinery, which they will expand upon again in 2016.

Eastern Fresh Growers is the sales company for Sheppard Farms, Jersey Legacy Farms, and other farms in the area on a per commodity basis.