Produce companies share innovations, techniques

Jager Robinson
Nov 27, 2019
Nov 27, 2019 Updated Nov 27, 2019

Farmers Market — Matt and Lindy Garrett sell produce at the farmers market they helped create in Pierre, S.D.
Submitted photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

South Dakota’s farm acres are dedicated chiefly to corn, soybeans and wheat – with some grains and sunflowers mixed in – but on the small farm managed by Matt and Lindy Geraets their fields grow almost every kind of vegetable you can imagine.

kAm{:?5J[ @7 qU2>Ajv !C@5F46 42>6 E@86E96C H:E9 76==@H AC@5F46 8C@H6C !688J |2CE:? @7 r652C rC66< v2C56?D 2E E96 $@FE9 s2<@E2 {@42= u@@5D r@?76C6?46 :? !:6CC6 E@ DA62< 23@FE 9@H E96:C 3FD:?6DD6D 92G6 6G@=G65] |2EE[ {:?5J’D 9FD32?5[ 4@F=5?’E 2EE6?5 3642FD6 @7 2 3FDJ D4965F=6 324< 2E E96 72C>]k^Am

kAm“(6 E6== A6@A=6 E@ H@C< D>2CE6C[ ?@E 92C56C 3FE H6 2C6 ?@E 8@@5 2E :E[” {:?5J D2:5]k^Am

kAm|2EE 2?5 {:?5J v6C26ED 5:5?’E 92G6 EC25:E:@?2= 28C:4F=EFC2= 324<8C@F?5D] (9:=6 {:?5J 8C6H FA @? 2? g_\24C6 72C> 96C A2C6?ED @H?65 ?62C !:6CC6[ 3FE D96 H6?E E@ 4@==686 :? $2? s:68@] |2EE[ H9@ 2=D@ 8C6H FA :? E96 !:6CC6 2C62 @77 E96 72C>[ H6?E E@ 4@==686 :? }6H w2>AD9:C6]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 76H J62CD[ E96 EH@ >@G65 324< E@ !:6CC6 H96C6 E96J C64@??64E65] sFC:?8 E96:C E:>6 2H2J @? 6:E96C 4@2DE[ |2EE D2:5 E96J 3@E9 >:DD65 72C>6CD >2C<6ED 2?5 E96 23:=:EJ E@ 3FJ =@42==J D@FC465 7@@5D] $@[ `` J62CD 28@[ E96 4@FA=6 DE2CE65 r2A:E2= r:EJ u2C>6CD |2C<6E]k^Am

kAm(92E DE2CE65 @FE 2D 2 H2J E@ 86E =@42= AC@5F46CD E@86E96C BF:4<=J C6G62=65 ;FDE 9@H D42C46 =@42= AC@5F46CD H6C6]k^Am

kAm“q2D:42==J E96C6 H2D @?6 @E96C AC@5F46 4@>A2?J 96C6 :? !:6CC6[” |2EE D2:5]k^Am

kAmpE E96 96:89E @7 E96 64@?@>:4 C6AC6DD:@?[ E96 v6C26EDV 3682? AC@5F4:?8 G686E23=6D @? ;FDE b 24C6D @7 {:?5J’D A2C6?E’D 72C>] (92E DE2CE65 2D 2 9@33J E@ 96=A DFAA=J E96 72C>6CD >2C<6E 92D EFC?65 :?E@ 2 7F==\3=@H? 3FD:?6DD E92E C6BF:C6D d_\ E@ g_\9@FC H@C< H66<D :? E96 DF>>6C]k^Am

Potato plants — Matt and Lindy Garrett’s row of potato plants on their Pierre, S.D. produce operation.
Submitted photo

kAm“xE ;FDE <:?5 @7 DA:C2=65 @FE @7 4@?EC@=[” |2EE D2:5] “x?:E:2==J :E H2D <:?5 @7 ?6CG6\HC24<:?8 3FE :E :D H@C<:?8] (@CDE 42D6 D46?2C:@ H6 92G6 8C62E AC@5F46 2?5 >2J36 ?@E >2<6 2 H9@=6 =@E @7 42D9]”k^Am

kAm~G6C E96 D6G6? J62CD E92E E96J’G6 4@>>:EE65 E@ qU2>Ajv !C@5F46[ |2EE D2:5 E96 7@@5 D46?6 :? $@FE9 s2<@E2 92D E2<6? @77 :? E96 >2;@C 9F3D] $:@FI u2==D 2?5 #2A:5 r:EJ 92G6 6>3C2465 E96 =@42= 7@@5 4F=EFC6 H9:=6 !:6CC6 =28D 369:?5 D:>A=J 3642FD6 @7 :ED D>2==6C A@AF=2E:@?]k^Am

People are also reading…

Cattle producer converts all crop acres to forage production
The PCV2 landscape has changed. Is your protection keeping up?
Freezer on the fritz sends stress level to boiling
Studies continue into rising rates of cancer
Grocery stores bring so much more than food to communities they serve
Family celebrates legacy of women farmers
A veterinarian’s perspective on failed execution of Tennessee woman
Energy abounds in Auburn FFA Chapter
Wet fall causes issues with soybean seed quality
Canola harvest wraps up across North Dakota
‘Policy hasn’t kept up with public demand,’ leader says
Pork leader talks national policy, local impact
What’s in our water? An engineer’s perspective on groundwater, soil health and future generations
October heat shuts down beet harvest for fear of spoilage
Start succession conversation with farm legacy goals

kAmqFE E96 DFAA@CE 92D 366? @FEDE2?5:?8] |2EE 42?’E C642== 2 D:?8=6 ?682E:G6 4@>>6?E E96J’G6 C646:G65 23@FE E96 3FD:?6DD]k^Am

kAm~G6C E96 =2DE 76H J62CD[ E96 v6C26EDD 92G6 :?E68C2E65 DA64:2=:K65 6BF:A>6?E – 2 7:?86C H6656C[ 2 BF:4< 4FE 8C66?D 92CG6DE6C[ 2 A2A6C A@E EC2?DA=2?E6C[ E@ ?2>6 2 76H] %96J’G6 2=D@ 3F:=E 36EE6C 9@FD:?8 7@C E96:C G686E23=6D] xE’D 2== 96=A65 E96> 36 >@C6 677:4:6?E 2?5 6IE6?5 E96 8C@H:?8 D62D@?]k^Am

kAm|2CE:? 92D 2=D@ H@C<65 E@ 4@>32E $@FE9 s2<@E2’D G2C:23=6 H62E96C 2E 96C `a\24C6 (6DE #:G6C 72C> =@42E65 D@FE9 @7 `gg_ %@H?]k^Am

kAm“(6 92G6 ?@ :562 :7 H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 86E ?@ C2:? @C 2? :?49 @7 C2:? 6G6CJ H66<[” D96 D2:5] “p?5 F?7@CEF?2E6=J[ :7 E96 H:?5 :D F?56C a_ >A9[ :E’D 2H6D@>6]”k^Am

kAmw6C 2?DH6C E@ E96 H:?5 DE@C>D[ D?@H72== 2?5 @E96C 92CD9 H62E96C :D E96 42E6CA:==2C EF??6=]k^Am

kAm“%96D6 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 82>6\492?86C 7@C FD[” |2CE:? D2:5]k^Am

Eggplant — Matt Garrett holds eggplants harvested in July at their farm, B&G Produce.
Submitted photo

kAmw:89\EF??6= 8C66? 9@FD6D 2C6 4@>>@?=J FD65 E@ AC@E64E AC@5F46[ 3FE $@FE9 s2<@E2’D 9:89 H:?5D 42? 52>286 E96 DECF4EFC6D] r2E6CA:==2C EF??6=D 2C6 >@3:=6 2?5 62DJ E@ E2<6 5@H? 2?5 E@ C6:?7@C46] %96J’G6 2==@H65 |2CE:? E@ 8C@H 46CE2:? 4C@AD =@?86C :?E@ E96 72==]k^Am

kAm|2CE:? 2?5 E96 v6C26EDV 92G6 366? H@C<:?8 H:E9 E96 }2E:@?2= #6D@FC46D r@?D6CG2E:@? $6CG:46 E@ 86E >@C6 A6@A=6 :?E@ 8C@H:?8 =@42= AC@5F46] %96 }#r$ @776CD 8C2?ED E@ 96=A AC@5F46CD 86E DE2CE65 2?5 3FJ 6BF:A>6?E[ 2?5 qU2>Ajv 2?5 r652C rC66< 72C> 96=A 3J 9@DE H@C<D9@AD E92E E6249 J@F?8 AC@5F46CD E96 EC256]k^Am

kAm|2CE:? D2:5 E92E 86EE:?8 ?6H AC@5F46CD’ 6BF:A>6?E E@ D2G6 E96>D6=G6D E96 EC@F3=6 @7 6?5=6DD H@C<H66<D :D <6J E@ DFDE2:?:?8 E96 =@42= 7@@5 :?5FDECJ]k^Am

kAm“%92E’D H9J A6@A=6 E92E 2C6 86EE:?8 :?E@ :E 2C6 @?=J =2DE:?8 EH@ @C E9C66 J62CD[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm|2EE D2:5 96’D 92AAJ E@ D92C6 E96 <?@H=6586]k^Am

kAm“x7 H6 42? ?2:= 5@H? 2 ?:46 AC@7:E23=6[ 677:4:6?E DJDE6> E92E H@C<D @FE 96C6[ E96C6 :D C@@> 7@C 2 =@E >@C6 A6@A=6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

Reach Reporter Jager Robinson at 605-335-7300, email jager.robinson@lee.net or follow on Twitter @Jager_Robinson.