For many California vegetable grower-shippers, winter marks a shift in production areas and a transition from the central coast to the California or Arizona. That’s not the case for Oxnard, CA-based Boskovich Farms.

“Pretty much we grow the same crops all year-round,” said Don Hobson, vice president of sales and marketing.

Don HobsonAt some point in its nearly 100-year history, Boskovich had separate deals in Salinas, CA, and Yuma, AZ, and followed the annual migration between the two points. But its location in California’s Ventura County, which is only about an hour north of Los Angeles, is far enough south for year-round production. Over the years, the company’s Ventura County acreage has grown to support its year-round vegetable deal that features about 30 crops, including green onions, cilantro, radishes, leeks, kale, celery, cauliflower, romaine and green leaf. It has moved away from growing in either Salinas or Yuma in the past decade or so. It continues to have a year-round Mexican growing program for several crops, including green onions and radishes, to augment its Ventura County acreage especially during the winter.

While Boskovich no longer grows product in Yuma, Hobson said the company still sends a truck there from Oxnard every night full of product to allow for consolidation with Yuma-grown crops. In addition, its Mexican production also ships through Yuma on a regular basis.

On Nov. 7, Hobson was bullish about the 2014-15 Western winter vegetable deal. He noted that the deal had gotten off to a great start with strong prices across the board for many of the firm’s vegetable items. He said the strength of the season depends on the marketing opportunities that are presented throughout the next few months. He said last year was not a particularly strong year price-wise because the lack of rain led to very steady production with no gaps and no accompanying high prices.

Like other grower-shippers, Boskovich has noted strong growth in some of the trendy areas including kale, brussels sprouts, cilantro and its growing organic line. Hobson said the company offers both commodity and value-added packs with many of the value-added items designated for the firm’s foodservice business. He said that is a strong focus of the company and accounts for about 25 percent of its total business.

The firm’s newest item is a microwavable brussels sprouts offering. “The last couple of years, brussels sprouts have enjoyed double-digit growth and they still do,” he said.

While the product has gained popularity, Hobson said that it does present challenges in the field, which has tended to keep production down. Not every grower is willing to spend the time necessary to grow a crop of brussels sprouts.

Another new addition to Boskovich Farms’ marketing department is Bridget Boskovich, who recently graduated from Pepperdine University. Bridget joins the fourth generation of Boskoviches who work for the family-owned company, which has roots dating back to 1915 when her great-grandfather, Stephen Boskovich, began farming near Los Angeles.