E. Miedema thriving with summertime vegetable deal
E. Miedema thriving with summertime vegetable deal
BYRON CENTER, MI — Sweet corn shipping is in full swing for E. Miedema & Sons Inc., based here. The firm is growing, packing and shipping 1,600 acres of vegetables this summer. Sweet corn acreage for the firm will be between 600 and 700 acres, according to Dave Miedema, the third-generation head of the family farm.
E. Miedema, which ships “Buck Creek” brand, produces about half as much cabbage and fall squash acreage as sweet corn. Cabbage shipping began June 20 and will run until Nov. 1. Fall squash shipping began Aug. 5 and is expected to end at Thanksgiving.
Miedema said he also ships about 30 acres of summer squash. The firm is “dabbling” in organic cabbage and squash this year.
It has been an excellent growing season, Miedema said. The last week of July became hot and dry, so the firm was irrigating and needed rain.
Miedema is 65 years old and in the process of turning the business over to his sons Jeremy, Tim and Joel Miedema, as well as two of his nephews, Ryan and Jeff Miedema.
Ryan and Jeff’s father, Ken Miedema, was Dave Miedema’s brother and lifelong business partner. Ken died in April 2014, six weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer.
Steve Haaksma is E. Miedema’s sales manager.