In late October, Calvert Cullen, president of Cheriton, VA-based Northampton Growers, a leading grower and shipper of a wide variety of produce, said that things in Florida were looking upbeat.

“Our schedule looks good at this point,” said Cullen. “We don’t really wrap up with cucumbers, squashes, peppers and other items in Florida throughout the winter. We move from one growing region to another, providing seamless supplies. Eventually volumes will start to drop off and at that point we’ll be moving northward.”

Northampton Growers follows the growing seasons north and again south each year. Northward, its movement runs from Florida, to Georgia, the Carolinas and then to Michigan before starting its return trip back to the south in October.

Cullen explained that the company was still harvesting in Georgia in late October.

“Our schedule is arranged in a way that avoids a lot of overlap from one region to another,” he said. “In Georgia we are still harvesting specialty peppers and green and yellow squash. Cabbage, which is a cool weather crop, will start in a couple of weeks.”

Depending on the markets, Georgia will wrap up around Thanksgiving.

“At that point we are always fully planted in South Florida,” said Cullen. “We’re planting now and will continue to plant right through the season. Cucumbers are the only exception. We don’t produce them in the winter.”

Northampton Growers’ South Florida crop movement generally starts around Dec. 5.

Founded in 1959, Northampton Growers has growing operations and offices in Fairfield, NC, Moultrie, GA, Norman Park, GA, Hastings, FL and Boynton Beach, FL.

The company’s extensive line of produce includes peppers, cucumbers, squash, green beans, cabbage, leafy greens and onions.

Items that Northampton produces and ships from the Fairfield, NC, growing region are sold under the “Mattamuskeet” label. Products from other areas carry the “Plantation” brand.

The company’s crops are on a planting schedule that allows it to supply all of its commodity items to its customers year-round without skipping a beat. It ships to retail chains, terminal markets wholesalers, foodservice operators and processors.

The company is known for consistency in its commodities from year to year.

“We know what we do best and we tend to stick with it firmly and without falling off the path,” said Cullen.

“We don’t follow fast moving and short-lived trends. We do make changes in acreage in certain crops when demand increases dictate, but our customers know they can depend on us for year-round supplies of the items we produce to fill their needs.

Over the past half century, Northampton Growers has evolved from a two-person operation to a company with more than 30 full-time staff members.

Cullen and Steve McCready, who is also the company’s comptroller, are partner-owners of the company.