Owyhee asparagus coming on in Oregon
Owyhee asparagus coming on in Oregon
New nursery asparagus planted two years ago is coming into production this season for Nyssa, OR-based Owyhee Produce, and General Manager Shay Myers said in late March that he anticipated good volume throughout the mid-April to mid-June shipping season.
Farming 100 acres of asparagus as well as onions and mint, the multi- generation family operation ships its grass under the "Family Farms" label.
"We pack only our own product," said Robin Froerer, Mr. Shay's mother and daughter of farm patriarch Owen Froerer, who also works in sales at the company. Heretofore, asparagus has gone out under the "Ida Spear" label, and Ms. Froerer said that the new carton will say, "Ida Spear for Family Farms."
"We're working toward that 'Family Farms' brand especially for retail," she said.
The "Family Farms" label will bear a newly developed logo that features the image of Owen Froerer from the 1950s, "emphasizing that this family farm practices sustainability and environmental stewardship because we've been on the same land for so many years," Mr. Myers said.
"We live where we work," he added.
The logo's tagline says, "Honest Owen," Ms. Froerer said.
Asparagus is packed in 11-pound and 28-pound wooden pyramids, which Ms. Froerer said is "more traditional and allows us to keep a better product." She said that the wooden containers "keep the asparagus cooler and let it ship farther. It has better legs."
The asparagus is packed at a shed in Fruitland, ID, and all product ships by truck to major markets along the East Coast and in Los Angeles.
Mr. Myers is the asparagus operation's farm manager, and he said that the labor issue affecting asparagus this year will not likely improve during the season.
"I don't see it getting any better," he said, commenting about the short-term. Nonetheless, Owyhee Produce has been considering organic production. "We're looking into it, but we haven't taken the big leap yet," Mr. Myers said.
Farming 100 acres of asparagus as well as onions and mint, the multi- generation family operation ships its grass under the "Family Farms" label.
"We pack only our own product," said Robin Froerer, Mr. Shay's mother and daughter of farm patriarch Owen Froerer, who also works in sales at the company. Heretofore, asparagus has gone out under the "Ida Spear" label, and Ms. Froerer said that the new carton will say, "Ida Spear for Family Farms."
"We're working toward that 'Family Farms' brand especially for retail," she said.
The "Family Farms" label will bear a newly developed logo that features the image of Owen Froerer from the 1950s, "emphasizing that this family farm practices sustainability and environmental stewardship because we've been on the same land for so many years," Mr. Myers said.
"We live where we work," he added.
The logo's tagline says, "Honest Owen," Ms. Froerer said.
Asparagus is packed in 11-pound and 28-pound wooden pyramids, which Ms. Froerer said is "more traditional and allows us to keep a better product." She said that the wooden containers "keep the asparagus cooler and let it ship farther. It has better legs."
The asparagus is packed at a shed in Fruitland, ID, and all product ships by truck to major markets along the East Coast and in Los Angeles.
Mr. Myers is the asparagus operation's farm manager, and he said that the labor issue affecting asparagus this year will not likely improve during the season.
"I don't see it getting any better," he said, commenting about the short-term. Nonetheless, Owyhee Produce has been considering organic production. "We're looking into it, but we haven't taken the big leap yet," Mr. Myers said.
