The rose rundown —some fun facts
• Roses are considered the “queen of blooms” and are quite possibly the world’s most popular cut flower.
• Flowers in the Rosa genus belong to the Rosaceae family and include over 100 species and more than 20,000 cultivars. The Rosaceae plant family has a number of flowering and fruit-bearing members, including plums, apricots, peaches and apples.
Take some time to smell the roses
It’s been an extremely rainy summer with widespread flooding around Lake Wobegon, MN, my fictional hometown on the edge of the prairie. Meanwhile, in my real hometown, our normal June rainfall is 4.25 inches but this year we had 11.36 inches, the wettest month statewide in recorded history. July continued the monsoon trend and I’m contemplating building an ark.
Ready Pac introduces Baby Kale European Salad Blend
Ready Pac Foods, based in Irwindale, CA, is capitalizing on the soaring popularity of kale with the release of the Ready Pac Baby Kale European Salad Blend.
JemD Farms featuring specialty produce in a foodservice-friendly format at PMA Foodservice
Jim DiMenna, president of Red Sun Farms, formerly JemD Farms, headquartered in Kingsville, Ontario, will be exhibiting at the PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, on July 25-27 at Booth No. 1. Jim Cathey, sales and sourcing manager for the company, will be attending to represent the company.
Mann Packing introducing Kalettes, Arcadian Harvest Emerald at PMA Foodservice Expo
Mann Packing will launch two items — Arcadian Harvest Emerald and "Kalettes" brand Kale sprouts — and feature its Salad Solutions program at the PMA Foodservice Expo this year in Monterey, CA.
Community pulls together, Northwest fire rages
The Carlton Complex Fire, which has burned nearly 100 homes in Washington's Methow Valley and displaced 40,000 residents, continues to burn out of control. Conditions in the region have been extremely hot and dry, and strong winds whipped flames into a scene reminiscent of Dante's Inferno.
Listeria risk prompts Wawona Packing's voluntary recall
Wawona Packing Co. of Cutler, CA, is voluntarily recalling certain lots of whole peaches (white and yellow), nectarines (white and yellow), plums and pluots packed June 1-July 12 due to the potential of the products being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Wawona Packing has notified retailers of the specific lots being recalled. No other products are affected by this recall. No illnesses have been linked to this recall to date.
Ports of the Delaware River thriving on global produce trade
PHILADELPHIA — International produce trade is thriving, and the ports of the Delaware River are serving that growth and expanding services for the global fruit trade.
Movement steady in Aspen’s 12-month potato program
CENTER, CO — “We’re taking care of our customers’ needs,” co-owner and sales agent Dwayne Weyers said recently of Aspen Produce’s year-round potato program.
Weyers said the operation provides all consumer packs as well as Kwik Lok closures that have trace-back information printed directly on the Loks. The closures also feature a food-safety precaution note to wash and cook the potatoes, which are Colorado’s highest-acreage vegetable crop, thoroughly before consuming.
Coosemans Interproduce Divisions ups the ante with new website and logo
A revamped logo, a brand new website and a steadily growing product line has Coosemans Interproduce Divisions, based in Tampa, FL, ready to spread its reach even further from coast-to-coast, with locations from Cleveland, OH, to California providing coverage for much of the continental United States.