November 2020 - 27

Justin Morgan
Vice President, Morgan Composting
Justin is the vice president of Morgan
Composting, the Michigan-based company
started by his father and grandfather over
20 years ago. Today Justin helps oversee operations including organic
composting, compost blend creation, organic potting soil manufacturing,
organic granulated fertilizer production and more for the DAIRY DOO
line of products. Justin is passionate about soil health and seeing the
next generation get excited about growing their own food.
Melissa Morlock
Co-owner, MM Farms LLC
Melissa was born and raised on the family
fruit and vegetable farm. She has been very
involved in her family's farming operation;
however, in 2006 she decided to venture
into farming on her own. In 2006, MM Farms was established and
in 2010 MM Farms LLC was formed. Over the past 14 years, the
farm has tripled in size. The operation grows asparagus, strawberries,
zucchini, cucumbers, apples, peaches and cherries. Melissa has been a
past Berrien County Young Farmer co-chair. Currently, she serves on the
Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) Direct Marketing Board and Bainbridge
Township Planning Commission. This year, she will be a part of the MFB
Policy Development Committee. Melissa and her husband, Kyle Weber,
reside in Watervliet, Michigan with their four children (Caroline, Charlotte,
Milton and Maverick).
Nick Oomen
Owner, Oomen Brothers Inc.
Nick Oomen is a fourth-generation farmer
in Oceana County Michigan and farms with
his family approximately 2,000 acres of
asparagus, tart cherries, broccoli, zucchini, cherries, butternut squash,
snap beans, carrots and potatoes. After graduating from Michigan State
University, Nick applied the knowledge he gained from his agricultural
industries degree to establish Oomen Brothers Inc., a fresh produce
packing and shipping company for its 300 acres of asparagus.
Felipe Pacheco
Agricultural Specialist,
Georgia Department of Labor
Felipe Pacheco has been with the Georgia
Department of Labor for the past 13 years
as the agricultural specialist/H-2A housing inspector. He is a
member of various boards, associations and committees. He also has
networking partnerships with Farmers and National Farmworker Jobs
Program partner agencies. Felipe is involved with the agricultural
community because he believes in providing assistance to farmers and
farmworkers in any way he can.
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Josh Pagura
Farmer/Operations Manager,
Pagura Farms LLC/Slocum Farms LLC
Josh Pagura was raised in Dublin, Ohio, but
dreamed of moving to Michigan and farming
where he spent his summers as a kid. In 2000, he made the move and
spent endless hours working and mentoring his grandfather Ted Slocum,
partner of Slocum Brother Tree Farm. It was there he learned many of his
skills, including equipment fabrication, welding, hydraulics, running heavy
equipment and managing large crews. In 2004, Slocum's ventured into
asparagus as an addition to its Christmas tree farming operation. In 2018,
Josh joined the USDA beginning farmers program and started his own
farm, Pagura Farms LLC, with an initial 40 acres of asparagus and
50 acres of pumpkins.
Emily Pochubay
Tree Fruit IPM Educator, Michigan
State University Extension
Pochubay provides integrated pest management
(IPM) and horticultural leadership to help
commercial tree fruit growers minimize production risks. Based at the
Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center (NWMHRC) in
Leelanau County, Pochubay partners with Michigan's tree fruit industry
to develop and deliver educational programs including in-season grower
meetings and winter fruit schools and conferences. She also collaborates
with colleagues to conduct grant-funded IPM and invasive species
research at the NWMHRC and on growers' farms.
John Price
Manager, Archlynn Farm
John is a sixth-generation farmer who has
worked alongside his family to make a
sustainable transition from tobacco to produce.
Starting a community-supported agriculture
program in 2012 initially sparked John's interest in agriculture, which has
grown since then, along with the farm. Archlynn Farm now markets their
produce through multiple venues, such as farmers' markets, as well as
through the Southside Virginia Fruit & Vegetable Producers Association.
Steve Rachut
Grower, Steve's Sweet Corn and
Century Growers
Rachut started selling sweet corn at age 12,
when he started farming. Along the way he
has added corn and soybean acres, cattle and most recently partnered
with John Kittleson in 2014 growing onions and potatoes on muck soil
in north central Iowa. He is the third generation in his family raising
vegetables. Rachut and his wife Beth have three children.
http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
November 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2020
