February 2024 - 19

LEAFY VEGETABLES
Heath Wetherington of Baker Farms in
a field of small curly leaf turnip greens.
In the 1990s, Baker Farms moved away
from growing traditional Southern
vegetables to focus on leafy greens.
biggest crop with kale in second place. At the turn of the
century, the farm began growing specialty items, including
cilantro, beets, Swiss chard, bunched spinach and
complementary items. In the early 2010s, Baker Farms
constructed a processing facility for bagged greens.
Baker Farms grows on more than 5,000 acres, with
year-round plantings. Southwest Georgia's climate
supports spring and fall produce, allowing 10 months of
greens production. While some leafy items cannot handle
Georgia's oppressive summer heat, others, including
collards and kale, are produced throughout the year.
Partnerships allow for year-round shipments, and one
such arrangement with Maine's Smith Farms created a
12-month broccoli program.
Georgia greens benefit from late spring and summer
Gulf of Mexico showers, while the Gulf warmth keeps
winter temperatures stable, said Heath Wetherington,
general manager.
Over the past decade, Baker Farms has adopted
technology, including applications aiding water
conservation, field mapping, maintenance and food
safety. Apps show managers where and when water is
required while field mapping decreases inputs and seeds
and reduces waste. Apps aid decision making, helping
managers project and match product field availability and
production with demand. Planting schedules ensure the
correct acreage is planted at the best times, eliminating
multiple trips to assess field situations, Wetherington said.
VEGETABLEGROWERSNEWS.COM | 19

http://www.VEGETABLEGROWERSNEWS.COM

February 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2024

Editor's Letter
Michigan Vegetable Council honors experts
GLEXPO Bus Tour
2023 Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 awards
A different tool in fighting herbicide resistance
Going greens
Replacing plastic with cover crops
Farm Market & Agritourism
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
February 2024 - 1
February 2024 - 2
February 2024 - Editor's Letter
February 2024 - 4
February 2024 - 5
February 2024 - Michigan Vegetable Council honors experts
February 2024 - 7
February 2024 - GLEXPO Bus Tour
February 2024 - 9
February 2024 - 10
February 2024 - 11
February 2024 - 2023 Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 awards
February 2024 - 13
February 2024 - A different tool in fighting herbicide resistance
February 2024 - 15
February 2024 - 16
February 2024 - 17
February 2024 - Going greens
February 2024 - 19
February 2024 - 20
February 2024 - 21
February 2024 - 22
February 2024 - 23
February 2024 - Replacing plastic with cover crops
February 2024 - 25
February 2024 - 26
February 2024 - 27
February 2024 - 28
February 2024 - 29
February 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism
February 2024 - 31
February 2024 - Classifieds
February 2024 - 33
February 2024 - Advertiser Index
February 2024 - 35
February 2024 - 36
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/vgn-digital-seed-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-august
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/vgn-digital-seed-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/seedguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/seedguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com