January 2020 - 3

New York invests in
drone pollination
startup
Moonbeam adds a
big bang of flavor to
Galaxy tomatoes
8
19
24
Education spreads
word regarding plant
transplants
January 2020 | Volume 54 |
A VALUE
PROPOSITION
Grower targets customer needs,
trims waste in organic operation
By Dean Peterson
VGN Correspondent
Increasing value and reducing
overproduction are goals for all
vegetable growers but they're even
more important for small producers.
For Salad Days Farm at Versailles,
Kentucky, that means identifying new
customers - wholesale, food service,
restaurant, farmers' market - and
matching production to their needs.
" A lot of the time I start the
conversation with 'What are you
looking for?' and then it's 'This is
what I've got', " said Maggie Dungan,
the owner of Salad Days. " It's easier
to grow what they want rather than
grow something and try to sell
it to them. " The target is a " lean "
operation where value is created and
waste is eliminated.
Salad Days is a small operation but
it's certified organic and certified for
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
The organic certification adds
value. " It's definitely important for my
farmers' market customers, " Dungan
said. " They recognize what organic
means and are willing to seek it out
and pay for it. "
Organic is less of an advantage when
selling to wholesalers and restaurants.
" I think it helps to be organic, "
Dungan said. " It's a reassurance to
customers. If two growers are offering
a product at the same price, I'd hope
they'd pick organic. "
The GAP certification adds value
and is required when selling to the
University of Kentucky Food Service,
schools and other institutions. Many
wholesalers and grocery stores also
require it.
Access to the University of Kentucky
Food Service came from working with
Local Food Connection, a regional,
food marketing organization that
serves Kentucky, southern Indiana
and southern Ohio. The organization
connects farmers to a network of
wholesale and retail buyers.
Local Food Connection does the
marketing, finds new customers and
handles ordering and invoicing. " I just
grow the food, " Dungan said. About
one-third of Salad Days' production
goes to Local Food Connection.
Marketing through Local Food
Connection helps level the workload
throughout the year - another lean
concept.
Salad Days supplies the University
of Kentucky Food Service 12 months
out of the year. Even when some
production is lost to weather, the food
See VALUE, page 5
Maggie Dungan, the owner of Salad Days Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. Photo: Dean Peterson
Onion grower Sakata Farms honored
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Robert Sakata is a firm believer in
growers stepping up to the microphone,
but he hesitated this spring just before
addressing a group of his peers in
Colorado agriculture.
Sakata Farms - a respected vegetable
A younger Robert Sakata, center, with his
mother, Joanna, and father, Bob. Photo:
Sakata farms.
and grain grower - was being honored
as a " Trailblazer " by the Colorado Farm
Bureau and the Denver Business Journal.
He had written a speech but was almost
intimidated by the sight of his many
esteemed colleagues who make up
Colorado's diverse agricultural sector.
" I totally freaked out, " Sakata said.
" Each and every one of those (audience
members) - and hundreds of others -
were equally deserving. "
Even so, Sakata Farms has earned its
place among other farms and ranchers.
A growing legacy
" Robert's contributions to Colorado
agriculture are matched by very
few people and his commitment
to advancing and protecting the
agriculture industry is recognized by
people across the state, " said Colorado
Farm Bureau Vice President of
Advocacy Shawn Martini. " He and his
family continue to innovate and adapt
to changes in the industry and are an
example for all agriculture producers
to follow. "
Robert in many ways follows in the
See SAKATA, page 6
Issue 1
January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2020
