June 2019 - 6

MELONS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Brawley and Bakersfield.
" We are vertically integrated, which
allows us to operate as lean as possible
from the field to the store shelves with
our products, " Ryan said. " We are also
family owned and operated, which allows
us to connect to the consumer well. "
Crafting connections
Van Groningen gets involved in
marketing, with brand names like Yosemite
Fresh melons, Pamper'D Pumpkins and
Dutch Treat Sweet Corn.
Ryan said the Yosemite brand was
introduced in the 1990s by his dad,
Dan, who is a fan of Yosemite National
Park - roughly a two-hour drive away
from the farm.
" Our seed is not proprietary but
we do use the best possible growing
practices to produce the best tasting
fruits and vegetables, " he said. A 2006
study by California Polytechnic State
University, San Luis Obispo, found that
Yosemite Fresh watermelons contained
10.6 percent sugar - higher than the
four other brands included in the study.
Yosemite Fresh melons also had thicker
rinds, according to the study.
Van Groningen regularly sends out
crop updates and recipes promoting
sales. The group has been growing mini
watermelons for more than a decade,
Resourceful reliability
California's zealous regulation of
herbicidal, pesticidal and fungicidal
sprays have led to a jungle of paperwork
for growers to navigate, Ryan said.
" California's stringent regulations
surpass all other states, " Ryan said. " They
are definitely trying to make doing business
in California as tough as possible. "
The group has yet to fully commit to
A crew puts transplants in rows at a Van Groningen farm.
watching their popularity increase.
" Convenience continues to be a huge
motivator in terms of purchasing, "
Van Groningen said. " Summertime
still promotes large watermelon
purchasing but we are seeing great
success during the winter months with
selling mini watermelons versus large
full-size watermelons. People that live
in the big cities with limited living
and refrigerator space also flock to a
smaller-size personal watermelon. "
How they grow it
Ryan's brother Jason Van Groningen is
the vice president of farm operations while
his cousin Bryan Van Groningen is vice
president of crops and soils.
" The sandy loam soils and warm days
and cool nights from the delta breeze is
the perfect recipe for sweet tasting melons
from Manteca, " Bryan said.
Van Groningen & Sons has looked
into labor from the H-2A visa program
but so far hasn't used it, instead hiring its
employees directly.
" It has been tough to find the quantity
of workers needed but also the quality/
skill level of workers has become
increasingly tougher, " Ryan said.
" The cost of labor exceeds the rising
minimum wage so we are working
towards more and more mechanization. "
Labor is especially precious during
the fall pumpkin harvest in September
and October.
" Pumpkin season is a fast and furious
time of the year, " Jason said. " We do
everything in our power to harvest and
pack with delicate care as quickly as
possible to make sure everyone gets
their pumpkin before Halloween. "
an organics program, although the Van
Groningens have been dabbling in organic
growing and some of their independent
growers have added organic acres.
" Organics are definitely a growing
sector in the produce department but are
not huge in terms of consumer preference
in melons due to the much higher cost
of organic versus conventional, " he
said. " Some organic leafy green items
have only a slight upcharge compared
to organic but with melons, the price
difference is quite significant due to the
big variation in yields. "
What the company has moved into is
developing some processing products
for melons and pumpkins that don't
meet the fresh market standards.
Pumpkin seeds and watermelon puree,
juice and concentrate are produced
from harvest leftovers.
" As a grower, there is so much product
that does not meet fresh market standards
so we are trying to utilize 100% of our
crop for some purpose, " Van Groningen
said. " Our motivation is to be as
resourceful and sustainable as a company
as possible. " VGN
Veronica F1
Mid-season green
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Nutty flavor; great
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Burgundy F1
Eye-catching
purple
sprouting
broccoli. Very
uniform floret
production with
rich purple
color.
Buscaro F1
Red Cabbage.
Round, wellwrapped
heads on
tall, upright
stalks. Easy to cut.
Short core; good
color.
Caraflex F1
Sweetheart
Cabbage. Thin,
crisp leaves are
tender and sweet!
Presents well as a
mini. Good
storage.
HR: Foc
Marte F1
High quality,
uniform sprouts.
Concentrated
production for
mechanical
harvest.
Vigorous tall
plants.
HR: Foc
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Bejo Organic Home Garden Brassica
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6 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
Sales and Product Development-Packet and Catalogue Trade
26 7-838-0078 c.lenczyk@bejoseeds.com
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315-789-4155
main office:
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805-473-2199
info@bejoseeds.com
Burney F1
Excellent heat
resistant broccoli
variety. For the
summer slot in
the northeast:
Good broccoli in
July!
HR: Foc
IR: XNL;Ac
Kolibri F1
Kohlrabi. Purple
exterior; white
interior. Excellent
quality. High yields.
Can mature to
large size.
IR: XNL

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June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2019