home.grown. Farm Feature: Paul Mazza's Fresh Produce
Jack Marquette
Marketing Intern
The Operation
Paul Mazza owns over 250 acres of farmland in Essex, Jerico, Williston, and Colchester. After visiting only the Essex and Colchester locations, we could tell each acre was used with purpose of growing some of the freshest produce in Vermont. An operation like this takes a group of employees who love to work for Mazza’s Fresh Produce and provide for their families in the snow seasons. Using busses, they can easily transport them around the farms. This operation leaves Paul working long days and is a reason why his Fruit and Vegetable Farmstand in Essex is so trusted.
Community Connection
We visited the Essex Farmstand location on a Wednesday afternoon and still there were cars consistently pulling in and purchasing the fresh produce from the stand. The community relies on trusts and respects Mazza’s stand and his work for delivering great produce. Their website, paulmazzas.com, displays that their mission statement has not changed. For 38 years they still want to “connect our community with fresh local foods.” Their website provides information on most services covered in this blog, but with much more detail. We encourage you to check out their website to learn more.
Pick-Your-Own
Even with the massive success of the stand, Mazza still says the people’s favorite is the “Pick-Your-Own”. You have the availability of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and apples. They encourage everyone to make memories along with collecting fresh produce at a great price. More information can be found on their website.
Overview
Paul Mazza offers many options to his loyal local customers. Whether it is his Fruit and Vegetable Farmstand in Essex, the popular Pick-Your-Own, or the hard work that goes in behind the scenes, there is a reason the community trusts the farm. Building through a community is something Paul Mazza and Price Chopper both take pride in and is one of the many reasons why he still provides fresh produce in our stores today.
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
The month of July has so much to offer. The weather is beautiful, school is out, and everywhere we look there are barbecues and picnics. It only makes sense that National Grilling Month is celebrated for the entirety of this month! When we think of firing up the grill, hot dogs and hamburgers are most likely the first thing to come to mind. However, there are actually an array of items that can be grilled. Some may even surprise you. Let’s take a look below!
Watermelon: Grilling watermelon is actually quite simple. If you are new to the whole “grilling fruit” idea, then you are in for a treat. Picture the juicy sweetness of watermelon with a smoky flavor. It is quite the combination. The watermelon should be cut into wedges and placed on a heated grill for two to three minutes. Some people may add sugar or spices, or just eat it plain.
Pineapple: Grilled pineapple is a must-try this summer. They can be cut in rings, wedges, or cubes. Many people brush the pineapple in butter and/or brown sugar, but that is optional. Lightly oil the grate and cook pineapple for two to three minutes.
Bananas: If you are a banana-lover, then you are in for a serious treat! To grill bananas, slice them down the middle with the peel intact. Place the cut-side of the banana on the grill and wait to see grill marks (should only be about two minutes). An option here is to sprinkle on sugar or honey. Using tongs, flip the bananas over for five more minutes, or until the peel starts to pull away. This is best served with vanilla ice cream. Speaking of, Price Chopper and Market 32 have a new line of PICS Pint Ice Cream! Check them out here.
Tofu: Looking to change up the way you eat tofu? Look no further! Grilled, seasoned tofu is a delicious summertime meal. You will want to buy firm or extra firm tofu, not soft. Press the excess liquid from the tofu prior to placing it on the grill, and make sure you oil the grill so the tofu does not stick. Cut tofu, paint with your marinade of choice, and then throw on the grill for two to three minutes each side. There you have it – Quick, easy, and anything but boring!
Pizza: If you have never grilled pizza before, then stop what you are doing and read this! Place the plain, formed dough on a cookie sheet and gently slide it onto the heated grill. The key here is to grill the dough on both sides, and then remove from the grill. Once you notice it starts to brown on one side, use tongs to flip. Once both sides are browned, let the crust cool on a rack for a few minutes to two hours. When you are ready, add your toppings and place back on the grill for two to three minutes.
Be sure to browse all-things grilling below for more traditional barbecue food!
home.grown. Farm Feature: Gade Farm
Jack Gelok
Marketing Intern
Gade Farm: A Family Tradition Rooted in the Heart of New York
This beloved farm is in Guilderland, New York. Gade Farm stands on pillars of tradition, community, and sustainable agriculture. This family-owned farm has been cultivating the land and nourishing its community for over a century, offering a rich blend of history, innovation, and down-to-earth charm.
A Century of Heritage
This story beginning date all the way to 1876, when Danish immigrants Hans and Sophie Gade purchased a simple piece of land. Over the decades, their dedication and hard work transformed this small farmstead into a thriving enterprise, passing down a legacy of agricultural excellence through the generations. Today, Gade Farm remains family-operated, with each generation adding their own chapter to its storied history.
Looking Out for the Capital Region
What sets Gade Farm apart is its unwavering commitment to sustainable farming practices. The Gade family has long understood the importance of nurturing the land, implementing techniques such as crop rotation, cover cropping, and integrated pest management to maintain soil health and reduce environmental impact. Their organic gardening center offers a wide range of eco-friendly products.
Strawberries to Pumpkins
Gade Farm is known for having a wide variety and diverse array of fresh produce, available throughout the growing season. From the first strawberries of spring to the hearty pumpkins and squash of autumn, the farm’s bounty reflects the rhythms of nature. Visitors can enjoy picking their own fruits and vegetables, a delightful experience that connects people with the source of their food.
More Than Just a Farm
Beyond its phenomenal produce Gade Farm looks out for the community. The farm market is stocked with a variety of locally sourced goods, including artisanal cheeses, fresh-baked breads, and homemade preserves. They also offer whatever your seasonal need are looking for thus can be anywhere in between hayrides or holiday markets.
home.grown. Farm Feature: Reeves Farms
Jack Gelok
Marketing Intern
A Berry Sweet Legacy: The Story of Reeves Farms
It all started with a young 18-year-old coming from Draycott, England to Jacksonville, New York. His name was Arthur Thomas Reeves the founder of Reeves Farm. Arthur started out working on his aunt and uncle’s farm, but by 1898, he and his wife Mary had saved enough to buy their own patch of paradise on what is now known as Reeves Road. With eight kids running around, the Reeves family was starting a farming legacy.
The Fast-Paced World of Farming
In the mid-1920s, Arthur’s son Edward, along with his wife Flossie, took the reins and moved the farm a bit further down Reeves Road. They focused on crops and milking cows. Their son Cecil, after a stint in the Navy during WWII, decided he’d had enough of cows and set his sights on crop farming. Cecil and his wife Dorothy juggled raising nine kids and growing vegetables and grain, proving that farming really is a family affair.
60’s Expansion
By the 1960s, the farm was expanding faster than you can say “strawberry shortcake.” Cecil and Dorothy bought more land, growing fresh market vegetables and berries. Their hard work laid the groundwork for the farm’s next big leap.
The Reeves Farm Today
In 1990, Cecil and Dorothy handed the keys over to their sons Bruce, Mark, and Brian. After Bruce left the partnership in 1992, their brother Andy joined the team. Today, two of Mark’s children, Nolan and Karin, are also part of the farm’s management, making Reeves Farms a true multi-generational operation.
The Reeves Family Looking into the Future
What makes Reeves Farms extra special is their commitment to sustainability. They use Integrated Pest Management, reduced tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, and organic production to keep the soil and water healthy. It’s all about farming smart to ensure this land can keep producing mouthwatering berries and veggies for generations to come.
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN, CDN
Eye health is an often-overlooked issue (no pun intended) until something happens to impact or change vision. Loss of vision is a substantial health challenge with significant impacts on quality of life, and the most common diseases have a long, slow development timeline, leaving many not realizing they are headed for vision issues. Nutrition has been a target for research and consumer interest in this field. Research shows some important nutrient roles in maximizing vision functions, but connecting specific nutrients to specific roles in prevention and management of vision issues has been more challenging than expected.
The good news is that we can connect recommendations for eating more produce, managing blood pressure and blood sugar, and enjoying foods that are part of a Mediterranean style of eating to reduced likelihood of chronic vision challenges such as cataracts, macular degeneration, or glaucoma. There is a significant linkage between ensuring heart and artery health is maintained, because all nutrients that have a relationship with protecting vision also need to reach those tissues via a strong cardiovascular system.
Orange flags produce that offers significant amounts of Vitamin A, essential to ensuring eyes can see light and color – carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and apricots are on the menu for this critical nutrient. Vitamin A also protects against dry eye and has a role in the quality of tears. Antioxidant Vitamin C, found in red peppers, oranges, strawberries, and more, has been correlated with prevention or delay of macular degeneration.
Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids also have roles in eye health, along with bioactive compounds lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in leafy greens, tomatoes and eggs, and are critical to the health of the macula, which is the center of vision function in the eyes. Most of these vitamins and compounds are fat-soluble, meaning they need some healthy fats in food to be absorbed well, which opens the door for delicious foods like avocado, nuts, seafood and olive oil – hopefully, they were all on your grocery list already!
Supplements also have some supportive data and are most beneficial for those with macular degeneration or at risk for it. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 found supplements with specific amounts of the vitamins highlighted have positive benefits when used in conjunction with recommendations from your health care provider. Learn more about that here Vitamins for AMD – American Academy of Ophthalmology (aao.org).
Bottom line – plant-forward, nutrient-rich foods are important to eye and overall health throughout your life. Enjoy them as part of your vision of a healthy future!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Happy pumpkin season! Now is the perfect time to have a friendly pumpkin carving competition with friends and family or decorating the house with mini pumpkins and gourds. At Price Chopper and Market 32, we are proud to source all our pumpkins from local farms in our region each season. We get our pumpkins from many of the same farms who supply us with favorites like sweet corn and tomatoes in the summertime. Additionally, we also source our hard squashes, gourds, and ornamentals from local farms here in the Northeast during the fall. Find out below which farmers we are highlighting this pumpkin picking season!
Reeves Farms, Baldwinsville NY
Reeves Farms has been a partner for over 30 years, growing everything from organic zucchini to pie pumpkins. By using sustainable farming methods, Reeves Farms is proud to offer fresh berries and vegetables as well. Be sure to grab some fresh produce after heading to the pumpkin patch!
AJ Farms, Melrose NY
The Wertman Family Farm began in Colonie, NY four generations ago. As the business started to prosper, the family decided to move to Melrose, NY where much more farmland is present. Not only do they have fresh produce and stunning flowers, but they are also experts in growing pumpkins and hard squashes.
Hoover’s Produce, Port Trevorton PA
We are proud to have been a partner with Hoover’s Produce for over 25 years! They have an array of pumpkins for carving and decoration that are perfect for this pumpkin season.
Plainville Farm, Hadley MA
A third-generation farm in Hadley, Massachusetts, Plainville Farm specializes in pumpkins, asparagus, hard squash, and their famous butternut squash. We are proud to be partners for the past seven years!
Interested in learning more about these four partners? Visit their websites below!
Next time you buy a pumpkin from your local Price Chopper and Market 32, you know that it was grown locally. Oh, and don’t forget to grab a pumpkin carving kit while you are here!
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Manager, Lifestyles and Wellness
January rings in the New Year and inspires us to evaluate targets and goals that will bring positive results to our lives. There is one change that would bring more wellbeing benefit to more people than almost any other – eating more fruits and vegetables! Only one in ten Americans eats enough to meet daily guidelines for health. We also see shoppers are seeking more organic items for many reasons, particularly because they know that since 2002, organic items meet strict USDA certification standards.
The USDA certification offers production insights and confidence to shoppers. As quoted in Food Insight’s “What is Organic” article, USDA notes that “organic products must be produced using agricultural production practices that foster resource cycling, promote ecological balance, maintain and improve soil and water quality, minimize the use of synthetic materials, and conserve biodiversity.” This is right in line with shopper aspirations to eat more mindfully, consider production impact and sustainability along with taste and health value.
You can always find high quality produce, proteins, and grocery items in our stores, including a huge selection of organic items. To help you enjoy more, now through January 28th, earn 3X AdvantEdge Rewards points on organic purchases that can help families bring more benefits to your table.
Organic product tags on our website can help you select organic items for pickup or delivery and explore products across our site that fuel your wellness routine. Check out our weekly flyer each week this month and look for our special organic shelf tags to find out which simple, seasonal organic items are ready for you to enjoy!
Happy New Year!
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Price Chopper and Market 32 are Produce Proud, and kicking off July with beautiful options, and AdvantEdge points for produce purchases. https://www.pricechopper.com/rewards/ Make half of your plate fruits and veggies at snacks and meals, and you will reap the benefits of eating well. Check out some of these easy and exciting ways to fire up your produce intake and power up delicious, nutritious meals!
Great grilling!
Check out the seasonal section of our stores for grill pans, metal and wooden skewers you can use to short cut grilling vegetables and fruit! If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. Choose your favorite cut fruit, like fresh mango or pineapple, oil the grill pan or the grill itself with some olive oil, then get going with some fun serving ideas. Thin vegetables like green beans, asparagus or scallions cook up in 4 minutes or less. Thicker cuts of vegetables may take a few more minutes to reach that warm but still crunchy-tender texture that goes so well with everything. Fruits should be watched carefully so the natural sugars don’t burn – marinate in a balsamic vinaigrette or add in something spicy for a wonderful topping, side or salsa!
Serving Savvy
Sassy Salsa – Grill sliced mango or fresh pineapple spears, (available already cut in the Produce fresh cut case), until warm and slightly softened. Dust with cayenne, top with sliced scallions and serve with grilled chicken or seafood.
Brussels Kabobs – Carefully rinse and trim the ends off of bagged, fresh Brussels sprouts, keeping the ends intact. If feeding a crowd, rinse a net bag of Market 32 Baby Red or Yellow Potatoes, too. Microwave the sprouts and potatoes for 4-5 minutes, until slightly soft. Allow vegetables to cool slightly, then thread with sweet onion quarters onto kabobs and cook on an oiled grill on medium heat until slightly charred and tender, 8-10 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Toss with lemon vinaigrette and serve with your favorite protein, like grilled flank steak.
Caesar Asparagus – Wash and trim fresh asparagus. Oil grill and cook on medium until tender, approximately 4-6 minutes, turning frequently. Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some shredded Parmesan cheese. Enjoy hot or cold!
Grilling greats know this food safety tip – wash all fresh produce, even if it will be peeled or cut up, before prepping.
- Power up breakfast with some dried fruit in oatmeal, like dried cherries and apricots.
- Make that morning snack a small apple and a light cheese stick – produce plus protein is perfect!
- Add some extra frozen or canned veggies to your lunchtime soup, or mix bagged, chopped salads with romaine lettuce for a quick power salad. Dress with balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil to keep the taste high and calories low.
- Hummus and cut veggies make a flavorful, plant-protein and fiber-rich afternoon snack.
- Double up on dinner vegetables – double servings of the same item, or mix and match fresh/ready-to-eat vegetables with your favorite cooked ones – with produce, more is always better!
Sunrise Orchards and Roger’s Orchards in Connecticut take great pride in how their apples are grown. Both orchards are certified as Eco Apples™ and have to adhere to strict growing practices in order to receive this certification. The program focuses on the quality of the soil the apples are grown on, and keeping beneficial insects within the environment. As part of this process having as much information about what is going on in the orchard and the plants surrounding the area is essential. By monitoring insect populations, growing conditions, and other factors that are important to the growing process growers can determine whether it is necessary to treat against any unwanted fungus or pest that may be harmful to the apple crop. The Eco Apple™ certification is not given out to every orchard, every year. In order to receive the certification the orchards have to undergo a review by the IPM Institute of North America, to ensure that the growing conditions have been upheld for the year.
As I mentioned earlier I really love ciders. Every once in a while I may indulge in a hard cider (my favorite is Woodchuck!), but the typical nonalcoholic fare is my true favorite. There is nothing better than a beautiful fall day with a glass of apple cider. I’ve recently been experimenting with warming apple cider for those days when the first fingers of winter reach into the air. I’ve found warming up apple cider and adding a pinch of cinnamon does the trick!
When it comes to apple baking I love the classics. There is nothing better in my mind then a warm slice of apple pie (or a whole apple pie whatever floats your boat). My best friend has recently been trying to teach me how to bake and we decided to start big with the pie. We used this recipe for an apple pie from scratch, but a pre-made or gluten free crust could easily be substituted!
How do you enjoy apples in the fall? Share your apple creations on Instagram with #PriceChopper and #Market32!