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 Photo and poster design by Diane-Stalford |
Jim
and Bob Ward Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, Massachusetts signed on with the Red Tomato brokerage in its first year, 1998. "In ten years I hadn't even thought about delivering a pint of blueberries wholesale." Jim Ward says. "Its left a bad taste every time I did. I couldn't compete when berries were coming from places where pickers were paid pennies per pint." Jim knew within seconds of meeting the Red Tomato staff that they understood what he was up against. "But like most farmers, I was skeptical. I wasn't confident they were going to achieve any more than showing us how much they loved vegetables. To our surprise, they really have." Now for the first time, Jim is wholesaling his blueberries at a price that covers production costs. Plus, Red Tomato found him a market for his real passion - high-flavor heirloom tomatoes like brandywines and green zebras, which he was growing mainly because his own family loved them. "It's great to finally be able to make some money on them, but it's also really nice to hear that people appreciate what we do." |