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Farmers reap rewards from organic produce
BOARDMAN
Frank and Jenna Greiner live off their land as much as possible and are finding ways to help others benefit from it.
The husband and wife own New Again Farm on state Route 14 in Washingtonville and sell organic produce to the public, from the back of their minivan.
They’ve been farming nearly five years, but this is their first year of commercial growing. While waiting for their crops to come in, the Greiners are ordering organic produce from other states and making it available to the public at a discount.
Frank said he buys items in bulk from wholesalers each week and sells them at a discount to people who reserve a box online. Each week’s box costs $25 and comes with a preselected arrangement of produce.
A recent box contained four Fuji apples, two avocados, a bunch of bananas, one pound of celery, four kiwis, two lemons, two tomatoes and two zucchini. A five ounce bag of spring salad mix was also included; it was produced at Breezy Hill Farm in Homeworth.
Frank said the price of the box represents a $3 to $4 savings over what customers would pay at a grocery store.
“It’s a good deal now, but it will be a great deal in May,” he said. “When our produce comes in, we’ll trounce the grocery stores.”
In addition to the good deal and convenience of their service, Frank said he’s able to order fruits and vegetables that grow in other climates and aren’t on most local store shelves.
Although they adhere to organic farming guidelines, Jenna said getting certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is too costly. Instead, they plan to seek certification as “natural,” which costs a lot less.
On a recent Thursday, Frank passed out produce in the parking lot near Ely’s To Go, a vegan restaurant at 850 E. Western Reserve Road. His wife, who is due to have a baby at the end of the month, and their son, Frankie, 18 months, joined him.
Jenna said she was traveling weekly to three stores to find organic produce for her family. The hunt for “clean food,” as she calls it, was behind the decision to farm organically.
Her husband said offering clean, local produce is their top priority, and their customers seem to appreciate it.
Kristyn Secrest of Poland buys the weekly box to help feed her family. She used to make trips to Pittsburgh and Cleveland to find organics but said, “It’s quite expensive at the grocery stores, and there’s not much of a selection.”
Jim and Melissa Meese of Boardman eat from their own garden during warmer months but were happy to find out about the Greiners. They said they were also traveling outside the Valley to find organic produce.
The Greiners are moving toward a way of life known as “homesteading,” which focuses on self-reliance. In addition to growing their own food, they preserve it by dehydrating, canning, freezing and fermenting it to make it last. They also collect rainwater for plant irrigation. Jenna is a vegetarian and said her husband eats a mostly vegetarian diet. They try to avoid processed foods.
The two met through a dating website after Jenna posted a tagline seeking a “planting partner.” Prior to that, she lived in Florida and worked in a family construction business, and he lived in New York City where he ran a video production company.
Ely Pugh, owner of Ely’s To Go, said the Greiners supply produce for her restaurant, which focuses on local, organic ingredients. “I think it’s incredible what they’re doing,” she said. “It feels so good to say [to customers] ‘come here and pick up your produce from Frank.’”
Boxes can be reserved online at www.newagainfarm.com. Pickups are from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays at Ely’s, 7 to 9 a.m. Fridays at Leetonia High School, 450 Walnut St., and 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays at Health Matters, 42131 state Route 14, Columbiana.
The Greiners also plan to offer their produce at a farm stand on their property later in the season.