General Produce Information
Fruits and Vegetables
While we grow over 70 different types of produce, the following will highlight a little about our main crops.
Strawberries
We grow two (2) varieties, Chandler and Camarosa. Both are standards in the mid-Atlantic area. Our acreage is 60% Chandler and 40% Camarosa. Chandler is the 
overall best because of its ability to produce good tasting fruit over a range of weather conditions. Camarosa produces large to extra large fruits on a more open plant. The combination of larger fruit and rich flavor has made it a favorite among a growing list of our customers. Most of our organically grown berries are Camarosa because their open plant frame (not bushy) and lower fertility needs helps reduce diseases and requires less nitrogen.
Tomatoes
We grow six (6) types of tomatoes: round slicers, heirloom, plun, grape, cherry and dwarf or container. With these types, we have over 15 varieties selected for flavor and attributes for growing along the coast. As many of you tomato growers can appreciate, over the past 10 years we have had varying levels of tomato spotted wilt virus and blight. Through all fashioned plant breeding (not gene modification) there are several varieties that now have resistance which helps eliminate pesticide applications. We were a cooperator with Va Tech's Plant Pathology researchers to select the best varieties the
past two years. A relatively new way to combat soil and plant diseases is to graph tomato plants. What this means is that a “wild” tomato variety is selected to be paired with the tomato type (variety you want to pick). The two seeds are started at the same time and, after about three weeks, the top of the “good” variety is grafted on the root of the “wild” variety. This allows the "wild" plants natural ability to fight diseases to be paired with the flavor and other traits of the variety we choose. This is a huge step is using little to no pesticides for disease control.
Sweet Corn
We grow white, bicolor and yellow varieties of corn. Many of you are aware of advances of genetically modified organisms (GMO). For produce, sweet corn is by far t
he most widely used. We have chosen not to plant any GMO corn. With that being said, it is amazing how much progress has been made to improve the quality of sweet corn. The first hybrid sweet corn was Silver Queen released in the 1950’s. While it was very good for a long time, it pales in comparison to today’s varieties. Today’s varieties have a mixture of different kernels on the same ear to improve sugar content and ability to hold that sweetness longer.
Potatoes
Varieties are selected first for their culinary traits and color, not the highest yields or looks. In addition to the reds, yellows and whites, we grow all red, all blue and two (2) types of fingerlings.
Beans/Peas
Most of the varieties we grow are older such as 
Kentucky Wonder and Blue Lake. The flat as opposed to round green beans are local favorites noted for their rich flavor. Several types of southern peas are grown including black eyes, crowder peas, purple- hulled and whites acres. Butterbeans are Congreen or Thoroughgreen old favorites.
Leafy Greens
Lettuces grown are New Red Fire (Red Leaf), Two Star(Green Leaf), Ideal Cos (Romaine) and Buttercrunch. Brocolli are Gypsy , Diplomat and Imperial while the collards are Champion and Carolina Heading.
Sweet Potatoes
Covington is a fairly new variety developed by NC State. We also grow the heritage Hayman, associated mainly with the Eastern Shore. There are several white vari
eties, but only one Hayman, just look for the ugliest, most wrinkled one at that’s it. New to us is the Asian Sweet Potatoes. We don’t know the name or variety but it is purple skinned and fleshed. 
We also grow Hatteras, which has good fiber, consistency and lots of syrup. All of our potatoes are cured which means they are stored at temperatures around 85 degrees and equal humidity for three weeks. This process allows time for the starches to be converted to sugars and to toughen the skin to prevent moisture loss.
Melons
In addition to seedless watermelons, cantaloupes and honeydews, there are several types of specialty melons grown. These include Sprite, Gala, Pixie and Crenshaw melons. Sugar content 
of fruits is determined in percent Brix. (Brix was the scientist who developed the procedure to measure soluble sugars.) A good watermelon has a Brix of 14.0 to 14.5%, cantaloupes are 13-14% while these specialty melons range from 15 to 18%. With all fruit, the higher the sugar content the more perishable the produce. The specialty melons have a short shelf life which is why they are not used for shipping long distances.