Papen Farms historically has grown approximately 2,000 acres of green beans, cabbage and sweet corn, with about half of that land dedicated to the latter. 

However, in 2024, the company made the decision not to grow any spring cabbage.

With summer right around the corner, Parker Farms is continuing its march up, and then back down, the Eastern seaboard to provide a plethora of regionally grown vegetables for its long list of customers.

As mid-June arrives, the produce industry’s attention shifts to the Eastern Shore, where farmers are preparing crops such as cabbage, green beans, potatoes, sweet corn and more. Eastern Shore companies begin shipping produce at the end of June, continuing through July.

This period is crucial as it bridges the gap between the end of North Florida’s season and the start of harvesting in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and other regions, which doesn’t occur until late July.

Officials at Garden Fresh Salad Co. just want to keep everyone satisfied — very satisfied.

Ask anyone who is doing business in the produce industry in the Boston area and they will tell you it is a unique marketplace, filled with both opportunities and pitfalls. The key is to stay ahead of the curve.

That is the approach officials at Peter Condakes Co. will tell you has worked for decades as the company first established itself and thrived in the region.

The secret to the success at Community Suffolk is to focus on fewer commodities and overwhelm customers with great pricing and superb quality.

That is what has kept the 97-year-old Everett, MA-based business in operation for all these decades and what company officials are confident will keep it moving forward for years to come.