2 – Friday, July 15, 2011— Bedford Gazette, Bedford,...
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Gazette Photo/Abbey Keifman Eric Jacobson, subcontractor for Bedford Plastics, and Doug Foster, irrigation system supplier with Trickl- eez, inspect the blackberry plants that were put in the ground Thursday morning. The 20-acre farm called Blackberry Bottom will grow five varieties of blackberries which will be ready for harvest from mid-July to late August next year. Bedford plastics firm plants blackberries By Abbey Keifman Gazette Staff Writer Bedford Reinforced Plastics, Inc. has purchased 20 acres of a farm in Bedford Township, named it Blackberry Bottom and begun planting blackberries. The project began in January and the plants were put in the ground on Thursday. Around mid-August, the trel- lises will be installed, according to Shannon Foor, the business develop- ment manager at Bedford Plastics. The leap from plastics to berries isn’t as far as it seems. Foor said Bedford Plastics began sell- ing fiberglass to Trellis Growing System, a company out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Both companies invested, along with a grower, in an installation blackberry farm in Ohio. The 10-acre farm was a success, and again the two companies invested with a grower in Iowa on a 20- acre farm. “The natural progression went from selling material to investing with other partners to now owning and operating our own berry block,” Foor said. The trellis system is a rotating one, which can lie flat and be covered in the winter to protect the berries. After the last frost, the trellises str stood up, and all the blossoms, and subsequently the berries, will grow on one side, facing away from the scorching afternoon sun. The system should also allow for an overall healthier berry as well as reduced harvest labor. “The berries will be able to grow in an open and airy environment without being exposed to the sun’s harmful rays,” Foor said. “You’re basically guar- anteed a crop each year.” With the system desigend by Trellis Growing System and built with fiberglass that lasts for over 25 years in the fields from Bedford Plastics, the berries that were being grown at the farms in Ohio and Iowa were bigger and survived the winters. According to Foor, the blackber- ries should be sweeter and have a longer shelf life than most sold in markets. Most blackberries in the Bedford County area are brought up from the southern states and Mexico, Foor explained. He said that the season typi- cally closes mid-summer, but Blackberry Bottom will have its harvests between mid-July and early September. “We’re filling a hole in the supply chain,” Foor remarked. Blackberries, which are high in antioxidants and considered a “super- fruit,” are becoming very popular as a wine base, and the farm will be growing five different varieties of berries. Most of the berries will be sold, to markets in New York, Washington, D.C. and other large cities, but Foor hopes to set aside some rows for local sales. He also would like to see the variety of products expand. “In the future as we expand we’ll probably look at wine-mak- ing, jams and jellies, et cetera,” he said. Blackberry Bottom will the largest commercial farm of its type between New England and northern Virginia. Foor said, “It’s a pretty steep investment on the front end of things,” but explained that the company potentially could receive around $45,000 per acre in revenue when the berries are sold. 2 – Friday, July 15, 2011— Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pa.
Transcript of 2 – Friday, July 15, 2011— Bedford Gazette, Bedford,...
Gazette Photo/Abbey KeifmanEric Jacobson, subcontractor for Bedford Plastics, and Doug Foster, irrigation system supplier with Trickl-
eez, inspect the blackberry plants that were put in the ground Thursday morning. The 20-acre farm calledBlackberry Bottom will grow five varieties of blackberries which will be ready for harvest from mid-July to lateAugust next year.
Bedford plastics firm plants blackberriesBy Abbey Keifman
Gazette Staff WriterBedford Reinforced Plastics, Inc. has
purchased 20 acres of a farm in BedfordTownship, named it Blackberry Bottomand begun planting blackberries.
The project began in January and theplants were put in the ground onThursday. Around mid-August, the trel-lises will be installed, according toShannon Foor, the business develop-ment manager at Bedford Plastics.
The leap from plastics to berries isn’tas far as it seems.
Foor said Bedford Plastics began sell-ing fiberglass to Trellis Growing System,a company out of Fort Wayne, Indiana.Both companies invested, along with agrower, in an installation blackberryfarm in Ohio. The 10-acre farm was asuccess, and again the two companiesinvested with a grower in Iowa on a 20-acre farm.
“The natural progression went fromselling material to investing with otherpartners to now owning and operatingour own berry block,” Foor said.
The trellis system is a rotating one,which can lie flat and be covered in thewinter to protect the berries. After thelast frost, the trellises str stood up, andall the blossoms, and subsequently theberries, will grow on one side, facingaway from the scorching afternoon sun.The system should also allow for anoverall healthier berry as well asreduced harvest labor.
“The berries will be able to grow in anopen and airy environment withoutbeing exposed to the sun’s harmfulrays,” Foor said. “You’re basically guar-anteed a crop each year.”
With the system desigend by TrellisGrowing System and built with fiberglassthat lasts for over 25 years in the fieldsfrom Bedford Plastics, the berries thatwere being grown at the farms in Ohioand Iowa were bigger and survived thewinters. According to Foor, the blackber-ries should be sweeter and have a longershelf life than most sold in markets.
Most blackberries in the BedfordCounty area are brought up from thesouthern states and Mexico, Foor
explained. He said that the season typi-cally closes mid-summer, but BlackberryBottom will have its harvests betweenmid-July and early September. “We’refilling a hole in the supply chain,” Foorremarked.
Blackberries, which are high inantioxidants and considered a “super-fruit,” are becoming very popular as awine base, and the farm will be growingfive different varieties of berries. Most ofthe berries will be sold, to markets inNew York, Washington, D.C. and otherlarge cities, but Foor hopes to set asidesome rows for local sales.
He also would like to see the variety ofproducts expand. “In the future as weexpand we’ll probably look at wine-mak-ing, jams and jellies, et cetera,” he said.
Blackberry Bottom will the largestcommercial farm of its type betweenNew England and northern Virginia.Foor said, “It’s a pretty steep investmenton the front end of things,” butexplained that the company potentiallycould receive around $45,000 per acre inrevenue when the berries are sold.
2 – Friday, July 15, 2011— Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pa.
