Canton, MA – Red Tomato, the non-profit that brings fairly traded, sustainably grown produce to the wholesale market, has partnered with Whole Foods Market Northeast this season to provide consumers with the new “ECO PEACH,” a delicious and healthy alternative to conventional fruit or organic fruit grown far from home.
“Our new Eco Peach program, like our successful Eco ApplesTM, is a groundbreaking collaboration between our region’s finest family farmers and scientists. Together they have developed truly sustainable methods for growing delicious wholesale fruit,” said Michael Rozyne, Red Tomato Director.
Long recognized for their high quality fruit, Connecticut farms Lyman Orchards, Rogers Orchards, and Blue Hills Orchard, together with scientists from the University of Connecticut and the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Institute of America, Inc. make up Red Tomato’s Eco Peach team.
Red Tomato’s first Eco program, Eco Apples, was launched in 2005 with six orchards on slightly over 400 acres. Today, the program has grown to 22 orchards on 1025 acres and grosses over $1.4 million. With this summer’s launch of Eco Peach, Red Tomato’s eco program also expands to include other stone fruit like plums, nectarines, and apricots.
Given Whole Foods Markets’ commitment to Red Tomato’s eco growing protocol and its support for the peach growers in the Red Tomato regional network, Red Tomato selected Whole Foods to be this year’s exclusive retailer of the Eco Peach. Said Rozyne, “We’re proud to share with Whole Foods Market a dedication to high quality produce grown by regional family farms.”
Eco Fruit: Red Tomato’s Healthier Alternative
Red Tomato’s Eco Fruit program is based on advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which relies primarily on the least-toxic and natural growing methods, such as biological controls, along with extensive monitoring of trees, pests and environmental conditions.
“When farmers grow according to Red Tomato’s Eco guidelines, they reduce the use of high toxicity pesticides, contribute to a bountiful supply of top quality local foods, and improve farm worker safety, soil and water resources, wildlife habitat and biodiversity,” explained Lorraine Los, the Fruit Crops Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator in the Plant Science Department at the University of Connecticut and key collaborator on the development of Red Tomato’s Eco Peach growers protocol.
This year’s Eco Peach crop was produced entirely without the use of organophosphates. Recent studies have found negative impacts of pesticide residues, particularly organophosphates, on fruits and vegetables – especially for children. “From an increased risk of ADHD to developmental and neurological effects, scientific data continues to support the instincts of parents everywhere: toxic pesticides are not good for children,” said Rozyne. New data shows the likelihood of increased exposure with consumption of many conventionally grown fruits. Meanwhile, growers in the Red Tomato network have worked tirelessly to reduce the use of toxic pesticides within the Eco program, especially organophosphates.”
About the Eco Orchards
This is the inaugural year of Red Tomato’s Eco Peach program, but the three founding orchards in the program are far from newcomers to the business.
• Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, CT, has been under the stewardship of the same family for over 250 years. Current grower John Lyman has developed a thriving crop of tree-ripened peaches resulting in the kind of juicy, flavorful peaches that were common to this region since the early 1900s.
• A short drive down the road to Southington, CT, Rogers Orchards, boasts eight generations of family farmers. John Rogers, inspired from time he spent on an orchard in the Netherlands studying progressive, high-density fruit cultivation, now manages the orchard which is known for being the largest apple orchard in Connecticut.
• Also in the Connecticut River Valley is Blue Hills Orchard, where the Henry family has been growing peaches since 1904. "Farming is a way of life," explains Eric Henry. "It's in our blood. It can be quite a challenge but the rewards definitely come through. It's great to live in the middle of an orchard!"
Look for Red Tomato’s Eco Peach baskets in Whole Foods Market produce departments throughout the Northeast beginning in late July and running through September. Average price is $6 per basket.
About Red Tomato
Red Tomato's mission is to connect farmers and consumers through marketing, trade, and education. Red Tomato believes that a locally-based, ecological, fair trade, family farm food system is the way to a better tomato (and peach.) For information, visit http://www.redtomato.org/ecopeach.php or follow Eco Peach on Facebook.
Source: Red Tomato
