Get To Know Commonplace Farm
Beyond just gorgeous specialty lettuce, chicories and fresh herbs, Jeremy and Ashli Mueller are using acreage purchased from long-time organic farmer Tom Denison to make the career of farming accessible to future generations.
From His Early Days at Good Time Trying Farm to Denison Farms, Tom Denison Reflects on Four Decades of Farming and His Decision to Retire
For over four decades, Denison Farms has been a household name to many shoppers in the Willamette Valley who have purchased their organic produce at area farmers markets. Tom is one of the earliest organic farmers in Oregon to find success at scale, and created a farming model that set the benchmark for many in the region.
Now, a year since the last pint of berries was sold under the Denison Farm name, OGC takes a look at how Tom’s decades of experience helped to make way for a new generation of organic farmers and his inspiring story of succession planning.
Join us as we share the four chapters of Denison Farms’ transition from Tom’s early days of farming and the sale of his life’s work to three next-generation Willamette Valley growers now coaxing crops from the land.
Okra is On! Give this Gorgeous Crop the Attention it Deserves
On a field trip to eastern Washington and Oregon this week to visit OGC’s growers in the region, farmer Alan Schreiber of Agricultural Development Group shared with us his beautiful and impressive okra crop. Standing in a field of chest-high plants, Alan offered a lesson on this under-appreciated fruit (yes, okra is a fruit that’s eaten as a vegetable).
Nearly One Year Since Devastating Wildfire, Whitewater Ranch is Harvesting Beautiful Blueberries for OGC
A long-time grower partner and land-steward, Whitewater Ranch is as picturesque a location as anyone could hope to farm. Bordered by the river on one side and hugged by a forested ridge on the other, the farm’s rows of blueberries are stunning against their natural backdrop.
Learn more about Whitewater Ranch, just one of the many dedicated growers OGC relies on to fill delicious packs of Ladybug Brand blueberries!
Downloadable Melon POP Cards
To help shoppers understand the alluring attributes of each organic melon, we’ve created a set of downloadable POP cards highlighting the best traits of every variety OGC sources from our growers in Oregon and Washington.
Tasty and Tantalizing Melons From Northwest Growers
Mid-summer has arrived, and with it, the luscious colors, flavors and intoxicating aromas we wait in anticipation for all year! Hefty organic Heirloom tomatoes, dramatically-hued eggplant, supple stone fruit and a favorite amongst OGC coworkers...Northwest-grown melons!
From the Slow Food Ark of Taste: Jimmy Nardello Peppers
Over 30 years ago, a group of Italian protestors stood at the base of the Spanish Steps in Rome and passed around a bowl of penne. The demonstration amplified challenges faced by the world’s food systems. Among them, a dire lack of biodiversity and investment in heritage crops and livestock breeds, consequences of conventional agricultural practices, inequity in labor and a loss of heritage and culture.
Vernon Peterson’s Equation for Achieving “The Higher Good”
Founded in 1893 upon the fertile soil of Kingsburg, California, Peterson Family Farm is more than just an exceptional stone fruit grower. Learn how Vernon Peterson has assembled a group of farmers and a team of workers he regards as a family to produce fruit that’s beyond organic.
Luscious Heirlooms Add Color and Curiosity to Tomato Displays
For many, summer is all about stone fruit and berries. For others, corn. But for eaters that prefer a trickle of tomato juice down their chin over peach juice, the season of sun-warmed fruit is all about the Heirlooms.
Deck Out Stone Fruit Displays with Downloadable POP
Click to download a set of stone fruit POP that will help your shoppers confidently select, store and enjoy their juicy gems at peak ripeness!
Malika Mangos from Crespo Organic
Creamy, fibreless and incredibly aromatic, these large-size mangos are making their organic market debut in the Northwest!
More Than Stone Fruit, Masumoto Family Farm Hopes to Expand Eaters’ Relationship with Food
Nikiko Masumoto, a third-generation stone fruit grower in California’s Central Valley, talks about variety selection, intuitive eating and her goal of challenging implicit bias about food. More than just growers of impeccable peaches and nectarines, learn why Masumoto Family Farm is a leader in progressive thinking.
Potassium Packed Produce to Help the Body in the Heat
An unprecedented heat wave is hitting the Pacific Northwest and shoppers are looking for all kinds of solutions to stay cool and hydrated as temps exceed 100 degrees. Box fans may be hard to come by, but potassium-rich produce is at the ready!
Four Specialty Grapes You Have to Try
Grapes are a go-to choice for road trips, picnics and beach days. Shoppers looking for something new and exciting can pick up organic specialty grapes to take their snacking up a notch. With unexpected shapes, flavors and names that give eaters some fun cues, these varieties are sure to delight. Learn more about four grapes your eaters are sure to love!
Fantastic, Freshly Dug Potatoes from Full Belly Farm
Freshly dug and great eating, organic potatoes from Full Belly Farm are a delicious choice for shoppers’ favorite outdoor dining classics!
From waxy Bintje and Russian Banana to creamy French Fingerlings and stunning Blue potatoes, there’s something for everyone with these incredible nuggets.
Curiously Colorful, Specialty Watermelons Provide Flavor & Visual Impact!
OGC is excited to share a new line of organic specialty watermelons from our friends at Thomson International out of Bakersfield, CA. This line boasts fantastic flavor and playful colorways that are a feast for the eyes! With celestial-inspired names like Sunshine, Midnight Black and Neon Moon, shoppers will be sure to be dazzled by these delicious treats.
Coworker Spotlight: Meet Max Benoit, OGC Account Representative
OGC has many coworkers that have dedicated their time and energy for 10, 20 even 25+ years! This longevity is part of what makes OGC a great place to work. One such coworker is Max Benoit. An impressive 17 years into his career at OGC, Max recounts his early days as a warehouser, how his career reflects his values and shares a message to front-line workers. Learn more about Max and how he helps make OGC a great place to be!
Del Cabo Paperboard Pack Cherry and Grape Tomatoes
OGC is a big fan of innovation and sustainable packaging (and delicious tomatoes!), and Del Cabo’s new paperboard pack for their organic cherry tomato line hits all the right notes!
Northwest-Grown Red Cherries Have Landed!
Plump, juicy, packed with flavor and completely crave-able, the Northwest cherry season is here, and with it arrives strong volume, great varieties, and a multitude of size profiles and pricing to meet all needs.