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Serving rural Benton County, Morrison, Mille Lacs & Kanabec counties.
BENTON AG Plus
A Supplement to the Sauk Rapids Herald
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016
Grown right near Gilman Novak’s market fruits and vegetables by NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
FOLEY — About four miles north of Gilman, 15 high tunnels align themselves on Greg Novak’s century old farm. Inside, various peppers and tomato strains flourish. But the produce inside these shelters are only a portion of what’s produced each season on Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables. Beans, cucumbers, canning pickles, dill weed, egg plants, gourds, kohlrabi, onions, peas, potatoes, rhubarb, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, watermelon, zucchini and more are cultivated and harvested from approximately 70 acres of land and sold locally at grocers and farmers markets.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will celebrate the 17th Annual National Farmers Market Week Aug. 7-13. According to the USDA, over the last decade the number of farmers markets across the nation has almost doubled, growing from 4,385 in 2006 to 8,501 last year. The towns of Sauk Rapids and Rice both added new farmers markets this summer and when Greg’s sister Joan Paggen heard the news she added them to Novak’s list of selling locations. “When you buy from farmers markets you’re getting fresher produce,” Paggen said. “We’re happy to have the larger stores as customers because we need to sell in bulk in order to survive, but we’re always glad to sell to our established market customers.” Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables is deeply rooted in the farmers market concept. Greg, Joan and their brothers and sisters grew up planting and picking peas and sweet corn for Jerry’s Market. “As kids, Jerry [Chmielewski] would give
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables, of Foley, produces healthy produce for farmers markets and more. Greg Novak, owner, gets help from his sister Joan Paggen, harvesting and selling at markets stands.
Dad the pea seed. We would plant it and pick the peas by the pound for him. That was our money. We worked our way up to an acre, then three acres and so on,” Novak said. Greg and Joan’s parents and grandparents nurtured their green thumbs and with
the help of a family members and about 15 seasonal employees, Novak’s grew into the business it is today — selling direct to grocers Lunds & Byerlys, Coborn’s, Inc. and through market stands at nine other locations including stands in Cloquet
and Lincoln. “It was Greg who really expanded on the vegetables over the years,” Paggen said. “Each year he went on, he kept trying different things.” And that included ways to grow the fresh produce. The high tunnels, otherwise
known as hoop houses, have catapulted Novak’s production. The non-heated greenhouses allow the operation to control growing environNovak continued on pg. 2B
Brennys go hogwild for swine project
Siblings bond through 4-H development by JENNIFER COYNE STAFF WRITER
Rubes Sponsored by Fluegge’s Ag
RICE – Ribbons were earned, giggles were had and lessons were learned at the Benton County Fair last week. While the Brenny siblings – Justin, 16, Emily 14, and Erika, 11 – are still basking in the activities of the week, it is the memories created as members of the 4-H swine project that will last a lifetime. As members of the Graham 4-H Club, the Brennys, children of Jerry and Christine Brenny of Rice, all participated in the swine project – Justin and Emily raising Durocs, one male and one female, and Erika raising a male Yorkshire-Chester White cross. “Dad was raised on a pig farm, so when we joined 4-H, I knew pigs were what I wanted to show,” said Justin, who has been showing pigs for five years.
After Justin joined the youth development organization and his sisters watched in awe at the fun he had, it was not long before Emily and Erika became involved. Last week’s fair was Erika’s second show season, but Emily’s first. “When Justin and then Erika got started, it was something they were familiar with and I wanted to be a part of,” Emily said. Together, the Brennys spent the summer feeding, washing and training their three pigs with guidance from their dad. “I grew up in 4-H showing rabbits, sheep, goats and pigs,” Jerry said. “I wanted my kids to be a part of this when they were old enough.” The project became a family affair in May when the children purchased their piglets and constructed a pen at their grandfather’s farm, only seven miles from their home.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER COYNE
The Brenny siblings – Justin, Emily and Erika – participated in the 4-H swine project at the Benton County Fair. This year, the siblings raised three pigs on their grandparents’ farm near Rice.
Each day, the Brenny siblings would visit Grandpa Bob’s to make sure their animals had plenty of water and food, and frequently replenished their pens with fresh bedding. “Going to the farm gave
me a reason to get ready for the fair to arrive,” Justin said. “I’d take my sisters with every evening and we would check up on the pigs.” Jerry added, “They would go straight to the barn without stopping at the
house.” While most of the chores were doable with each other’s help, like many young adults, there were some that the Brennys dreaded taking part in. “Cleaning out the pens
was the hardest,” Emily said. Erika agreed. “There was one time it was just Emily and I, and we had to add feed to the feeders after we cleaned them,” she said. “It was hard to lift the feed up and fill the feeder without any help.” As the fair arrived, Justin demonstrated to his sisters how to walk the pigs and provided them with tips on showing and speaking with the judge – remembering to always smile and be attentive in the show ring. “I was so nervous, but looking back it wasn’t that bad,” Emily said. “It was actually fun. I felt comfortable showing my pig.” At the end of the show, all three pigs were a part of the annual 4-H auction, held Wednesday night of the fair. The Brennys sold their pigs to representatives of Foley Lumber, G&J Awning and Canvas and D&L Construction. “After all the showings are done, different companies purchase the animals,” Justin said. “They’re mostly Brennys continued on pg. 3B
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