SEGMENT: FARM EQUIPMENT, SPECIALTY CROPS, & LAND
Edward Van Drunen>ISM Interviews M-Z>ISM Interviews M-Z, Segment 15
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- LAND
- Some land is rented, but most of the land was purchased. Most of it is irrigated - some out of the Kankakee River and some out of wells.
- FAMILY FARM
- Father passed away before the real start in the herb business but he was encouraging. Older brother was involved as a child but later became a dentist, no family pressure to go into farming.
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Some special equipment to harvest the crops all by machine. At the start it was all hand harvested. Cutting machine will cut chives. A cycle machine will cut herbs off just above the ground, then the herbs go up a belt and loaded into a wagon. They are then chopped up and then freeze dried or frozen. The frozen goes into wet mixes & dried products go to the spice companies.
- SPECIALTY CROPS
- Crops are rotated. Some are annuals and some are perennials. Perennials rotate every 4 to 5 years, but annuals are rotated every year. Herbs need a lot nitrogen. Weeds are always a problem & do a lot of hand weeding. Use some herbicides but a lot is restricted because it is a minor crop. Minor crops are more labor intense. Sell wholesale to large manufacturers. Customers are Kraft, McCormick Uncle Bens bakeries and Cereal Companies.