Harvest, hard work and hardships

Fresh. Organic. Trustworthy. These words describe three produce vendors from the Harrisonburg Farmers Market who work hard to provide healthy & affordable food security within our community. Take a look into how Curtis Yankey from North Mountain Produce, Rebecca and Patrick Ryan from Ryan’s Fruit Market, and Radell Schrock from Season’s Bounty Farm & Community Supported Agriculture deal with pricing, difficulties during the growing process, & what they experienced as local produce vendors during the height of the pandemic.

The price is right

Curtis Yankey, a vendor based out of Timberville, Virginia, came to the Harrisonburg Farmers Market on June 19, selling an array of multicolored tomatoes, along with onions and other vibrant produce.

When asked about the different factors that determine the costs of his goods, Yankey said, “Basically, we go [by] the other vendors, so we kind of stay within the same price point, so you can’t really undercut somebody.”

In addition to consistent prices, his business continues to flourish by being honest with the consumers as to how the produce is handled.

“If people have any questions [about the produce] they can come straight to the producer,” Yankey said.

After working at North Mountain for four years, he ended up buying the property, and runs it to this day.

Pandemic persistence

Owners of Ryan’s Fruit Market Rebecca and Patrick Ryan, based 20 miles north of Harrisonburg (outside of Timberville, Virginia), said the pandemic wasn’t actually bad for business.

“We got busier,” Patrick Ryan said.

Rebecca Ryan then further explained how people were hesitant to go to grocery stores because of the spreading of COVID-19.

Through the pressure of the pandemic, they still managed to meet consumer needs.

Hardships

Radell Schrock, from Season’s Bounty Farm and Community Supported Agriculture, talked about some of the hardships he faced while growing and producing his product with a very extensive list.

“Some certain varieties [of produce] we don’t grow because of insect trouble,” Schrock said.

Insect troubles are one that Schock faces along with other farmers. Weather also causes difficulty for Schrock.

“The wind the other day flattened the corn, the rain kind of hit in some of the cucumbers and peppers,” Schrock said.

Gallery • 11 Photos

Beets from Randall Schrock at the farmers market. Photo by Elleanna Dalton