Root and Stem aims to serve top notch and local crops to their catering customers as a part of their sustainability practices. Staff members at a food distributor like Tuscarora Organic Growers (TOG) help Root and Stem in meeting that goal by providing top quality produce to serve catering customers. Jeff Taylor, the General Manager at TOG, has played a fundamental function in helping Root and Stem satisfy their customers’ taste for local produce since May of 2012.
While Jeff became introduced to the agriculture world through fish farming for several years, a desire to break into local farming and a burgeoning lamb business on the side brought him to TOG five years ago.
Jeff emphasizes that an important part of TOG involves developing the most value for their grower’s produce. In turn, TOG works with their family farms growers to help them maximize their return. Jeff says they want to have the most diverse offering of produce possible for their customer, so they help coordinator production among their growers to ensure a varied crop selection. And even though TOG has four dozen member growers contributing to their production, they work hard to maintain quality standards between the farms. Even during this chilly time of year, Jeff says that TOG has plenty to offer. Baby greens are grown in greenhouses during the winter and TOG distributes a variety of root vegetables as well.
According to Jeff, TOG’s priority is ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining top produce standards ensures their happiness with their food. This commitment to top quality produce and high standards continues to ensure Root and Stem’s ability to serve only the most delicious dishes to their clients.
TOG was recently featured in Growing Magazine about their commitment to locally grown, organic foods http://www.growingmagazine.com/article-8682.aspx
By Courtney Hall Gagnon