We feel it is important to know where our food comes from. Fewer people today have the luxury of time to grow their own fruits and vegetables. And most of us don’t even know neighboring farmers who in the past supplied our local markets. We miss that connection, as proven by the satisfaction we get from going to the farmers’ markets that grace many of our communities. There’s something about meeting the people who grow the food that creates a sense of community.

At Amy’s we value the notion of creating communities. One of the ways we do this is with the farmers who grow our fruits and vegetables. We know most of our growers by name and have been working with some of them since our humble beginnings. Maybe you’d like to know a little of how these relationships work, and the reasons behind why Amy’s products look and taste so good.

Amy’s is fortunate to be nestled into one of the world’s premier growing regions for many crops. Over fifty percent of our vegetables are grown within 200 miles of our “kitchen”. Author John Steinbeck wrote romantically about farming life in the Salinas Valley and the great San Joaquin Valley. These are the “gardens” that produce many of the organic vegetables you enjoy in Amy’s products.

Let’s talk broccoli! Can you believe there is only a 2-day window, during each harvest, when broccoli is at peak flavor and quality? Even though it is a year-round crop in California, organic broccoli is best between November and April when cool weather limits pressure from pests and dry weather. We work closely with our growers to choose the exact time for harvesting the absolute best of the season.

Our onions are sourced from 15 local organic growers. Most of these are family farms that have been with us for many years. Growing onions organically requires careful crop rotation planning. A single field may not be used for organic onions in more than one year out of every four. The onions are delivered to Amy’s fresh, and a small group of people from our kitchen peels them by hand.

Organic leeks are another crop that is grown by local family farmers, just a few miles to the west of Amy’s. Our produce managers will visit the farms throughout the growing season and discuss ideas for new crops and new ways of using fresh ingredients in our food. This is truly a sustainable approach to the community.

Oh, and let us not forget to mention about our apples (used in our Country Dinner Whole Meal, our famous single serve Organic Apple Pie and our Toaster Pops). Amy’s selects the“Cox Pippin”, a rare, heirloom apple, that basks in the warm Indian summer sun of Northern California. Doing so produces a sweetness that complements its perfect tartness. It is as much art as it is apple!

We have earned a reputation in the farming community as the company with the most rigid standards for quality and consistency. This is as it should be. Just imagine if you were planning a special meal for your closest friends. Wouldn’t you take the time to select the best of everything? Bright green broccoli, perfect potatoes, sweet tomatoes and tangy onions? Sure you would, and because we think of every customer as a guest in our home, you deserve the very best that nature provides.