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© Copyright 2025 Dan "The Produce Man" Avakian
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Welcome to Fresh From The Field Fridays with Dan "The Produce Man" Avakian! Tune in weekly for your essential download on supply trends, category updates, brand awareness, and what's hot in the market. Broadcasting live from the vibrant San Francisco Bay of California, we delve into every aspect of the produce and supply chain industry. Join us each week for insightful discussions, expert interviews, and the freshest updates to keep you ahead of the curve in the produce world. Don't miss out on the latest in the industry – subscribe and stay informed with Fresh From The Field Fridays!
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This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss share some of their top picks of the week. They’re joined byaward-winning organic retail consultant, educator, and advocate, and the owner of Organic Options Mark Mulcahy.Mark brings the latest on what’s tasting great right now — like dry-farmed early-grown tomatoes and even dry-farmed variety melons grown in Oregon. He also talks about the Rising Stars program, a collaborative effort that’s helped over 2,500 produce and fresh food managers grow and thrive in the industry.Tune in for all this and more — only on Fresh from the Field Fridays, brought to you by The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media.
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, we’re going ape for grapes! Ross “The Produce Boss” Nelson and Dan “The Produce Man” Avakian welcome Jim Beagle from Grapery.Jim shares his journey from working the fields at age five with his dad to becoming CEO of Grapery—still walking the rows every day with his crew. You’ll hear how rich dialogue with consumers keeps Grapery in tune with shopper expectations, and Jim’s core advice: do the job right every day, be consistent, and deliver the experience shoppers can count on.We dive into: The intensity and precision of meticulous hand harvesting Why Grapery lets grapes ripen longer for maximum flavor The systems that ensure bunches are picked at peak maturity Grapery’s world travels to find wild grape species with amazing flavor, bred into seedless varieties (all non-GMO) Flavor explosions ranging from tropical notes to Stone fruit sweetnessIt’s a masterclass in flavor, farming, and consistency—all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media.
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man — we’re getting spooky with produce.Halloween goodies, healthy swaps, and yes… even some candied fruit for the sweet tooth crowd.Ross breaks out a killer lineup of creative Halloween fruit boards and charcuterie-style displays — perfect for parties or keeping the kids off the sugar crash.We also touch on Day of the Dead and All Saints traditions, and the produce items that show up in those celebrations.It’s seasonal, it’s fresh, and it’s fun — all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays, brought to you by The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media.
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, there’s an exciting new pineapple in town — and boy oh boy, it’s smashingly incredible! 🍍It’s the Colada Royale from Dole Fruit Company, and we’ve got the exclusive interview with Dr. Roberto Young, the developer behind this outstanding new pineapple. This one’s a real winner, folks!We also catch up with Bill Goldberg from Dole Fruit Company for more insight on this tropical sensation.But first — in the opening segment — Ross and Dan go over a few items they found intriguing, new, and exciting at the Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim last week.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays, brought to you by The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media!
This Week on Fresh from the Field Fridays!With Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce BossRoss breaks down some Blackstone cooking and cleaning tips that’ll make your next backyard session a breeze, while Dan takes us back to pumpkin season memories at Dan’s Fresh Produce - kids’ field trips, big smiles, and a few pumpkin-handling tips for shoppers too (keep those pretty stems intact!).We’ve also got Ross showing off some Michigan Honeycrisp apples and introducing a brand-new variety that knocks Dan’s socks clean off - it’s truly out of this world!Plus, we talk about the buzz around the Colada Pineapple rollout at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, and what we’re looking forward to seeing at this year’s big event.It’s all here on Fresh from the Field Fridays - brought to you by AgLife Media and The Produce Industry Network.
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays:Ross the Produce Boss is flying solo while Dan is visiting the Bay Area terminal produce markets. Ross is live from Indianapolis, Indiana, where he describes his visit to Tuttle Orchards in Greenfield—sampling some fantastic cider, Pixie Crunch apples, and Ludacrisp apples with an absolutely majestic crunch!He also digs into apple cider donuts, checks out some retail-ready action at local Indy stores, and covers jumbo blueberries, late-season plums, his favorite salad dressing, what’s sizzling on his famous Blackstone griddle, and even gives an IFPA preview.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media!.
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays!Ross the Produce Boss is fresh back from Idaho with an inside look at the onionharvest—how they’re sorted, sized, packed, and stored for the season. We’veboth got garden updates: in Dan’s backyard, the Bosc pear tree is loaded withbeautiful golden-russet fruit. We’ll also share how to tell the differencebetween when Bartlett-type pears and variety pears are truly ready to eat.Ross is talking salad bowls (and has a message for theproducers of those bowls), Also on his table are celery hearts and Persiancukes. Kiwi berries, quince, and more on Dan’s table as he shares the striking beautyof russeting on California Golden Delicious apples.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays,from the Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media!
It’s the first Friday of fall, and Ross “The Produce Boss” and Dan “The Produce Man” are reminiscing about their retail display days — back when fall produce departments came alive with vibrant displays of pumpkins, gourds, apples, and squashes.Dan shares an important tip: when buying pumpkins, never pick them up by the stem — the weight of the pumpkin can snap it right off!Ross dives into a sweet berry deal he enjoyed this week, while Dan talks about foraging wild berries in the Northern California mountains. Walnut harvest season is in full swing, and the guys explore an intriguing question: what’s the oldest tree fruit known to humankind?Plus, Ross makes it clear he doesn’t discriminate against onions, and there’s even a little talk about “spring garlic” year-round… well, kind of.It’s all packed into this week’s episode of Fresh From the Field Fridays, brought to you by The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media.
This Week on Fresh from the Field FridaysRoss “The Produce Boss” Nelson and Dan “The Produce Man” Avakian share their top picks of the week!Ross dives into Moon Cherries, Baby Nibble Spuds cooked up on his Blackstone, and talks trends with vegetable consumption down and fruit consumption up. He also introduces his favorite new salad mix from Dole and explains why he’s still stashing berries in mason jars.Dan brings some fun and flavor with Butt-Crack Peaches, Rave Apples, Sommerfeld Apples, fresh bunched radishes, Concorde Grapes, fresh figs, Abate Fetel pears, and more!Get your shopping list ready — you’ll want to grab these fresh picks of the week. Tune in to Fresh from the Field Fridays, brought to you by The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media.
This week on Fresh From the Field Fridays, host Ross Nelson is joined by special co-host Patrick Kelly while on the road in Charlotte, NC! Together, they dig into what’s fresh from the fields and landing in your grocery stores right now.The conversation also explores rising consumer trends, with a spotlight on millennial purchase power, and wraps up with some key takeaways on how shoppers are choosing fresh vegetables today. Tune in for insights straight from the field to your table!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss are joined by Farmer Lee Jones from The Chef's Garden in Huron, Ohio.Farmer Lee digs deep into regenerative agriculture—feeding the soil, respecting its biology, and restoring nutrients to our food. He explains how vegetables grown a century ago carried up to 80% more nutrients than they do today, but now we’re bringing that back—dusting it off, reinventing it, and restoring the living biology in the soil. As he says: “There’s more life in a tablespoon of healthy soil than in the whole world—when the biology is respected.”We also explore Farmer Lee’s journey: from standard farming practices to transforming The Chef’s Garden under the influence of world-renowned chefs. Together, they built a path forward when times were tough, advancing their offerings through a focus on texture, body, color, and flavor.It’s a powerful conversation about soil, chefs, and survival in the produce world—all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media.
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Anthony Totta from FreshXperts joins us. FreshXperts is a powerhouse team of produce industry consultants, advisors, and mentors.Anthony walks us through the group’s broad spectrum of expertise—everything from retail-level merchandising, product handling, and worker training, all the way back through the supply chain. That includes warehousing, ERP software solutions, grant writing, business development strategies, procurement training, and even helping companies secure the financing they need to reach their goals.From growing up in his grandfather’s and father’s grocery stores, to creating brands, to building a successful ERP platform for independent grocers—Anthony shares highlights from his journey and plenty of insights along the way.It’s all right here on Fresh From The Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media—Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man are joined by Dick Peixoto, founder and proprietor of Lakeside Organic Gardens.You’ve seen the Lakeside Organic Gardens label on organic veggies all across America, from grocery stores to foodservice distributors.Hear how Dick went from being the son of a pesticide salesman to one of the largest organic powerhouses in the country.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays—so tune in and turn on!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media—Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss are live in Monterey at the IFPA Foodservice Summit!Ross is just back from Europe with great photos and stories from produce markets abroad. Dan’s got summer treats like Angelcots, Japanese honeydew, and more, plus the latest from this year’s IFPA Food Show.It’s all happening on Fresh from the Field Fridays—so tune in and turn on!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media...Ross is away, traveling through Europe—so Dan is flying solo!But don’t worry, the produce is still piling high. Dan’s got a table full of summer stunners from Bay Area produce markets, farmers markets, and his own backyard garden.Fresh on the table: Sharlyn melon Yellow donut peaches and yellow donut nectarinesNectarplumsDry-farmed Early Girl tomatoesAdriatic figsPiel de Sapo melonFlavor King pluotsArmenian cucumbersThat’s right—it’s your produce market in the podosphere, So tune in and turn on!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays From The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media…Ross is getting ready to hit the road again—this time, he's heading to Europe! And he’s promised to check in with us live from some of the fresh produce markets and street stands he discovers along the way.Before that, we’ll recap his visits with growers across California, right before he met up with Dan at OPS. We’ll talk Summer Punch, Apriums, and a whole bunch of other cool goodies.Dan shares California grown Suncrest Peaches, NectaPlums and Italian Sweet Red Onions… and from The Produce Man’s very own vegetable garden: Lemon Cucumbers, Shady Lady Tomatoes, San Marzano Tomatoes.And The finishing touch - a visit to the Rowdy Rabbit Organics booth at OPS! It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays - Good for your body, good for your mind, So tune in and turn on!
This week on Fresh From The Field Fridays Ross and Dan are reportin live from the Organic Produce Summit 2025 in Monterey California! - A short and fresh look at what’s happening in organics this week and a recap of the Lakeside Organic Gardens Farm Tour in Watsonville.
Happy 4th of July from Fresh from the Field Fridays, The Produce Industry Network, and AgLife Media!This week, Ross is fresh back from Berry University—and he's bringing the juicy details. Plus, longtime produce pro Armand Lobato joins us as he steps into retirement (but not out of the game).We're talking summer produce, Fourth of July picks—corn, peaches, watermelon, stone fruit—you name it. We’ve also got tips for produce managers and a peek at what’s next for Armand.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays.So Tune in and turn on!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media, it’s summertime—and that means stone fruit is on fire!Ross and Dan welcome Kevin Steiner from Mountain View Fruit to talk all things peaches, nectarines, peachcots, plumcots, and plums—yellow, white, and everything in between. The season’s hitting its stride, and the fruit is everywhere.It’s the time of year when warm weather and fresh fruit come together to revitalize us.Plus, we’ve got a garden update from Ross’s backyard and Dan’s backyard—because you know we’ve got our hands in the dirt too.It’s all happening this week on Fresh from the Field Fridays—so tune in and turn on!
This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man welcome Joel Hewitt from CMI Orchards.We’re diving deep into the Northwest Cherry season—talking timing, trends, and taste. Joel gives us the lowdown on the American Dream label—what it stands for, what’s behind it, and why it matters. We’ll also dig into some exciting newer varieties, like the Skylar Rae and the Strawberry Cherry, plus what’s happening in the world of organic cherries and the unique challenges of cherry packaging and presentation.So tune in, turn on!
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