MOUNT VERNON — Food safety has been a topic of top concern lately with the recent recall of eggs due to salmonella poisoning discovered at two Iowa egg farms. Eggs are obviously not the only concern when it comes to food safety. Today the News is exploring the procedures required by local producers and retailers to ensure they provide the safest fruits and vegetables to the consumer.
Glen Hill Orchards at 17156 Glen Road, Mount Vernon, is a large local producer of apples, peaches and cherries.
“We do just tree fruit,” said Maureen Buchwald, owner of the orchard since 1976. She admitted it was a very small business then, but 38,000 trees have been planted since then, with a total of 22 different varieties being harvested. Glen Hill produces 80,000 bushels of apples yearly and 3,500 bushels of peaches. The picking season for apples starts late August to early September and will run through the end of October with packing going on year-round. About 90 percent of Glen Hill’s apples are shipped out, with most staying in Ohio.
“It all starts in the field with Integrated Pest Management,” said Buchwald. Every worker who purchases, or applies pesticides, must receive a thorough training of IPM. This incorporates goals of pest control and zero residue. And pests are not just insects. Various fungus and diseases are also considered pests. As far as residue, the goal is to have all fruit totally free of any dangerous chemical. And when applying any chemicals, they are to be applied only to the degree that is necessary in order to preserve healthy leaf growth. “When it comes to pests, we want to destroy just enough, using just the smallest amount of intervention,” said Buchwald.
