Ethnic Veggies

All across America, more and more of us are seeking out specialty products; whether it’s fish, fowl or farm crops.   We found one Florida farm family that’s working to meet the crop needs of the country’s growing ethnic diversity.

Chuck Obern is an expert on basil…And chickory... And even a Jamaican variety of pigweed called Calaloo.  Obern’s C & B Farms in Clewiston, Florida is one of the country’s most successful “niche” farming operations. Chuck grows more than 3 dozen varieties of specialty vegetables and herbs - tailored to a fast growing ethnic market in this country.

Chuck says, “We wanted to be outside of the normal part of farming in this area and also it was easier to market the product because there was demand  for these specialty crops because nobody else was growing in the area of these crops."

Chuck farms his vegetables on two thousand acres - a far cry from the small ten acre plot he began with in 1986. He went to school at the University of Florida and received a degree in vegetable crop production along with tropical vegetable production.

Chuck discovered that “niche” farming could be successful when his first crop of cilantro sold out to a retailer serving Hispanic shoppers. Chuck expanded his crop options with peppers and watermelons.  He says, “We grew red, yellow, jalapenos and Cuban peppers as well as cerranos, and cherries. We grew watermelons, but we grew specialty watermelons; seedless watermelons.  In 1986, that was a very very specialized deal. So the Hispanic market is huge. Jalapenos, I can never grow enough Jalapenos. Cilantro, we grow maybe three semi loads a week of cilantro.”

Chuck rotates crops throughout the year to meet the needs of retailers asking for vegetables geared specifically to other ethnic populations as well.  He keeps track of production by utilizing computers to schedule planting, shipments and farm personnel. “Ethnic markets are definitely limited   you can’t just grow a hundred acres of Italian eggplant and hope to sell it.” Chuck says, “Arab and Middle Eastern people eat Italian eggplant and the Italian people eat Italian eggplant. So you have to know how much they will buy from you and there’s competition.”

All of the vegetables here are hand picked and hand packed. He was recognized as “Grower of the year” by Florida Grower Magazine. Chuck has also been an advocate for federal standards on stricter produce labeling…listing the country of origin to protect farmers and consumers. He says, “I believe that from an ethical standpoint it’s good to know where the food’s been produced. That’s what you’re ingesting, that’s what you’re putting in your mouth.”

Chuck says his success comes from hard work and doing “what you love to do.” He’s also been an innovator, working with Florida’s university system on research projects including beneficial insects and one using waste from recycled paper for weed control.

Fruit and Vegetable Fact:
The demand for fruits and vegetables mirrors a growing demand for American agricultural products overseas. Record exports of pork, cotton, tree nuts, corn and wheat top the list of U.S. products heading for foreign markets.