Alex’s Tomato Farm

Alex Kravets’s father, a dentist, started farming in the Ukraine as a hobby. But before long he was running a successful produce business, operating six greenhouses just outside the city and extending the growing season at a time when tomatoes in Eastern Europe were virtually impossible to find until July or August. “These things were valued very highly,” Alex explains, “Nobody was doing what my father was doing, almost everything agricultural was managed by the government.”

Gajeski Produce

Brian Gajeski who owns and runs the 125-acre Gajeski Produce Farm in Riverhead, NY, knows his farm well; it’s where he was raised and it has been in his family for about 90 years. He left just long enough to get his bachelors in plant science from SUNY Cobleskill, a degree he has found very useful. Brian employs innovative agricultural practices like companion planting, a technique where plants are strategically placed according to the natural substances in their roots that either attract or repel insects. This keeps pesticide use to a minimum and saves the farm money.

Meredith’s Bread

Since 1987, Meredith’s Bread has produced home-made and preservative-free breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies, and preserves. Family-owned and operated, what began as a small bakery made up of only 10 products has quickly grown into a company providing over 350 varieties of quality baked goods. This includes several lines dedicated to gluten-free, wheat-free, sugar-free, and organic products. Everything offered is mixed, baked, and packaged by hand using local and regional ingredients.

meredithsbread.com