There are somewhere between 45-50 Produce Auctions that take place in the United States. With a little online searching, I have found 32 of them that take place across the Country.
I previously posted about Ohio Produce Auctions, but wanted to provide more information about what to expect when you attend a Produce Auction and resources to find one locally. Many of the Produce Auctions that I have come across may have little information available online.
Produce Auctions many times take place in the country. The auction sites that I have seen either in person or online, look much like a metal building or barn that has overhead doors that open and maybe even a dock area for loading and unloading. There usually is an office inside where the business of the auction is conducted (registering to bid, paying, etc.)
Produce Auctions are attended by individuals or families, people who re-sell the products at a Farm Stand and buyers for various retailers. The lots of products (produce, plants, etc.) are organized into various sizes to accommodate the variety of bidders. This is great if you are a family and may only want to purchase a few melons vs. an entire crate or large box containing fifty melons! You may pay slightly more for the smaller quantities on a per item or pound basis, but that is may not always be the case. It will generally depend on what you are buying and the quantity of that item that is available. For example, I paid $2/ dozen ears of corn buying in the "Family-size portions" while an acquaintance purchased 80 dozen ears of corn for $3/ dozen ears in the "Retailer-size portions".
Bidding takes place just like it does at a typical auction. You must register for a number to be able to bid. You will need to show the number to the auctioneer so that one, they know who is bidding on the item, two, so they can mark the item with your bid number and three, so that they can total all your purchases for the day. The important thing to pay attention to is the quantity of the item you are bidding on. For instance, there may be two boxes of tomatoes in a "lot". The auctioneer should specify whether you are bidding on one or both. Usually you are bidding on a price for one and then once a final price is achieved, the auctioneer will ask if you want one box or two. I cannot stress enough that you must pay attention to the quantity or you very well may overpay for a particular item.
It's also important to know what items you are bidding on may sell for at a typical Farmer's Market or Farm Stand that you frequent (this may even apply to the grocery store). At a recent auction I attended, for whatever reason, green beans were selling for a ridiculous amount of money. A medium-size box of green beans was selling for $11. I know that at my local Farmer's Market, I could purchase these for much less, so I did not even bid on the item. On the other hand, I was able to purchase Roma Tomatoes for $0.50/ pound which I know at my Local Market I would pay probably $1/ pound on a good day. For me, this was a terrific deal.
For future reference, Produce Auctions will be listed here on Saving Family Green for quick reference to what may be available in your area. I always recommend confirming the days and times of the Produce Auction before you plan on attending.
Iowa Produce Auctions
Farmsong Produce Auction
16340 Farm Song Road
Lamoni, IA. 50140
www.farmsongproduceauction.com
Managers: Darryl & Karin Parkes
641-784-6591
During auctions call the auction house at:
641-784-6340
Auctioneer: Crist Beachy
641-745-9091
Kentucky Produce Auctions
Bath County Produce Auction
2914 East Highway 60, Owingsville, KY 40360
Directions: The auction is held at the Agricultural Education and Marketing Center at the intersection of I-64 Exit 123 and U.S. 60.
Contact: Les Marksberry
Phones: (606) 674-9104 or (606) 336-0031
Auction managers: Joe Girod Family and Les Marksberry Family
Auctioneer: Bobby Rogers
Capstone Produce Market (Henry County)
7432 Carrollton Rd., Campbellsburg, KY 40011
Directions: Located at the intersection of U.S. 41 and KY 55. From I-71 take Exit 34, go east on U.S. 421 for about 2.5 miles, then north on KY 55 for approximately 200 feet; market is on the right.
Owner/Operator/Auctioneer: David Neville
Phone: (502) 330-3027 (cell)
Market phone: (502) 532-7045
e-mail: info@capstoneproducemarket.com
Casey County Produce Auction
524 South Fork Creek Rd., Liberty, KY 42539
Directions: From Liberty, take U.S. 127 south for approximately 8 miles; turn left onto KY 910 and travel about 1.8 miles; take a left on to South Fork Creek Road; the auction will be about 1 mile down this road, on the right.
Auction Manager: Milton Brubacker
Assistant Manager: Paul Hoover
Phone: (606) 787-5158
Market report recorded message: (606) 787-0570
Fairview Produce Auction (Christian County)
10292 U.S. Highway 68E, Pembroke, KY
Directions: Auction is located 10 miles east of Hopkinsville, KY on U.S. 68/KY 80, one-half mile west of Jefferson Davis State Historic Site (monument park).
Auction Manager: Ralph Burkeholder
Phone: (270) 887-0053
Fax: (270) 887-0475
Hart County Produce Auction
6880 Cub Run Highway, Munfordville, KY
Directions: From I-65 take Exit 65, turn left onto Hwy 31W, drive 1.7 miles, go right on Hwy 88 (4th Street), and continue on Hwy 88 (right on North West Street) and go 5.7 miles to the auction.
Auction Manager: Wilmer Yoder
Phone: (270) 524-0005
Fax: (270) 524-7812
Lincoln County Produce Auction
2896 KY 39 North, Crab Orchard, KY 40419
Directions: Located on KY 39 approximately 8 miles south of Lancaster; auction is on the left.
Auction Manager: Lloyd Schrock
Phone: (606) 355-0030
Market report recorded message: (606) 355-0001
Auctioneers: Billy Bryant and Ford Bros.
Missouri Produce Auctions
Four County Produce Auction
Located one mile North of Windsor, MO on WW Highway
Central Missouri Produce Auction, Inc.
37808 Highway E
Fortuna, MO 65034
Auction Facility - 660-337-6227 (Auction days only)
Residence - 660-4580-6655 (No Sunday call please.
Clark Produce Auction LLC
For more information, contact: Elmer Gingerich Or Leo Kempf
1966 Highway Y
Clark, MO 65243
North Missouri Produce Auction LLC
State Highway F
Jamesport, MO 64648
For more information, contact:
Auctioneer: Jared Miller - Cell: 816-261-6365
Manager: Atlee Stutzman - Voice Mail 660-684-6092
Auction Market: Phone - 660-684-6844
Market Report Update Line – 660-684-6700
New Jersey Produce Auctions
Vineland Produce Auction Association, Inc.
Vineland, New Jersey 08360
Phone: 856-691-0721
Fax: 856-794-2301
Email: info@vinelandproduce.com
Tri-County Cooperative Auction Market
619 Route 33 West
East Windsor, NJ 08520
609-448-0193
TriCountyCoop@Verizon.net
New York Produce Auctions
Chautauqua Produce Auction
P.O. Box 222, 7844 Rt. 474
Clymer, NY 14724
Phone: 716-355-6500 or 716-355-6391
Email Address:nwesterberg@stny.rr.com
Finger Lakes Produce Auction, Inc.
3691 State Route 14A (Penn Yan-Dundee Road)
Penn Yan (Yates County), New York 14527
Office Phone 315-531-8446
James Lightfoote, Office Manager
Ohio Produce Auctions
Middlefield Produce Auction
Geauga Growers Association
14575 Madison Rd.
Rte. 528, Middlefield, Ohio 44062
440.632.0499
Farmers Produce Auction (Mount Hope Produce Auction)
Mailing address: P.O. Box 101, Mt. Hope, Ohio 44660
Location: 7701 State Rte 241, Millersburg, Ohio 44654
Mgr. Jim Mullet
330.674.7661
The Owl Creek Produce Auction
20999 Waterford Rd.
Fredericktown, Ohio 43019
Kelly Brown 740.694.7140
waterfordgang@yahoo.com
Blooming Grove Auction Inc.
1091 Free Road
Shiloh, Ohio 44878
419.896.2775
Homerville Wholesale Produce Auction
9430 Spencer Road
Homerville, Ohio 44235
1 mile south of Homerville on State Route 301.
Mgr. F.W. Owen, 330-625-2369, fwo@bright.net
Captina Produce Auction
39050 West Captina Highway
Barnesville, Ohio 43713
740.425.4495
For more information, contact Monroe County OSU Extension @ 740.472.0810
Chesterhill Produce Auction
8380 Wagoner Rd.
Chesterhill, Ohio 43728
Contct Tom Redfern or Bob Fedyski at Rural Action: 740.767.4938
tomr@ruralaction.org
bob@ruralaction.org
Bainbridge Produce Auction
State Route 41 South 5 miles south of Bainbridge Ohio
Mgr. Is Ernest Martin, 740.634.3451, leave a message.
For more information contact Brad Bergefurd, OSU Extension, bergefurd.1@osu.edu
Pennsylvania Produce Auctions
New Wilmington Produce Auction Inc
(724) 946-2034
3238 State Route 208
New Wilmington, PA 16142
Oxford Produce Auctions, LLC
200 Union School Rd.
Oxford, PA 19363
(610) 932-2722
Tennessee Produce Auctions
Plowboy Produce Auction & Wholesale Farmers Market
469 South Brace Road
Ethridge, TN 38456
(931) 829-1114
Email: info at plowboyproduceauction dot com
Wisconsin Produce Auctions
Badgerland Produce Auction
N2954 State Hwy 22, Montello (2 miles south of Montello)
Mailing address and contact information:
PO Box 128
Montello, WI 53949
(608) 697-8989
Established 2002
Days / Hours of Operation:
10:00am Tuesday and Friday April 28th thru July 7th
10:00am Monday, Wednesday and Friday July 10th thru Sept. 15th
10:00am Tuesday and Friday Sept 19th thru Oct 20th
Central Wisconsin Produce Auction
N14676 County Highway O
Withee WI 54498
(715) 229-4838
Fennimore Produce Auction
Address: 14800 Cty Hwy T, Fennimore, WI
For Info Call: Phone on grounds-(608)822-3854 or Brian cell-(608)386-6058 or Tim cell-(608)988-6464
Location: 4 miles North of Fennimore, Wi on Hwy 61 to Cty Hwy T then East 1/2 mile to Auction Building.
Tim Slack Auction and Realty, LLC
525 Lincoln Ave. Box 211
Fennimore, Wisconsin 53809,
Toll Free 1-800-820-3454
Phone: 608-822-3454 Fax: 608-822-4454
E-mail: slackauc@tds.net
Growers Produce Auction
2347 Dell Road
Cashton, Wisconsin
Just off County Hwy D
(608) 654-7880
Brian Nelson, Order Buyer
Virginia Produce Auctions
Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction, LLC
2839 Lumber Mill Rd.
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2211
If you missed my previous Sustainable Saturday: Ohio Produce Auctions, you can read that here.
Here are two articles that further explains Produce Auctions:
Regional Wholesaling of Vegetables: Wholesale Produce Cooperative Auctions
New York Times: A Produce Auction With an Eye to Survival
Note: Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links. You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here.Tweet
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