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Sam Penrod ReportingThe Pioneer Day holiday is traditionally when fruit stands and farmer's markets start having produce to sell. Most people's gardens aren't ready for harvest yet; however, local farmers already have a big variety of fresh, locally grown produce, that on a hot day looks very appetizing.
It looks like the supermarket, but just about everything inside of Jeff Mitchell's produce stand is grown right on his farm in American Fork.
Jeff MItchell, Produce Grower: "We grow the peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries and all of the fruit."
Mitchell's biggest crop is apples, but in recent years he's diversified, adding raspberries, tomatoes and potatoes. And he says people are anxiously waiting for crop favorites to ripen.
Jeff MItchell, Produce Grower: "Peaches, tomatoes, nectarines, pears and apples will all be coming in the next three or four weeks."
Crops seem to have their good years and bad years, but this year almost everything Mitchell and other Utah County farmers are growing looks good.
Jeff MItchell, Produce Grower: "It ought to be a good year for people to get some good quality produce, locally grown."
Of course, there are ups and downs of farming, such as extremely cold or hot weather at the wrong times, high fuel prices and development that keeps moving closer and forcing some growers to sell out. All challenges to family owned farms.
Jeff MItchell, Produce Grower: "You are not farming for the money. The value is in the real estate, but it's a great lifestyle, providing a good service and good product. So we'd like to stay as long as it's viable to farm and pay the bills, we'd like to be here."
Growers say the fruit stands and farmer's markets are also good for consumers because the produce is very fresh and usually at better prices than the stores.
