Local Focus: Untiedt's Vegetable Farm

Minnesota Grown is synonymous with Untiedt's Vegetable Farm. Of the nearly 50 local producers we work with during the key harvest months of August, September and October, Untiedt's provides Kowalski's customers with more varieties of Minnesota Grown produce than any other single local farmer.

Untiedt's motto is “We Grow for You,” but it might just as well be “We Pick for You,” as every single piece of Untiedt's produce is picked by hand. This includes tomatoes (Beefsteak-style, San Marzano, heirloom and grape), sweet corn, winter squash, green and wax beans, Zestar and Honeycrisp apples, yellow and green zucchini, pumpkins, watermelon, Sugar Cube cantaloupe, muskmelon, chub cucumbers and many more!

In 1971, without any experience in family farming, Sue and Jerry Untiedt settled 40 acres of farmland in rural Wright County near Waverly, Minnesota, along the banks of the Crow River's North Fork. Over the years they've added about 1,500 acres, plus four daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren, to their little farming experiment. Produce variety expanded, too, from sweet corn, pumpkin and squash to more than 40 flower, fruit and vegetable crops. Production continues to prosper with responsible, sustainable land management rooted in creativity, learning and harmony.

Company standards dictate that education be as much a farm product as actual produce. For this reason, Untiedt's conducts regular farm tours, hoping to be a positive, contributing force in the farming industry as they share what they have learned about the land and stewardly land practices. Their efforts help guide those who wish to better understand nature and agriculture yet lack the opportunity to experience farm culture and processes firsthand.

In addition to being a farmer, educator and businessman, Jerry Untiedt is part chemist, zoologist, botanist, politician, engineer and tech enthusiast. While that tech may not fit in the pocket of a pair of coveralls, it's way more useful and way, way more expensive.

High tunnels present the epitome in high-tech specialty crop agriculture. These tall metal structures are tightly covered with lightweight polyethylene to protect crops from the natural elements and produce plant-friendly microclimates. Tunnel management allows for earlier planting and longer harvests, meaning locally grown products are available earlier and longer than similar crops grown in traditional ways.

The use of drip irrigation lines in the tunnels allow conservation of water resources by only watering a narrow area alongside each plant. Traditional irrigation wets the entire area of the tunnel or field. Combined with mulch, drip lines conserve precious water, positively increase soil temperature and substantially prevent weed growth. When weeds do grow, every square foot of high tunnel area is weeded by hand. Untiedt's never uses herbicides in the tunnels – EVER!

Other benefits of high tunnel production include:

• protection of the soils through decreased nutrient leaching and reduced soil erosion
• shelter from strong winds, hail and torrential downpours
• protection from harmful insects, which substantially reduces the need to apply low-toxicity pesticides

You can learn more about Untiedt's environmental efforts at www.untiedtswegrowforyou.com.