Have you ever been disappointed with the fruits and vegetables you have bought in the grocery store? Of course you have! There is nothing more frustrating in the grocery shopping experience than finding some beautiful fresh produce on the shelf only to get it home and find that it is flavorless or the texture is just not right.

Well never fear! There are some very smart people in the field of horticulture working hard to solve that problem. And today we have one of those people with us today on the podcast. Our guest today has been called the “Willy Wonka of Veggies!” This Cornell professor and plant expert creates new breeds of vegetables that offer exciting new flavors, and other adaptations valuable to farmers and eager eaters alike. And all through natural breeding processes.

Joining us today is Michael Mazourek, the Calvin Knoyes Keeney Associate Professor of Vegetable Breeding at Cornell University. He is going to tell us about that work and also share with us some his remarkable achievements. One of which was a new variety of squash that has taken the vegetable world by storm.

This week we are going to hear about some very important work being done by organizations helping to alleviate hunger. When we think of places that are experiencing a lack of food and malnutrition, we often first think of places in third-world countries or far-off nations. But hunger is a big problem right here in the United States and has been for many years. But fortunately, there are people and organizations dedicating great energy and time to ease that struggle for the hungry among us.

One such organization is the Southeast Regional Cooperative based in Atlanta, GA. (SERC). SERC provides fresh produce to food banks in seven Southeastern states. As part of the national organization, Feeding America, they aggregate surplus produce from around the southeast region and across the country to match the demand from their member food banks.

We are delighted to welcome to the show this week Chris Flint who is the executive director of SERC to tell us about the crucial work they are doing to fight food insecurity. Chris says there is enough food in America to make sure no one goes hungry. Yet the problem is ongoing. Tune in to learn about the challenges they face and the inspiring story about the progress they are making in feeding the hungry among us.

It’s peak season for all kinds of berries right now. So today we have a very special guest to tell us about some of the exciting new varieties of berries you can find in your local produce aisle. Laudan Chauffin is Marketing Director for the Berry Fresh company joins us today to enlighten us about blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Founded in 2005, Berry Fresh, is dedicated to providing flavor-forward, high-quality berries to the US and Canadian markets. Headquartered in Los Angeles and with distribution centers in Oregon, Texas and New Jersey they service grocery stores and markets from coast to coast. Committed to providing an unforgettable eating experience, they are constantly searching for better and better berry varieties through genetic research. They grow these berries year-round beginning in Peru and Chile, then coming north with the change of seasons to Mexico and then into the U.S.

Laudan has spent most of her career marketing and promoting berries so there is no one more knowledgeable and passionate about these delicious fruits. Tune in to hear how they are grown, how they get these fragile delicacies from field to the produce aisle, and how to store them to keep them fresh longer.

Spring has arrived and spring vegetables have been showing up in your local produce aisles and markets for a few weeks. now. But this week is the sweetest week of the spring vegetable season. That is because this is the week that the sweetest onions in the world will be first shipped for the 2025 season. Yes, it’s time for a fresh crop of Vidalia Onions.

Today we are going to celebrate Vidalia Onions and we have a very special guest joining us to tell us all about them. John Shuman and his family-owned Shuman Farms has been in the sweet onion industry for three generations. He joins us today to tell us all about Vidalia Onions and the history of Shuman Farms. And about sweet onions from other regions like Peru. And he will also tell us about how they are giving back to the communities they serve all over the country with some very impactful charity work.

On this week’s podcast, we have two very special guests who are redefining snack foods. But this is more than a story of a successful start-up and exciting new food product. This husband-and-wife team turned a deeply personal tragedy into a mission to help others eat healthier. In doing so, they created a company that is disrupting the snack food and fresh produce aisles to offer delicious products that are also good for you.

When Megan and Scott Reamer’s son, Jackson, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, they began researching anti-inflammatory diets to help ease Jackson’s struggle with the disease. That labor of love inspired them to create a new company to offer to consumers some of the delicious snacks they created for Jackson to enjoy. Thus Jackson’s Chips was born offering sweet potato and regular potato chips cooked in a way that made them much healthier.

But Megan and Scott wanted the company to be much more than a potato chip maker. They wanted it to help keep Jackson’s legacy alive and help others facing similar diseases. Tune in to hear this heart-rending but also heart-warming story of this brave young man.

This week we welcome back to the show a very special guest. He is a longtime friend and colleague who used to work with the four of us Produce Buzzers many years ago. Since that time he has been a rising star in the produce business and has worked for some of the biggest names in the produce industry. With over 36 years’ experience in the business, he’s a true veteran of the produce world who could enlighten us on just about any item that you buy in the produce department.

But his current gig is with Ocean Mist Farms, a grower, packer, and shipper of all types of vegetables, from a wide variety of lettuces, cabbages, and brassicas to cilantro, beets, and radishes. They are a big player in all those veggies but their signature product is artichokes. They are the largest supplier of this favorite in the produce aisle. But Mark has some new products to tell us about today that you must stick around to hear about. These new offerings are exceedingly delicious and guaranteed to make your meal planning so much easier. They recreate that indulgent experience you have had with veggies in your favorite restaurant. So you won’t want to miss hearing about them.

Our guest this week is a fellow podcaster who also promotes the eating of more fresh fruits and veggies, so we are especially delighted to welcome her to the show. Amanda Keefer handles brand partnerships and marketing communications for the Healthy Family Project in addition to producing and hosting their podcast.

The Healthy Family Project is making a huge impact in getting people to eat healthier. They are dedicated to creating a healthier generation through easy, fun, and inspiring content. All their content is crafted with families in mind, showing them delicious, fun, and easy to make recipes. Their Website highlights nutritional information and provides tips to get the most out of their meal planning. Their website and social media are filled with informative and entertaining videos, blog posts, and of course great podcast episodes.

The Healthy Family Project is not just about providing entertaining content. Since they began a little over a decade ago, they have helped to raise more than $8 million dollars for charities devoted to feeding needy families, including Feeding America among others. And through their “Produce for Kids” promotions they are training the next generation to be lovers of fresh fruits and veggies. Tune in to get some expert tips to make your meal table healthier.

On this week’s episode, we are telling our listeners to Beet It!

But that’s not spelled b-e-A-t but instead b-e-E-t. Yes, today we are rootin’ for our favorite root! That’s right! We’re digging deep into the world of beets. The veggie that stains your fingers, confuses your taste buds, and somehow ended up in both salads and desserts. From the history of beets to beet recipes, beet myths to beets' symbolism in culture—if it’s about beets, we’re talking about it.

Beets may not be the flashiest vegetable in the produce aisle, but they’re certainly one of the most nutritious, flavorful, and versatile. Whether roasted, pickled, juiced, or blended into a smoothie, this deep-red root packs a powerful punch of flavor and health benefits.

The Produce Buzzers will share their favorite beet recipes to delight you with delicious dishes and to boost your health. So whether you’re a beet freak or just beet-curious, grab a snack, sit back, and let’s turnip the fun!