Funding for this series is made possible by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, a USDA-funded initiative supporting specialty crop producers.
In a state best known for corn, soybeans and cattle, specialty crop producers like Pekarek’s Produce are carving out a year-round role in Nebraska agriculture by combining seasonal production with storage and direct marketing.
At Pekarek’s Produce near Dwight, Ryan Pekarek said the operation shifts throughout the year to keep products moving and revenue coming in, even outside the traditional growing season.
“We’re washing produce that we stored from last fall – September and October – that we dug. We stored in coolers in one thousand pound bins, and then we wash it as we need it coming into the late winter and spring season,” Pekarek said.
That system allows the farm to extend sales of crops like potatoes, cabbage, carrots and squash well into the winter months, bridging the gap until fresh produce is ready again in spring.
Unlike grain producers who sell into global markets, Pekarek said fruit and vegetable growers face a different balance of control and uncertainty.
“With the produce, we have a little more control over the price, but there’s times of year you can get in late summer when melons and tomatoes get really hard to move,” he said.
To manage that volatility, Pekarek’s Produce relies on a mix of markets, with farmers markets in Lincoln serving as the largest outlet, along with sales to schools, restaurants and other local farms.
Labor remains one of the biggest challenges, with Pekarek saying a significant share of revenue goes toward maintaining a workforce, including seasonal employees through the H-2A program.
Despite the challenges, he said specialty crop farms play an important role in the state’s agricultural landscape, even if they often go unnoticed.
“It’s small acreage. If you don’t turn your head at the exact right moment on the highway, you’ll go right by us and not see it,” Pekarek said. “So there’s other stuff out there. Go buy something direct from the guy growing it.”
This story is part of an ongoing series highlighting specialty crop production across Nebraska.
