Produce Buzzers - A Podcast for Lovers of Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Welcome to a new season of the Produce Buzzers Podcast. We are delighted that the first episode of season three celebrates the tastes and flavors of Cinco de Mayo. In this episode, you will learn about the history of the celebration and why it is more popular in the United States than in Mexico. But that is just an excuse for us to talk about the fruit and veggie stars of Cinco de Mayo—avocados, cilantro, and limes! Tune in to find out how to become an “avocado whisperer!”

This week we have another bonus segment from season two of the series to keep you fed until season three starts next week. It's short, so it’s just a snack. But we think it will satisfy your hunger for all things fruit and veggie. In this segment, Theresa is going to tell us about the amazing nutritional value of leafy greens and how eating them every day can heart-attack-proof you. And after that, you will learn all about a very special onion that is harvested every year in April. But since it is more delicate than other onions, they are not available year-round because they decay faster. You will want to know about these so you can get them in the next few months before they are gone.

Season two of our podcast has concluded and we are excited to announce that season three will begin at the end of April. Make sure you subscribe so you can get notifications of the new episodes. We have some interesting and delicious episodes planned for next season. But in the meantime, enjoy this bonus segment from season two that wound up on the “cutting board.” Not the “cutting floor” as we say in the film business, but the “cutting board” as we say as avid fruit and veggie lovers. In this segment, Theresa tells us all about the miraculous and delicious super veggie, cauliflower. Listen to learn about how powerful it can be for your health. And we will give you some great and easy serving suggestions. Have you ever had a cauliflower steak?!

Have you ever ordered fresh produce online for delivery or pickup? How do you feel about letting someone else pick out your fruits and veggies? The Produce Buzzers examine a recent survey of consumers about their fresh produce buying preferences. And play along with the Produce Buzzers as they play guess the official fruits of each U.S. State. 

What is more joyful than eating delicious, sweet strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries? And they are so good for your health. This week’s guest on the Produce Buzzers Podcast has been selling and marketing berries for many years. Steve Trede works for Driscoll’s Berries, a pioneer in the development of some of the most delicious berries in the world. Listen today to learn all about berries and how they are grown and new varieties are developed. It’s a long labor of love by these farmers to bring you these delicious, healthy treats.

Alex Jackson is the granddaughter of Frieda Caplan, the founder of Frieda's Specialty Produce. Frieda was a pioneer in the fresh produce industry and was responsible for bringing to your table some fruits and veggies that were virtually unknown in the U.S. before she had the vision and savvy to import them. Her story is a fascinating one you are going to want to stick around to hear it. And Alex will tell us about what it is like to be a third-generation executive in one of the most successful women-owned and managed companies in the U.S. If you are a fan of kiwifruit, purple artichokes, spaghetti squash, or seedless watermelon you have these women to thank for making them much easier to get. As well as many other unusual fruits and veggies.

You know eating fruits and vegetables is good for your health. But is it a chore to do so or a pleasure? Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak joins the Produce Buzzers to talk about her mission to make what your mother preached to you when you were a kid, “Eat Your Veggies!” a delightful habit you will crave. As president and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), Wendy has dramatically changed the conversation about how to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables. With their “Have A Plant®” campaign they are convincing a new generation that eating fruits and veggies is not just good for them, but a joyful, culinary experience.

Cabbage is the veggie star of St. Patrick's Day. Have you ever heard the word cabbage used as a slang term for money? It may have slipped out of fashion in the slang use of today. But our cousin, Mike Stepp, a guest on the podcast at the end of February to talk about his long-time work growing apples, related a story about turning cabbage, the veggie, into cabbage the money to buy a 1966 Pontiac GTO, one of the most coveted sports cars in the sixties. Enjoy this bonus segment of our episode celebrating cabbage.

This week we feature a cruciferous vegetable that is the star veggie of St. Patrick's Day alongside corn beef. Cabbage is a very cost-effective way to get the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. And then we will tell you about some very special nuts, no not us Produce Buzzers. These nuts get their name from a part of the brain, which is appropriate since they are especially good for your brain.

How are all the different varieties of apples created? In this week’s episode, we are joined by our cousin, Mike Stepp, owner of Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in North Carolina. His “you-pick” apple farm is one of the top agrotourism destinations in the country. Thousands of people come from miles around every year to pick their own apples and learn about life on a farm. Mike has been growing apples all his life and he will tell us about how they are grown and all about different varieties of apples.