Newspapers / The Duplin Times (Warsaw, … / Sept. 12, 1985, edition 1 / Page 2
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Family Farmers Lead NC Pickle Push Small family farmers are providing the principal push behind North Carolina's drive to become the nation's premier pickle producer, state officials say. - Pickle-buying stations are scat tered across much of eastern North Carblina, with Duplin County a center of both pickle production and processing. J About 75 percent of North Caro Una's pickling cucumbers are sent fresh to out-of-state proces&ers. Some are packed in brine at Faison and sent out of state for processing into dill or sweet pickles or relish. The rest are processed in-state, most at either Charles F. Cates & Son in Faison or at Mount Olive Pickle Co. in nearby Mount Olive. Pickles from these two companies are sold in stores across the nation. Last year Duplin farm families harvested 1,600 acres of pickle cucumbers that produced 320,000 bushels. The pickles brought the producers about $1.5 million. Dry weather cut the yield this year and cut the gross return to less than SI million, according to county exten sion workers. Among other major pickle-producing counties are Sampson and Nash. Most pickling cucumbers are grown on plots of one to a dozen acres. They are picked in late spring. Most pickers are members of the growers' families aided by neigh bors. particularly young people. Some farmers use riding harvesters, somewhat similar to the better known tobacco riding harvesters. Pickers ride on the machines but pick the cucumbers by hand. Large farmers usually use mechanical harvesters or employ migrant workers who are eager to fill up their bushels with the large cucumbers less desirable for pickling, said Jeff Morton, program administrator for the N.C. Agricul ture Department's horticulture section. "With the smaller acreage," Morton said, "the cucumbers are more likely to be hand-picked. That gives you a higher percentage of the smaller sizes, which have a better price. People like the small gherkin types, and you can't get 'em hardly anywhere else but here." North Carolina, with a S25 million pickle industry, already has the hation's highest pickle acreage at 27.000. But Michigan has a higher yield per acre to produce about 6.5 million bushels of pickles a year, Compared to North Carolina's second place 5 million bushels, said Moore. Third is Wisconsin and fourth is California. The total pickle production in the U.S. is 30 million bushels. A bushel ; holds about 600 No. 3 pickles ? the ; largest size, with a diameter ? between 1.5 and 2 inches. i Research at N.C. State Univer ? sity's food fermentation lab has been - crucial in tripling the annual U.S. ? consumption of pickles to 9 pounds I per person over the past 35 years, ; said Bill Moore, executive secretary ? of Pickle Packers International of St. t Charles. 111. Scientists there dis covered the optimum temperatures I for curing pickles that gives them an ? "audible crunch at 10 paces," he I said. I NCSU researchers have also de ? veloped 800-bushel plastic tanks to ? replace some of the wooden vats I where the pickles are soaked in salty ? water for up to two years, said Jeff - Morton, program administrator for I the state Agriculture Department's ; horticulture section. - Researchers are also working on - new cucumber varieties to increase yield and on ways to reduce the ? amount of salt needed in brining, he - said. I "North Carolina is a large con I sumer of pickles, but we produce a ? lot mote than are sold in North ? Carolina." said Bill Hennessee, president of Cates and past presi ; dent of the N.C. Pickle Producers - Association. I The pickles are either fresh l packed, which means they are - washed and put directly into a jar of - vinegar, brine and spices; or they are C brined in vats of salt water that allows a certain bacterium to produce the lactic acid that makes a pickle sour, he said. "America was named after a pickle peddler," said Moore. "Amerigo Vespucci ? he outfitted his ships in Seveille with pickles, which enabled his crew to go three or four months without getting ?Letter To The Editor? ??_ rainax, va. August 28, 1985 Editor, Duplin Times P.O. Box 68 Kenansville, NC 28349 I would appreciate very much if you would print the following state ment int he Duplin Time: "On July 8, 1985 a fire destroyed a two-story building that was adjacent to the home of my father-in-law, B D Humer Albertson. It was a blessing from Heaven coupled with the professional help of three local volunteer fire departments that the house did not burn too. On behalf of Mrs. Harper and his family, 1 extend sincere thanks to all volunteer firemen of the Albertson, Pink Hill and Deep Run Fire Depart ments for their unselfish service in extinguishing the fire." Sincerely, James R. Patton Fairfax, VA , Are You Tired Of Roaches ? Call Brann's Pest Control Now 324-5556 1-800682-9375 *38 Initial ?12 A Month 8 Free Termite Inspection A Estimates J J ?! 1 il rHl IShowtima 7 4 9 Sat. 3. 7, t. Sun. 2. ? FLETCH M ^ Hald 0*#f ET Extra Tarriatrial Show* 7 4 9 Sat. 3. 7 4 9. Sun. 2. 4. I Shows 7 4 9. Sat. 3. 7 4 9 Sun. 2. 4. 1 RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD I 403 DRIVE IN II. anytima. Childran undsr 12 ad- I mlttad fraa. BEVERLY HILLS COPS Ratad R 40 HOURS DUPLIN TIMES-PROGRESS SENTINEL Published Weekly by DUPLIN PUBLISHING CO., INC. i Ike Riddick, Publisher j P.O. Boi 68 Kenansvllle, NC 28349 Second Class Postage Paid at kenansvllle, NC 28349 , ????? : : : subscription prices ; Single Copy 11 Cents * In Duplin and A (joining Counties ? * - ? Moo. -$1.83 1 Yr.?$3.66 I 1^^^ _ _ BEULAVILLE'S OLDEST GROCERY STORE SERVING BEULAVILLE^^^^ ? SB w sv & y I OPEN TIL 8 PJA. SUPER MARKET Monk Whaley, Ownor I j FRIDAYS A SATURDAYS pJ|one 29a'.3646 If, we welcome BEULAVILLE food stamp customers 1 a?~ pricfseffecnyf^sept^12-1304b | I BONELESS F I STEW BEEF .J! I |$1.89 j I WHOLE I I RIB EYE I I *2.99 ? I I RIB EYE I I STEAKS I | *3.69 t. j ROSE HILL GRADE A &*% ?LFRYERS SiSSis/ 59* LEG QUARTERS' . 47* BONELESS SIRLOIN STEAK *2.69 . LUNDY BACON '1.29. | OLD I I HICKORY I I BARBECUE I LOVETTE LUNCHEON I I MEAT I I ? *1.29 L I 25 LB. CAROLINA I I LARD I 1,^ *8,99 I PERFECTION i rice i i i I FAB DETERGENT ? i GT. SIZE *1.69 i i IVORY LIQUID i I 22 OZ. 99? I I PARKAY I I SQUEEZE I [margarine] 99' I pFRUIT| i loops i ? BELGIAN VILLAGE ? Cut Beans, Carrots, Whole Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables, Brussel Sprouts h/ojy y coca colaI diet coke I mello I yello i 2 LITER 99*1 KRAFT MAGIC TREE ? juice i ALL FLAVORS 89* [ HOT SHOT FLYING INSECT I SPRAY I ?1791 ZESTA CRACKERS I -SjnTTI CATSUP I 32 QZ. 89* I MT. DEW L SEVEN-UP^ DIET ?5 SEVEN-UP 2 LITER 89" BORDEN SLICED CHEESE OREO COOKIES DULANY BROCCOLI SPEARS I CABANA 7'1/4 OZ. POTATO CHIPS. CHEESE PUFFS A POP CORN BUY 1 GET 1 hmSELM t CRISCO I S OIL I l?\ 48 OZ. PETER PAN I PEANUT BUTTER I MT. OLIVE I SALAD I CUBES r| 12 OZ. I 69* I BANANA^l 25* LB. I CARROTS I 1 LB. BAG 19? I) TOMATOES I 49* LB. I 3 LB. RED DELICIOUS I APPLE^AoSjJ,
The Duplin Times (Warsaw, N.C.)
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Sept. 12, 1985, edition 1
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