MONROE - The Green County Master Gardeners will be holding their monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Green County Justice Center in the multi-purpose rooms.
This month's meeting will feature David Parr of Parrfection Produce speaking on "Local Produce and Wholesale Markets." Parrfection is a distributor of local produce throughout Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. It currently services many grocers, hospitals, schools, restaurants and distributors throughout the region. Discussions will include how Parrfection achieved its current business and its plans for the future.
Parr started the company in 2009 as a result of his lifelong passion for quality local produce and family farms. His grandparents encouraged his interest in agriculture and gave him a miniature hoe and rake set and $25 for seeds when he was 5 years old.
When he was 16, Parr started selling his produce at the farmers market in downtown Monroe.
After the market closed each day, he would still have extras, so he began talking with local restaurants to see if they wanted to buy his available vegetables.
The orders for produce increased quickly, so Parr began buying local fruits and vegetables from other growers. At 19, Parr launched Parrfection Produce. He bought an abandoned building in Albany and set up a retail location selling locally grown fruits, vegetables and flowers. As orders increased, he started selling to hospitals, schools, universities and grocery stores in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. The business continued to grow and now provides both conventional and organic products, most recently adding honey and maple syrup.
The Green County Wisconsin Master Gardeners Association was formed in Green County in 2004 to provide master gardeners with opportunities for professional development and community service. This past year, members of the association volunteered 177 hours of community education and 1,976 hours in community service projects in Green County. Master gardener volunteers also assist the University of Wisconsin-Extension office in responding to horticulture questions.
The association meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from February through October. Meetings usually include speakers and are open to the public. Anyone interested in horticulture and gardening is welcome to join the association; one does not have to be a master gardener to be a member. For more information on the UW-Extension Master Gardener program contact Jayne Butts, Green County UW-Extension, at 328-9440.
This month's meeting will feature David Parr of Parrfection Produce speaking on "Local Produce and Wholesale Markets." Parrfection is a distributor of local produce throughout Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. It currently services many grocers, hospitals, schools, restaurants and distributors throughout the region. Discussions will include how Parrfection achieved its current business and its plans for the future.
Parr started the company in 2009 as a result of his lifelong passion for quality local produce and family farms. His grandparents encouraged his interest in agriculture and gave him a miniature hoe and rake set and $25 for seeds when he was 5 years old.
When he was 16, Parr started selling his produce at the farmers market in downtown Monroe.
After the market closed each day, he would still have extras, so he began talking with local restaurants to see if they wanted to buy his available vegetables.
The orders for produce increased quickly, so Parr began buying local fruits and vegetables from other growers. At 19, Parr launched Parrfection Produce. He bought an abandoned building in Albany and set up a retail location selling locally grown fruits, vegetables and flowers. As orders increased, he started selling to hospitals, schools, universities and grocery stores in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. The business continued to grow and now provides both conventional and organic products, most recently adding honey and maple syrup.
The Green County Wisconsin Master Gardeners Association was formed in Green County in 2004 to provide master gardeners with opportunities for professional development and community service. This past year, members of the association volunteered 177 hours of community education and 1,976 hours in community service projects in Green County. Master gardener volunteers also assist the University of Wisconsin-Extension office in responding to horticulture questions.
The association meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from February through October. Meetings usually include speakers and are open to the public. Anyone interested in horticulture and gardening is welcome to join the association; one does not have to be a master gardener to be a member. For more information on the UW-Extension Master Gardener program contact Jayne Butts, Green County UW-Extension, at 328-9440.
