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Fennel, Organic
$4.50
1 each
Medium Organic Fennel
Thorpe's Organic Family Farm
First-generation farmers, Mike and Gayle Thorpe, purchased the 2,300 acre farm on Route 78 in East Aurora, NY about 40 years ago when it was the site of a gravel mine and dairy. The family also owns a citrus grove in central Florida which produces citrus fruit, strawberries and melons they ship up north, and FreshFix delivers, when the ground is still frozen in Western New York.The Thorpes' six children - Naomi, Jeremiah, Abraham, Elijah, Abigail, and Hannah - also lend a hand on the certified organic farms. “Growing up we all helped but were encouraged to explore other career options. The farm was always my passion,” says Naomi Thorpe, who manages operations and sales.
The list of certified organic fruits and vegetables grown at Thorpes numbers in the hundreds and includes corn, greens, peppers, tomatoes and u-pick berries. They also grow grains such as organic oats, soybeans and hay for livestock. The farm is home to pigs, chickens and cows, as well as horses, goats and geese.
The Thorpes converted the farm to all organic in the late 1990s when Gayle discovered she had an allergy to treated seeds. In order to achieve the certified organic distinction, they do not use any chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms. In turn, this increases the soil's health allowing plants to thrive and produce food that is often more nutritionally dense than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.
“Seeing how much my parents loved farming inspired me to stay and work here,” Naomi Thorpe says. She adds, “growing a healthy, beautiful product for customers keeps me coming back.”