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Castano's Business Spotlight of the week - focus on Naber's Produce
25 November 2020
Business Highlight of the Week - Focus on Naber's Produce
Every state across the nation has exceptional families who have—for many years—invested in their family-owned farm. These families have started small, selling locally with hopes of soon maintaining multiple acres and selling countrywide. For many of these households, farming isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life.
Hi, my name is Matías Castaño and I want to invite you on a journey that will help us get to know the exceptional businesses that surround us here in York County.
Today, we highlight Naber’s Produce. A family farm located on the outskirts of York, NE, lying on some of the most rich and fertile soils in the state. Greg and Kathy Naber have been working hard since the business began in 1992, subsequently, growing mainly for sales in retail up until 1997 where they moved to their current location just outside of York, NE. With the help of their daughter Angela, the family farm continues to move forward, smiling at the future that awaits them.
When the business began, Naber’s started with only five acres of strawberries, they’ve come a long way since, counting over 19 different fruits and vegetables today. In the near future, that number will increase with the addition of an orchard. Expected to be established in a few years, Naber’s Orchard will have many of the fruits you love, including peaches, blueberries, pears, plumbs, apples and pie cherries.
Not only is their produce great, but their work ethic is too. With a high amount of crops being harvested from late June into the last days of September, their most productive harvest has recently come to an end. On the busiest days of the year, the Nabers work an average of 75 hours per week, and that goes on for three whole months! The hours might seem long, but “they go by fast,” says Angela, the older of two daughters.
Although known for their famous sweet corn, Naber’s has been successfully harvesting many fruits and vegetables throughout the years. From Cantaloupe to Bell Peppers and Potatoes to Watermelon, you’ll always have something tasty on your plate! A great portion of their crops are grown inside, in what they call tunnels, this helps the produce stay healthy and out of the harsh weathers of Nebraska. In addition to the tunnels (6), they also have a heated greenhouse, which they use mainly to grow tomatoes in the earlier months of the year.
The more they grow and the bigger they get, the harder it is for Greg, Kathy, and Angela to maintain the farm. That’s why, throughout the years, students from the community have worked for Naber’s Produce, lending a helping hand wherever need be. Besides enjoying the atmosphere and getting to experience an amazing opportunity, these students are grateful to have Naber’s provide their community with great tasting produce. If you or someone you know are interested in joining this wonderful family on the farm, feel free to contact me at the YCDC offices or take a trip to the Naber’s farm. The Naber family would love to have you be part of the team, and who knows, you might just learn the secrets to growing the best tasting sweet corn around.
From roadside stands and farmers' markets to grocery stores, schools, and restaurants. Naber’s provides many with some of the finest fruits and vegetables around. Ask your local grocery store if they carry Naber’s Produce, or head on over to Grand Central or Leon’s Food Mart (in Lincoln) where their produce aisles are stocked with Naber’s fruits and vegetables. Oh, and don’t forget to say ‘hello’ if you run into me buying a dozen cobs of sweet corn!