[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] ♪ ALEX: MY NAME IS ALEX CASERTA.

AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, MY MISSION IS TO CREATE DOCUMENTARIES USING A STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACH, INVITING THE VIEWER TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF LACE.

WELCOME TO A NEW SEASON SHOWCASING THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT.

WE EXPLORE THE FARMING INDUSTRY, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK THE LAND AND SEA, THE STEWARDSHIP OF OPEN PLACES, THE FLAVORS OF RHODE ISLAND WAS THE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMERS IN THE OCEAN STATE.

THIS IS HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND.

I'M IN MASSACHUSETTS TODAY WITH CHRIS CLEGG FROM FORTOWN FARM.

YOU HAVE A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY.

200 ACRES IN MASSACHUSETTS AND 100 ACRES IN RHODE ISLAND.

YOU HAVE FOUR TOWNS THAT ARE KIND OF JOINING UP SOMEWHERE TO SPREAD YOUR LAND AROUND.

YEAH.

IT IS A WEIRD-SHAPED PIECE OF PROPERTY.

WE HAVE SOME BOUNDS WHERE BARRINGTON, SEA CAULK, AND SWANSEA COME TOGETHER.

MAKING THE FOUR TOWNS INTO -- IN TWO STATES.

ALEX: YOU WENT TO SCHOOL FOR AGRICULTURE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

>> I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH A BACHELORS OF SCIENCE IN HORTICULTURE AND AGRONOMY.

I DID NOT ALWAYS KNOW THIS WOULD BE MY PROFESSION.

AS I DEVELOPED SKILL AND GOT MORE RESPONSIBILITY, I REALIZED THIS IS WHAT I WOULD BE DOING IN THE FUTURE.

SO I HAD BEEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

I STARTED LOOKING AT AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS AT CORNELL AND UMASS, BUT I ENDED UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BECAUSE I AM A SKIER.

ALEX: PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY GO BACK IN FARMING TO YOUR GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER.

HE HAD A PIECE OF LAND ORIGINALLY IN MASSACHUSETTS HERE AND THAT LAND WAS SOLD OR -- >> MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER USED TO FORM OFF EXIT ONE-ON-ONE 95.

WHEN THEY PUT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM THROUGH, IT SEGREGATED HIS FARM INTO DIFFERENT PARCELS AND CHUNKS.

EVENTUALLY, MY GRANDFATHER, AT THAT TIME WAS GRADUATING URI AND SAW THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND UNDERSTOOD WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FARM HERE MUCH LONGER, SO HE MOVED US, OR HIMSELF AND HIS WIFE, DOWN HERE, AND CREATED FOUR TOWN FARM.

WE ARE THREE GENERATIONS IN THIS LOCATION.

ALEX: ALEX: SO YOU ARE REALLY A FOURTH-GENERATION FARMER IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL FAMILY HISTORY.

>> IT WOULD BE FIFTH-GENERATION FARMER, THIRD-GENERATION HERE.

I AM PRECEDED HERE BY MY FATHER STEVE, MY UNCLE TOM AND MY AUNT JEAN.

THEY ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN FARMING FOUR TOWN FARM.

ALEX: AND IF YOUR SON GOES INTO THE BUSINESS, HE WILL BE GENERATION SIX.

>> YES AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE FOR HIM SHOULD HE CHOOSE.

ALEX: AND HE IS IN A FARMING PROGRAM?

>> HE GOES TO BRISTOL AGGIE, AND AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL -- AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL IN BRIGHTON.

HE HAD THE INKLINGS OF A FARMER, THE MINDSET REQUIRED TO DO WHAT WE DO.

SO I CAN SEE IT POSSIBLY IN HIS FUTURE.

ALEX: THAT'S NICE.

>> YEAH.

DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS TO A MULTIGENERATIONAL FARM IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT CAME BEFORE YOU THE GETS SHARED TO YOU.

ALEX: IT PASSES ON.

>> IT DOES.

YOU CANNOT BUY IT.

ALEX: DO GROW SPECIAL CORN?

>> WE GROW BUTTER AND SUGAR CORN.

WE HAD A SPECIAL VARIETY, BUT IT WAS NOT NEARLY AS POPULAR AS THE BUTTER AND SUGAR.

THAT IS ALL WE HAVE NOW EXCEPT INDIAN CORN.

ALEX: DECORATIVE STUFFER THE FALL.

>> WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING NEW VARIETIES OF CORN.

YOU WANT THE BEST THERE IS TO OFFER.

THAT MIGHT BE MULTIPLE VARIETIES OF BUTTER AND SUGAR CORN, BUT THAT IS ALL WE GROW.

ALEX: NOT THE SAME BUTTER AND SUGAR LIKE I WAS GROWING UP AS A KID.

>> NOT AT ALL.

THERE ARE NEW VARIETIES, HYBRIDS.

NON-GMO.

BUT THERE ARE HYBRIDS WITH DIFFERENT PARENTAGE THAT YOU LOOK FOR, DIFFERENT TRAITS.

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FLAVOR, FIRST FOR CORN.

THE EASE OF HARVEST ABILITY -- HARVESTABILITY.

HOW MUCH HUSK IS ON IT, SO IT IS NOT EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CHARACTERISTICS WE ARE LOOKING FOR, BUT THE NUMBER ONE CHARACTERISTIC IS FLAVOR, WHAT TASTES THE BEST.

ALEX: YOU GROW OTHER VEGETABLES ON THIS FARM.

I NOTICED YOU EVEN HAD A FLOWER GARDEN WHERE YOU ARE GROWING FLOWERS.

I ASSUME YOU SELL THOSE INSIDE OF THE STORE.

>> PART OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE WHEN THEY COME HERE IS TO PICK THEIR OWN.

IT IS MOSTLY A PICNK YOUR OWN FLOWER GARDEN -- A PICK YOUR OWN FLOWER GARDEN, BUT WE ALSO MAKE BOUQUETS.

IF YOU CAN GROW IN THIS CLIMATE, WE TRY TO GROW IT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF APPLES.

WE START WITH ASPARAGUS AND IT GOES TO LETTUCE AND RADISHES, CORN, WATERMELON, CANTALOUPE, RASPBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES.

MANY PEOPLE KNOW US FOR OUR STRAWBERRIES.

WE HAVE PEACHES.

WE SPECIALIZE IN SEASONALITY.

PEOPLE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO EXPECTING THINGS YOUR AROUND, AND MOST PRODUCTS ARE SEASONAL.

-- YEAR-ROUND, AND MOST PRODUCTS ARE SEASONAL.

ALEX: THAT IS WHAT IT IS LIKE IN EUROPE.

THEY COOK FOR THE SEASON.

SO THE MENUS CHANGING -- MENU IS CHANGING THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR, BUT THEY ARE STILL USING LOCAL FOOD.

THE TRICK FOR THE SECRET IS YOU PICK THE PLANT THAT WANTS TO BE PICKED.

YOU DO NOT TRY TO PICK IT FOR SHIPPING OR TO HOLD IT.

WHEN A PEACH IS READY, YOU PICK THE PEACH.

WHEN A CANTALOUPE IS READY, YOU PICK IT.

SO THE SHELFLIFE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BUY THE GROCERY STORE.

WHEN WE HARVEST SOMETHING, IT IS FOR YOU TO YOU SHORTLY, IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME.

ALEX: YOU GET THE PEAK NUTRITIONAL VALUE, A LOT OF IT, AT THAT POINT.

I NOTICED YOU ARE IN THE FIELD HARVESTING CARROTS -- YOU WERE IN THE FIELD HARVESTING CARROTS, AND YOU HAD THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT COLORED CARROTS.

>> WE ALSO ADAPT TO MARKET TRENDS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE GROW ORANGE ARROTS, AND THIS IS DIFFICULT TO SELL WHEN YOU ARE COMPETING WITH A LOT OF GROWERS.

10 YEARS AGO, I EXPERIMENT WITH RAINBOW CARROTS, WHICH ARE NOT EASILY AVAILABLE.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING, UNLESS YOU USE THE SEEDS I USE, YOU COULD REPRODUCE.

SO WE HAVE BUILT A STRONG MARKET FOR RAINBOW CARROTS.

SO THEY STAY IN THE GROUND UNTIL SOME BUT HE NEEDS THEM.

THEY ARE DOUG TO ORDER.

-- DUG TO ORDER.

ALEX: YOU DO SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH YOUR CORN THAT A LOT OF FARMERS DO NOT.

YOU COVER YOUR CORN WITH NETTING.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?

>> SOME FARMERS OUT THERE WILL THINK WE ARE CRAZY, AND OTHERS THINK WE ARE GENIUS.

FOR 30 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING BIRDS.

THE OLDER GENERATION AS WELL.

THEY ROOST AROUND HERE.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS TO A FLOCK.

AND IT HAS BEEN A LOSING BATTLE.

SO UNDER A TREE A FEW YEARS AGO, MY FATHER SPOTTED OUT, WE SHOULD PROBABLY NET THE CORN, WHICH SEEMED LIKE A CRAZY IDEA.

LIKE, WHATEVER, JUST KEEP DRINKING YOUR COFFEE.

AND THEN AFTER CHASING BIRDS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IT BECAME MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT SUCH A BAD IDEA.

WE INVESTED IN THE MACHINE TWO YEARS AGO AND FOUND SOME ROLES OF NET THAT WOULD SUIT OUR OPERATION.

NOW ALL 60 OPERATIONS OF OUR CORN GETS KNITTED FOR THE BIRDS -- NETTED FOR THE BIRDS.

THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST MADDENING ASPECT.

IT TAKES THREE MONTHS TO GO THAT CORN AND A FLOCK OF BIRDS CAN COME IN AND IN AN AFTERNOON WIPE IT OUT.

ALEX: YOU DO SOMETHING WITH THE CORN BESIDES NETTING THAT IS VERY UNUSUAL.

DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME ABOUT THAT?

>> WE TOP OUR CORN.

ORIGINALLY, GOING BACK TO BIRDS, THAT MACHINE PROCEEDED THE NET.

WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE BIRDS WOULD NOT NEST, ROOST IN THE CORN IF YOU TOOK THE TOP OFF.

THAT WAS NOT CORRECT.

IT JUST MADE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO GET THE CORN.

WHAT THAT MACHINE DID DO IS MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR US TO HARVEST.

BY TAKING THE TOPS OFF THE CORN, THE WHOLE CREW KNOWS WHERE EACH OTHER IS.

SO YOU PICK UP THE FIELD EVENLY.

IT MAKES A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE CORNFIELD SEE YOU ARE NOT KIDDING SMASHED IN THE FACE.

AND IN JULY AND AUGUST, IT IS NOT SWELTERING HOT IN THERE.

ALEX: DO YOU WANT TO RUN DOWN SOME OF THE BEST TOOLS YOU ARE GROWING?

CHRIS: WE START IN THE SPRING WITH ASPARAGUS.

THAT IS THE FIRST ONE THAT IS READY.

AND IT GOES TO RHUBARB, LETTUCE, RADISHES, YOU KNOW, THE FRUIT COME LATER, STRAWBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, CANTALOUPES, WATERMELONS, TOMATOES, PEPPERS, ALL SORTS.

AND THERE'S A VARIETY WITHIN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.

BLUEBERRIES, PEACHES.

ALEX: GREEN BEANS.

CHRIS: GREEN BEANS, TURNIP, CARROTS.

ALEX: QUITE A BIT.

CHRIS: YEAH.

THERE ARE SEVEN FULL-TIME FAMILY MEMBERS HERE.

WE HAVE A PRETTY LARGE CREW.

AND IN THE SUMMER, THERE WILL BE SEASONAL HIRING WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE KIDS TO HELP.

IT IS A WELL OILED MACHINE AS FAR AS THE FAMILY MEMBERS GO.

EVERYONE HAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

IT IS JUST ABOUT GETTING AS MUCH DONE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.

ALEX: IT ALL SEEMS LIKE IT IS WORKING LIKE CLOCKWORK.

SO, HOW ARE IN THE YEAR DOES YOUR SHOP OPEN?

CHRIS: WE OPEN APRIL.

ALEX: IN APRIL.

CHRIS: YO -- YUP.

WE HAVE A GREENHOUSE, MIXED CONTAINERS.

WE OPEN APRIL 12-ISH EACH YEAR DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER.

THE VEGETABLE START TO TRICKLE IN IN MAY BUT WE ALREADY HAVE THE GREENHOUSES GOING.

IT STARTS TO OVERLAP.

SAME THING IN THE FALL AS THE VEGETABLES, THE FRUITS, ARE GOING AWAY FOR THE SEASON, YOU START TO SEE THE FALL CROPS LIKE CARROTS, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER COMING IN.

WE TRANSITION TO FALL CROPS.

ALEX: STAY INTO NOVEMBER?

CHRIS: WE DO THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.

SO MY MOM AND MY DAD GROW POINSETTIAS, AND THAT STARTED THE CHRISTMAS SEASON FOR US.

WE SUPPLEMENT WITH CHRISTMAS TREES.

WE STAY OPEN UNTIL EITHER THE WEEK BEFORE -- WE STILL HE -- WE STAY OPEN UNTIL THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND THEN -- ALEX: TAKE A LITTLE TIME OFF.

CHRIS: A LITTLE BIT.

THERE ARE TRACTORS TO FIX AND DOORS TO MEND, SO IT IS DOWNTIME, BUT WE ARE NOT OFF.

ALEX: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, CHRIS.

YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL PLACE HERE AND IT IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

CHRIS: THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO.

WE APPRECIATE THE SHOW AND ANYTHING THAT PROMOTES LOCAL AGRICULTURE.

BECAUSE IT IS A STRONG INDUSTRY.

AS WELL AS SUPPORTED HERE.

ALEX: OK. TAKE CARE.

CHRIS: THANKS, ALEX.

♪ ALEX: I AM HERE TALKING WITH BRAD, CHRIS'S BROTHER.

YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF TOMATOES AND SOME OTHER CROPS, BUT YOU ALSO TAKEN CHARGE OF -- BUT YOU ARE ALSO IN CHARGE OF THE GREENHOUSES.

>> YES.

SUMMER SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, CANTALOUPES, WATERMELONS, AND CUCUMBERS, ALL DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF EACH ONE, AND THEN HANDLING THE TOMATOES, THE VARIETIES WE PLANNED.

WE GROW THEM WHERE THEY ARE SITUATED.

YES, MY FORTE OR WHAT I REALLY ENJOY IS THE GREENHOUSE CROPS, BEING IN THE SPRING OR THE FALL/WINTER, BASICALLY EXTENDING SEASONS SO THAT WE CAN GET THINGS TO CUSTOMERS SOONER AND KEEP THEM TO CUSTOMERS LATER.

ALEX: HOW EARLY DO YOU ACTUALLY START PLANTING EITHER YOUR SEED OR YOUR PLUGS IN THE GREENHOUSES ?

>> WE CLOSE THE STAND ON CHRISTMAS EVE TYPICALLY.

WE ARE SEEDING ARE FIRST THING, GREENHOUSE TOMATOES, FEBRUARY 4.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE A LONG TIME OFF IN THE WINTER.

IT COMES BACK PRETTY QUICKLY, SO THE TOMATOES.

-- ONE WE DO, THE TOMATOES.

THEY TAKE A WHILE TO GROW, SO WE HAVE TO GET THEM SEEDED SOON.

THE TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS DO NEED HEAT EARLY ON.

WE ALSO HAVE UNHEATED GREENHOUSES, WHICH JUST HAVING THE COVERING PROTECTING FROM THE WIND IS ENOUGH TO GROW OTHER THINGS EARLIER, SUCH AS LETTUCE, RADISHES, SCALLIONS.

THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE BIG THREE THAT WE WOULD GROW EARLY ON.

ALEX: THEY ARE A LITTLE HARDIER PLANT.

BRAD: YES.

THEY DO NOT NECESSARILY NEED THE HEAT.

THEY JUST NEED THAT PROTECTION FROM THE WIND AND THE ELEMENTS EARLY ON.

ALEX: AND HOPEFULLY THE SUN IS THROWING ENOUGH HEAT IN THERE FROM ABOVE TO KEEP THE PLACE WARM ENOUGH.

BRAD: YES.

THE GREENHOUSE ACTUALLY ABSORBS THE SUNLIGHT INTO THE GROUND.

THE GROUND WILL ABSORB THE SUN, SO THEN, AS THE SUN GOES DOWN, THE GROUND IS WARM.

AND IT WILL KIND OF SLOWLY RELEASE SOME OF THE HEAT AND KEEP THAT LOWER AREA OF VEGETATION WARM.

ALEX: I NOTICED TO THE LARGER RETAIL SHOP, YOU ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS FOR ORNAMENTS AND I AM ASSUMING SOME OTHER GREENHOUSES THERE WERE YOU GROW PLANTS.

WHAT KIND OF PLANTS ARE YOU GROWING, ANYTHING SPECIAL?

BRAD: TYPICALLY WE STARTED THE SPRING WITH A VARIETY OF ANNUALS.

WE WILL SEE ALL OF OUR ANNUALS.

AN ANNUAL PLANT IS SOMETHING THAT LASTS THAT SEASON BUT WILL NOT LAST THE WINTER.

THEN WE WILL BUY PERENNIALS THAT WE WILL STOCK WITH.

ANNUALS WILL FLOWER MOST OF THE SEASON, IS THE DIFFERENCE.

PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY ANNUALS.

HOWEVER, YOU HAVE TO PLANT THEM EVERY YEAR.

PERENNIALS WILL COME BACK EVERY YEAR, BUT WILL TYPICALLY ONLY BLOOM FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.

SO PEOPLE LIKE A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

PERENNIALS ARE LESS WORK YEAR AFTER YEAR WHEREAS ANNUALS WILL GIVE YOU THE COLOR.

WE TRY TO FOCUS ON THE CORE OF WHAT PEOPLE HAVE LIKED OVER THE YEARS, BUT ALSO OFFER UNIQUE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIND AT THE BIG BOX STORES.

THEY MIGHT FOCUS ON THE TOP 20 PLANTS, WHERE WE TRY TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE VARIETY OR HELP OR MODEL IT TOWARDS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN UNIQUE THINGS OR HAD THEIR FAVORITE PLANTS.

WE LISTEN TO WHAT THEY WANT.

WE GROW HANGING BASKETS.

ALEX: A LITTLE TOUCH OF SUMMER BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GETS TO US.

BRAD: YES.

WE ALSO DO OUR VEGETABLE TRANSPLANTS.

WE GROW THEM IN THE FIELD AND WE SELL THEM.

WE GIVE THEM STARTER PLANTS, WHETHER IT IS EGGPLANT, TOMATOES, BASICALLY ANYTHING YOU CAN TRANSPLANT.

ALEX: DO YOU DO ANY GROWING IN THE GREENHOUSE OVER THE WINTER?

BRAD: WE DO.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

WE DO DO SOME FALL TOMATOES, BUT YOU HAVE TO RUN THAT FINE LINE OF, YOU CAN HEAT A GREENHOUSE, BUT AS THE WINTER DAYS GO ON, THERE IS NOT AS MUCH SUNLIGHT.

YOU GET LESS AND LESS, SO EVEN ON THE GREENHOUSE MIGHT BE WARM, YOU ARE PAYING ALL THAT MONEY.

WITHOUT THIS ONLINE, THE PLANE DOES NOT GROWING MUCH.

WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO THE LONGEST, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET DAYS YOU ARE HEATING IT 24 HOURS A DAY.

IT IS NOT JUST A NIGHT.

IT IS 20 DEGREES ALL DAY LONG.

WE TRY TO DO MORE COLD, HEARTY CROPS THAT REQUIRE A BARE MINIMUM OF HEAT.

WHAT WE WILL DO IS SET OUR THERMOSTATS TO 32 DEGREES, RIGHT IT FREEZING.

THAT WILL ENABLE THE CROP TO HAVE THIS CELLS.

WHEN IT FREEZES, THE WATER IN THE CELLS BURSTS, AND THAT IS WHAT KILLS THE PLANT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN VARIETIES SUCH AS SPINACH, BRUSSELS SPROUTS.

BASICALLY, THEY ARE COLD TOLERANT, BECAUSE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS TO FREEZING, THE PLANT PRODUCES A SUCROSE OR SUGAR IN THE WATER, WHICH LOWERS THE FREEZING POINT SO THE CELL DOES NOT BURST.

THAT IS WHY THOSE PLANTS WILL ACTUALLY TASTE SWEETER AFTER A FROST.

SO IF YOU HAVE A BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN JULY, IN MY NIGHT TASTE AS WELL IS A BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.

ALEX: YOU DECIDED TO STICK AROUND AFTER YOU WENT TO COLLEGE.

YOU ALSO DID AGRICULTURE?

BRAD: I DID NOT.

I ACTUALLY LEFT AFTER COLLEGE FOR EIGHT YEARS AND WORK FOR ANOTHER COMPANY, BUT THEN I CAME BACK AFTER THAT.

BUT I THINK IT HELPED BECAUSE I LEARNED A LOT OF STUFF ABOUT BUSINESS.

YOU KNOW, YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT ACCOUNTING, PNL STATEMENTS, MANAGING, EFFICIENCY, THE WHOLE LIEN MODEL.

-- LEAN MODEL.

ALEX: YOU ARE APPLYING THAT HERE I AM CERTAIN.

BRAD: YES.

I ENJOY IT.

IF YOU WOULDN'-- IF YOU ARE BORN INTO THIS AND STAY IN IT, NOTHING YOU ARE EXPERIENCING IS FROM OUTSIDE.

ALEX: WHAT MADE YOU COME BACK?

BRAD: I REALIZED I LIKED THE WHOLE IDEA OF BEING YOUR OWN COMPANY OR YOUR OWN BOSS WITH YOUR FAMILY, WHEREAS IT GOT TO A POINT IN THE OTHER WHERE YOU FELT LIKE A NUMBER.

YOU WERE EXPENDABLE.

ALEX: DO YOU THINK IT IS EASIER TODAY FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE FARMING COMMUNITY?

BRAD: I DO FOR THE SOLE REASON THAT THE MARKET DEMANDS IT.

IT MIGHT NOT BE EASIER TO HAVE A 300 ACRE FARM WITH, YOU KNOW, A BIG RETAIL STAND, BUT BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER.

IF YOU ARE INTO FARMING, THE GOOD THING IS YOU HAVE THE MARKET.

ALEX: YES.

BRAD: PEOPLE WANT TO FRESH FOOD, THEY WANT LOCAL FOOD.

THE WHOLE FOOD MILES, THAT IS COMING OUT, WHERE IT IS THE ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORTING FOOD FROM 9000 MILES AWAY.

IT IS NOT JUST THE FOOD, IT IS THE GAS TO GET IT THERE, THE SHELFLIFE.

SO PEOPLE WANT IT.

SO IF YOU CAN FIND A PLOT OF LAND OR LEASE, YOU KNOW, FIND THAT NICHE, YOU CAN DO REALLY WELL WITH YOURSELF.

NOW THEY HAVE FARMERS MARKETS.

BEFORE, IT WAS DIFFICULT, BECAUSE YOU HAD TO GO FIND YOUR CUSTOMERS.

YOU NEEDED A LITTLE SIDE ROAD STAND WHERE YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP.

NOW -- NOW YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CREATE THESE FOUR MARKETS.

THEY BRING THE CUSTOMERS TO YOU.

YOU JUST NEED A GOOD PRODUCT.

ALEX: YOU WORK WITH FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND, CORRECT?

BRAD: YES.

ALEX: SO YOU BRING YOUR PRODUCTS TO THEM AND THEY HAVE THE CUSTOMERS AND HELP SELL THE PRODUCT FOR YOU.

BRAD: THEY DO THE LOGISTICS, THE ADVERTISING.

THEY DO IT ALL.

AND THEN IT IS PERSONALITY AND WHAT YOU GROW.

THAT IS THE GREAT PART OF FARMING, WHY ANYONE CAN GET IN, MAYBE DO NOT HAVE A BIG FARM LIKE US.

YOU DO NOT GROW ANYTHING.

THE LABOR FORCE IS WHAT IT IS.

WE CANNOT GROW ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN.

WE HAVE TO CHOOSE WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS WANT, WHAT IS MOST PROFITABLE AND EFFICIENT FOR US.

THAT LEAVES A DOOR OPEN FOR THE SMALLER GUYS TO PICK UP THE STUFF WE DO NOT.

ALEX: IT HAS BEEN NICE TALKING TO YOU AND GETTING A PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH ON FARMING IN THIS COUNTRY.

YOU HAVE A REALLY NICE FAMILY FARM OUT HERE.

BRAD: THANK YOU.

ALEX: IT IS A PLEASURE COMING OUT HERE.

BRAD: IT IS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU.

ALEX: THANK YOU.

♪ ♪