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

MY MISSION IS TO CREATE STRAIGHTFORWARD DOCUMENTARIES.

WELCOME TO NEW SEASON, SHOWCASING STARS OF THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT.

WE EXPLORED THE FARM INDUSTRY, THE STEWARDSHIP OF OPEN SPACES, THE FLAVORS OF RHODE ISLAND CUISINE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMERS IN THE OCEAN STATE.

THIS IS "HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND."

ALEX: I'M AT LITTLE RIVER FARM IN EXETER, RHODE ISLAND WITH CAMILLE.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF -- I FEEL LIKE I'M IN MIDDLE EARTH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON A FILM SET.

WE ARE IN EXETER.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE, BUT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

YOU HAVE THREE ACRES THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY GROWING IN.

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?

CAMILLE: THIS IS OUR SIX YEAR AT THIS LOCATION.

BEFORE THAT I DID IN APPRENTICESHIP AT -- FOR ON SUMMER, SO I'VE BEEN FORMING FOR SEVEN YEARS.

ALEX: YOU HAVE HOW MANY GREENHOUSES HERE?

CAMILLA: WE HAVE THREE -- WE GROW PLANTS AND MICRO GREENS.

ALEX: YOU DO HAVE A GREENHOUSE THERE WITH MICRO GREENS?

WHAT KIND OF MICRO GREENS DO YOU GROW?

CAMILLA: WE DOPEA TENDRILS -- WE DO PEA TENDRILS AND KALE AND BROCCOLI MICRO GREENS.

WE DO A SPICY MIX AND A RAINBOW MIX.

I HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR US, BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE THEM ALL YEAR ROUND AND THEY SORT OF ACT AS A WINTER SALAD.

CHEFS LIKE THEM, SO THEY HAVE BEEN A REALLY GREAT PRODUCT FOR US.

ALEX: AND YOU DO SOME BUSINESS WITH LOCAL CHEFS.

CAMILLA: WE DO.

WE SELL TO CELESTIAL CAFE, WHICH IS NOT FAR FROM HERE, AND THE NEWPORT VINEYARD.

THERE IS A GRET CHEF THERE.

EVERYONE KNOWS ANDY.

AND WE SELL TO THE FOOD CLUB, SO HE DISTRIBUTES IT TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS IN WESTERLEIGH.

ALEX: AND THE MICRO GREENS, DO YOU GROW THOSE YEAR-ROUND?

CAMILLA: YES, WE DO.

ALEX: SO YOU HAVE A HEATED GROUND -- A HEATED GREENHOUSE?

CAMILLA: YES, WE DO.

THOSE ARE OUR CARROTS TO BE HARVESTED FOR WINTER.

WE HAVE SOME SCALLIONS RIGHT NEXT TO IT, AND JUST THIS MORNING I PUT IN SOME BEATS, HEIRLOOM PINK BEETS TO BE HARVESTED IN THE WINTERTIME, AND RIGHT OVER THERE WE HAVE OUR RHUBARB, WHICH WE JUST PUT IN LAST SPRING, AND IT IS ALREADY LOOKING LIKE THAT.

ALEX: I SEE SOME TOMATOES FOR THE -- IN THE GREENHOUSES.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN GROWING ORGANICALLY?

CAMILLA: YES.

IT TOOK US UNTIL YEAR THREE TO GET THE CERTIFICATION HIM ABOUT WE STARTED GROWING ORGANICALLY FROM DAY ONE.

ALEX: DO YOU WANT TO TELL THE VIEWERS WHAT YOU THINK THE BENEFITS ARE FOR ORGANIC GROWING?

CAMILLA: DEFINITELY THAT YOU ARE NOT INGESTING ANY CHEMICALS, FOR SURE.

IT'S JUST SAFER FOR OUR HEALTH, FOR THE HEALTH OF THE LAND, AND I THINK THAT GOOD SOIL IS WHAT MAKES YOU TASTE GOOD.

SO THE FUNDAMENTAL PIECE OF ORGANIC IS BUILDING GOOD SOIL.

JUST LABOR, HEALTH, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.

ALEX: I FIND THIS INTERESTING, THE WAY YOU PLANT, WHEN YOU HARVEST THE PRODUCTS, YOU TRY TO GET THAT SAME AREA REPLANTED THE SAME DAY SO THAT DAY YOU CAN PRODUCE MORE CROPS FROM THE SAME LOCATION, WHICH I GUESS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, IT MEANS THAT YOU DON'T NEED AS MUCH PROPERTY TO FARM.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE YOUNG FARMERS CANNOT AFFORD LARGE MASSES OF LAND.

FROM WHAT YOU'VE TOLD ME FROM THE AMOUNT OF PRODUCTS YOU HAVE, YOU ARE GROWING ON THREE ACRES HERE AND YOU PRODUCE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRODUCT.

CAMILLE: YES, I WOULD SAY ACCESS TO LAND IS THE NUMBER ONE BARRIER FOR YOUNG FARMERS.

WE CAN SAY BYE NOW WE ARE SUCCESSFUL, AND WE ARE PROFITABLE HERE, STILL, GOING AND BUYING LAND SEEMS STILL DAUNTING AND A LITTLE BIT NOT DOABLE, BUT WHAT WERE SEEING WITH BEING ABLE TO PLANT THE SAME BED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR, MAYBE WE CAN JUST BUY AN ACRE OR HALF AN ACRE AND MAKE A GOOD LIVING THAT WAY, BY GROWING HIGH INTENSITY CROPS AND REALLY GOOD QUALITY CROPS.

THAT'S MAKING US FEEL BETTER, YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY 10 ACRES.

ALEX: AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE HYBRID PLANTS YOU GROW THAT ARE SUPERFAST.

IT JUST BOILS DOWN TO THE TYPE OF SOIL THAT YOU HAVE PREPARED AND BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT, AND KNOWING HOW TO MAINTAIN IT AND HOW TO DO THIS ROTATION THING YOU ARE DOING.

CAMILLE: YES, SOIL, KNOWING WHICH VARIETIES TO CHOOSE AND WHICH SPACING TO PUT DIFFERENT CROPS THAT.

THE LITTLE THINGS YOU LEARN EVERY YEAR.

ALEX: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MARKETS THAT YOU GO TO?

CAMILLE: WE DO THE GROWERS MARKET IN NEWPORT ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS.

THEN WE DO THE COASTAL GROWERS MARKET AT CASEY FARM ON SATURDAYS AS WELL.

ALEX: YOU WENT TO SCHOOL, YOUR MAJOR WAS IN ENGLISH AND HISTORY?

CAMILLE: I DID AMERICAN STUDIES, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF ENGLISH AND HISTORY.

ALEX: AND YOU ARE NOW GROWING PRODUCTS AND FARMING.

WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THE SWITCH?

CAMILLE: I STARTED READING SOME BOOKS IN COLLEGE.

I STARTED WITH "THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA."

I STARTED OUT BEING INTERESTED IN THE FOOD SYSTEM AND WHY IT WAS MAKING US UNHEALTHY.

I NOTICED WHENEVER I WOULD READ THOSE BOOKS AND THEY WOULD TALK TO THE FARMER, I WAS VERY INTRIGUED BY THAT LIFE.

I WAS ALWAYS JUST VERY ENGULFED IN THAT SECTION.

I REALLY JUST HAD A HUNCH THAT I WOULD LIKE IT, AND I CUT TRYING TO GET FARM JOBS, AND I FINALLY GOT ONE.

FROM THE SECOND I DID IT, I KNEW IT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

MY PARENTS ARE BOTH DOCTORS, AND IT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

I CALLED THEM UP WHEN I SAID I WAS GOING TO START A FARM, AND THEY SAID, WHY DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE, THEN?

COLLEGE DID HELP ME, TOO, JUST LEARNING HOW TO HAVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND WRITE WELL AND HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON AS WELL, HAVING A DEGREE.

ALEX: THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

CAMILLE: THANKS FOR HELPING OUT.

ALEX: I'M IN ONE OF THE HIGH TUNNELS WITH YOU.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND?

BOB: I HAVE SOME ALFALFA MEAL THAT I'M GOING TO SPREAD ON THE HEAD AND WERE GOING TO PLANT SOME RADICCHIO FOR WINTER.

THERE STILL A LITTLE COMPOST REMAINING FROM THE PREVIOUS CROP , WHICH WAS HEAD LETTUCE THAT WE PICKED OUT OF HERE THIS MORNING.

THEN WE PULLED OUT A FEW OF THE WEEDS THAT WERE LEFT, AND WE WILL JUST PUT THE ALFALFA MEAL DOWN AND PLANT RIGHT INTO THAT.

ALEX: WHAT WILL THE ALFALFA MEAL DO?

BOB: WE HOPE IT WILL PROVIDE THE PLANTS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF NUTRIENT, ESPECIALLY NITROGEN AND A NICE BALANCE OF MICRONUTRIENTS.

ALFALFA IS A DEEP-ROOTED CROP THAT DRAWS IN A LOT OF NUTRIENTS FROM DOWN BELOW.

ALEX: WHAT IS THIS LITTLE MACHINE?

BOB: THIS IS FOR MARKING OUT THE SPACING OF WHERE WE WILL PLANT THEM.

IT WILL DRAW A LITTLE GRID ON THE SOIL AND CONNECT THEM ON THE INTERSECTIONS THERE.

WE WILL GET THREE NICE PARALLEL ROWS.

LIKE THE LETTUCE OVER THERE.

ALEX: BOB, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOME TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE.

BOB: I DO, YES.

ALEX: AND YOU WORKED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS.

BOB: I'VE WORKED ON A FEW DIFFERENT FARMS AND A FEW DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

ALEX: YOU WORKED IN ITALY FOR A WHILE, AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE?

BOB: IN AUSTRIA.

AND I STUDIED AGRICULTURE IN CANADA, BUT I NEVER WORKED ON A FARM THERE.

ALEX: HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?

BOB: I HAVE OWNED THIS FARM WITH CAMILLE SINCE 2013, SO IT HAS BEEN SIX YEARS HERE, AND BEFORE THAT, I'VE WORKED ON FARMS FOR AT LEAST AS MANY SUMMERS, ALMOST A DOZEN YEARS OF FARMING.

ALEX: WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

BOB: FIRST I WILL GO IN SPREAD THIS EVENLY OVER THE BED AND THEN I WILL JUST DRAG THIS DOWN AND TRY TO MAKE THE DIVOTS AS CLEARLY AS WE CAN.

THEN WE WILL PULL THE LUGS OUT OF THE TRAY AND PUT THEM IN THE GROUND.

I'S PRETTY SIMPLE.

WE WILL SPREAD THIS, NICE AND SLOW.

JUST PUTTING A LITTLE BIT DOWN.

ALEX: SO HOW MUCH DO YOU NORMALLY?

JUST BY EYESIGHT?

BOB: WE USUALLY USE THESE GROUPS TO MEASURE AND IN A BED LIKE THIS WE DO 10-15 POUNDS.

I HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF HOW MANY POUNDS ARE GOING DOWN.

ALEX: IS THE ALFALFA FROM LOCAL?

BOB: I DON'T THINK SO, I THINK IT IS FROM PENNSYLVANIA.

AT LEAST THAT IS WHERE THE MILL IS THAT GRINDS IT.

ALEX: SO THIS EVENLY DIVIDES EVERYTHING UP.

YOU HAVE A NICE SECTIONAL SPACE.

YOU'VE GOT YOUR THREE SPOTS WHERE YOU CAN STICK YOUR FINGER INTO PUT YOUR PLUGS.

NICE.

BOB: EXACTLY.

THE SPACING AROUND THE PLANTS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT SO THEY CAN ALL GROW AND MATURE EVENLY.

AND THEN ALSO WHILE THEY GROW, WHEN THEY ARE SMALL, THERE'S PLENTY OF AIRFLOW AROUND THE PLANT.

I'LL JUST START PUTTING THE PLUGS AND LAY THEM OUT WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO GO IN.

ALEX: THESE ARE THE PLUGS THAT YOU PROPAGATED IN YOUR GREENHOUSE?

BOB: YES, WE STARTED THESE, WE GOT THE SEEDS FROM A FRIEND OF A CUSTOMER OF OURS AT THE FARMERS MARKET WHO IS FROM ITALY, AND BROUGHT A BUNCH OF ITALIAN RADICCHIO SEATS WITH THEM.

-- SEEDS WITH THEM.

THIS ONE IS REALLY NICE, GROWS LIKE SUGARLOAF SIZE HEADS.

ALEX: WHEN YOU PROPAGATE THESE, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE T GET TO THIS SIZE?

BOB: WE STARTED THESE TRAYS AT THE END OF JUNE.

ALEX: FROM SEED?

BOB: FROM SEED.

SO THEY ARE 5-6 WEEKS IN THE NURSERY.

ALEX: AND I SEE YOU HAVE A WATERING SYSTEM HERE IN THE HIGH TUNNELS SO THEY GET AUTOMATICALLY WATERED.

BOB: WE TURN THE WATER ON AND JUST LET IT SOAK IN.

ALEX: AND GET THAT NITROGEN IN THE GROUND.

BOB: IF YOU WANT TO DO A FEW OF THESE, JUST SORT OF PUT THEM ON THE LINES THERE.

ALEX: BOB, WHERE DID YOU END UP MEETING CAMILLE?

BOB: WE WORKED ON A FARM TOGETHER, AND AFTER HER APPRENTICESHIP, SHE WAS WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH HER CAREER AND I WAS FINISHING UP COLLEGE.

WE JUST DECIDED TO START A FARM TOGETHER, SORT OF ON A WHIM.

ALEX: THAT'S NICE.

BOB: WE'VE JUST BEEN GROWING IT EVER SINCE, AND HAVING FUN AND GETTING THINGS DONE.

ALEX: YOU'VE GOT A BUSINESS GOING FOR YOURSELF.

BOB: ABSOLUTELY.

ALEX: WHAT STATE DID YOU GROW UP IN?

BOB: I GREW UP HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

I REALLY LOVE DOING THEM.

I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE WORLD AND WE'VE GOT A REALLY NICE COMMUNITY HERE.

ALEX: BOB, I APPRECIATE COMING DOWN HERE TODAY.

YOU'VE GOT A GREAT FARM HERE.

BOB: THANK YOU.

ALEX: YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT PRODUCTS.

VERY IMPRESSIVE.

AND THE SET UP YOU HAVE WITH THE HIGH TUNNELS, IT'S ALL TERRIFIC.

AGAIN, THANKS A LOT, BOB.

TAKE CARE.

BOB: TAKE CARE.

♪ ALEX: WE ARE AT OLD SAWMILL ROAD IN COVENTRY, RHODE ISLAND.

IF YOU STEPPED TWO INCHES IN ONE DIRECTION OVER THE ROAD YOU ARE IN WEST GREENWICH.

THIS IS A GREAT LOCATION, RIGHT ON ROUTE 102.

I'M WITH LAUREN, THE OWNER OF THE FARM, ALONG WITH ZACH.

THIS IS QUITE A NICE PLACE, ACTUALLY.

YOU ARE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PRODUCTS.

YOU LEASE THE LAND HERE?

LAUREN: YES, WE LEASE THE LAND.

THE FARM WAS PREVIOUSLY RUN AS A FARM STAND, THE WAY WE RUN IT NOW, WITH A FEW MODIFICATIONS AS WE'VE COME ALONG THE LAST THREE YEARS.

WE ARE BOTH A FARMS AND -- FARM STAND IN THE SUMMER FROM JULY THROUGH OCTOBER 31, AND IN THE SPRING, WE ALSO DO GREENHOUSE SALES OF BEDDING PLANTS AND VEGETABLES AND THAT KIND OF THING FROM MAY 1 TO MID JUNE.

THIS IS OUR THIRD SEASON HERE.

ALEX: ARE THINGS GOING WELL?

LAUREN: GREAT.

WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE.

WE CAME ALMOST RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE INTO THIS, SO IT WAS REALLY HAPPY TIMING FOR US.

WE BOTH WERE -- WORKED ON OTHER FARMS BEFORE THIS AND HAD SOME BACKGROUND GROWING UP, SO WE WERE REALLY LUCKY TO GET INTO THIS.

ALEX: YOU HAVE YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER WHO WERE FARMERS, AND STILL WORKING FARMS.

LAUREN: MY PARENTS WERE BOTH SCHOOLTEACHERS, BUT PART-TIM FARMERS.

WE HAVE A TURKEY OPERATION AT OUR HOUSE.

WE DO ABOUT 300 THANKSGIVING TURKEYS EVERY YEAR.

I ALSO HAVE FAMILY AND DAIRY IN THE CO-OP GOING BACK IN DAIRY WHERE WE FIRST STARTED.

ALEX: YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN AN, YOU WENT TO COLLEGE FOR AGRICULTURE.

LAUREN: I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND TO STUDY PLANT SCIENCES, WHILE I WAS THERE I GOT TO WORK WITH HEATHER AND ANDY WHICH WAS AWESOME, A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

I WORKED ON THE UNIVERSITY FARM THERE PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE TIME I WAS THERE, SO I REALLY GOT TO FEEL OUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I GOT TO SEE RESEARCH IN AG.

ALEX: YOU'VE GOT A LOT HERE.

I CAN SEE APPLES, EGGPLANT, GREEN BEANS, BELL PEPPERS, A LOT OF SQUATS, -- SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, CUCUMBERS.

YOU HAVE FRESH TOMATOES AND GARLIC.

YOU HAVE QUITE A VARIETY.

IN THE SPRINGTIME, -- IN THE WINTER YOU ACTUALLY PLANT SEED IN YOUR GREEN, COMPARED TO SHOOTS OF DIFFERENT PLANTS.

LAUREN: WE STARTED IN FEBRUARY.

BEFORE THAT, THERE'S TONS OF PLANTING, POURING OVER MAGAZINES, PICKING OUT SEEDS, WHAT VARIETIES WE WANT TO USE, WHAT IS GOING TO BE BEST FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, WHAT MIGHT BE FUN AND NEW AND INTERESTING.

SO THAT GOES FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE GREENHOUSE BUSINESS.

WE DO OUR VEGETABLES, WHICH ALL STARTED FROM SEEDS, SO TOMATOES AND PEPPERS ARE SOME OF THE EARLIEST SEEDS THAT WE START.

ONIONS AND LEAKS AND THAT KIND OF THING, WE START REALLY EARLY IN FEBRUARY AND THEN CONTINUE ON SO WE HAVE SUCCESSIVE PLANTINGS COMING UP FOR PEOPLE AS THEY SHOP.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR ORNAMENTAL PLANTINGS, SO WE DO ABOUT 1000 HANGING BASKETS EVERY YEAR.

WE MAKE UP THOSE, NATIONS OURSELVES.

THOSE ARE TEENY TINY PLUGS THAT COME DOWN FROM MAINE, SO WE GET TO PUT ALL THOSE TOGETHER.

WE MAKE UNIQUE COMBINATIONS, RATHER THAN JUST USING COMBOS PUT TOGETHER BY THE GROWERS.

THAT WAY OUR CUSTOMERS GET TO HAVE THE ONLY ONE ON THE BLOCK.

ALEX: THAT'S NICE.

LAUREN: AND THEN WE ALSO DO ALL OF OUR BEDDING PLANTS FROM SEEDS.

DAHLIAS, SALVIA, A LOT OF OUR HERBS FROM SEED.

ALEX: JUST ONE MORE THING, IF YOU COULD JUST TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR YOU OPEN AND WHEN YOU CLOSE.

LAUREN: MAY 1 TWO ABOUT JUNE 20, DEPENDING ON THE SEASON.

EVERYBODY -- IF EVERYBODY HAS COME IN EARLY AND PLANTED EARLIER, WE MIGHT CLOSE A LITTLE EARLIER OR LATER, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS.

WE REOPEN AROUND JULY 16.

THAT DEPENDS ON WHEN THE CORN COMES IN.

WE REMAIN OPEN UNTIL OCTOBER 31.

AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE THE PUMPKINS AND MUMS AND CORNSTALKS AND GOURDS AND ALL THE FUN STUFF FOR FALL.

ALEX: HOW EARLY DO YOUR TOMATOES COME OUT?

LAUREN: OUR TOMATOES ARE OUT WHEN WE OPEN, SO JULY 16 WE HAD THOSE.

ALEX: LAUREN, SENT -- THANKS SO MUCH FOR LETTING US COME UP HERE TODAY.

THANKS A LOT.

♪ ALEX: I'M HERE WITH ZACH AT OLD SAWMILL FARM.

YOU AND LAUREN ARE PARTNERS, AND WE ARE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOMATO PATCH.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF TOMATOES ON THESE PLANTS.

THEY ARE REALLY ABUNDANT.

ZACH: THESE ARE DETERMINATE TYPE TOMATOES.

THEY WILL PUT OUT A HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF FRUIT AND ALL START TO BREAK AT THE SAME TIME, WHERE YOU CAN PICK THEM HEAVILY IN THE PLANTS WILL SLOW DOWN FOR A FEW WEEKS AND PUSH OUT ANOTHER FLUSH OF FRUIT.

THAT LOANS ITSELF REALLY WELL TO WORKING IN THE FIELD VERSUS AN INDETERMINATE BINDING TYPE OF PLANT THAT GETS REALLY TALL.

IT'S A MORE REGULAR HARVEST, YOU DON'T GET AS MUCH AS ONCE -- AT ONCE.

THIS WORKS REALLY WELL FOR FIELD PRODUCTION.

WE PLAN OUR TOMATOES IN A BLACK PLASTIC MULCH THAT'S LAID BY A TRACTOR.

WE PUT A DRIP LINE UNDERNEATH IT AND WE AIM OUR FERTILIZER APPLICATION RIGHT UNDER THAT MULCH SO IT IS DIRECTLY WITH THE ROOTS.

THE MULCH HELPS WARM UP THE PLASTIC AND BLOCK THE SOIL FROM SPLASHING UP ONTO THE FRUIT.

IT HELPS PROTECT YOU FROM DISEASE A LITTLE MORE.

ALEX: HOW MANY DIFFERENT VARIETALS TOMATOES DO YOU HAVE?

ZACH: WE HAVE PROBABLY FIVE VARIETIES OF REGULAR RED TOMATOES OUT HERE.

WE ALSO GROW AN ORANGE VARIETY AND A FEW VARIETIES OF SMALLER COCKTAIL SIZE TOMATOES.

ALEX: I NOTICE YOU ARE ALSO GROWING A LOT OF PEPPERS.

ZACH: WOULD GROW A LOT OF BELL PEPPERS, ITALIAN SWEET PEPPERS.

START PICKING NOSE WHEN THEY ARE GREEN.

ALL PEPPERS WILL EVENTUALLY TURN A COLOR BUT IT TAKES LONGER WHEN THEY ARE ON THE PLANT FOR THEM TO TURN COLOR.

ALEX: YOU MENTION YOU HAVE SOME UNUSUAL TYPE OF PEPPERS YOU ARE GROWING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT BE GROWING.

ZACH: THIS YEAR WE ARE TRYING OUT THE LUNCH BOX SIZE PEPPERS.

THEY LOOK LIKE A REGULAR BELL PEPPER BUT THEY ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PING-PONG BALL OR A LITTLE BIGGER.

THEY WILL RIPEN TO YELLOW, ORANGE, RED, AND THOSE ARE SUPER SWEET AND A GREAT SNACK.

ALEX: YOU MENTIONED YOU ARE GROWING SOME HOT PEPPERS?

THAT: WE ARE GROWING A FEW HOT PEPPERS.

HAVE ONE VARIETY CALLED BEAVERDAM THAT WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT.

IT'S A LARGER, CHILLYTALK PEPPER, SO IT WILL GET MAYBE THREE OR FOUR INCHES, AND PRETTY BROAD AT THE TOP.

THEY LYNN THEMSELVES WELL TO STUFFING AND ROASTING.

ALEX: I NOTICE YOU HAVE A LOT OF WHITE FLOWERS GROWING IN BETWEEN THE PEPPERS.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

ZACH: THIS IS A FLOWER CALLED ALYSSA HIM.

--ALLYSUM.

THEY ATTRACT INSECTS THAT WILL EAT OTHERS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT A PRODUCT ON TO REMOVE PESTS.

ALEX: AND IT HELPS WITH POLLINATION.

YOU ALSO HAVE AN EDUCATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND IN AG?

ZACH: YES, THAT WAS AWESOME.

I STARTED MY FIRST TWO YEARS AT RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE.

I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE, SO WHEN I DECIDED TO STUDY PLANT SCIENCE, I WAS EXPOSED TO REAL PRODUCTION FARMING, RATHER THAN BACKYARD GARDENING.

I GOT TO MEET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY AND IT WAS A GREAT WAY FOR ME TO BE INTRODUCED TO COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE.

ALEX: THEY'VE GOT A GREAT PROGRAM THERE, IT IS NICE THAT WE HAVE THAT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD, BECAUSE THEY ALSO HELP SUPPORT WITH THEIR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, IT HELPS SUPPORT THE LOCAL FARMERS.

SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO PICK HERE?

ZACH: OUR TOMATOES ARE JUST STARTING TO COME INTO PETE PRODUCTION, SO I LOOK FOR THE DARKEST RED THAT WE HAVE -- THEY'RE COMING INTO PEAK PRODUCTION.

THIS ONE HERE.

WHILE I'M PICKING, I POP THE STEMS OFF SO THE TOMATOES DON'T POKE OTHER AND BREAK THE SKIN.

I JUST MOVE ALONG THE ROW, WHERE THERE'S MORE ORANGE ON THE FRUIT AND SOME GREEN, I LEAVE THOSE TO RIPEN ON THE PLANT A LITTLE LONGER.

BUT I TAKE ALL THE DARKEST RED THAT I SEE.

WE LIKE THE BIGGEST, BEST LOOKING ONES MOST.

THERE'S ONE BACK THERE.

♪ ♪ [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

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