Market Gardens Department

The Market Garden Story

"So what is the plan for today?", this is the question asked by an eager student ready to get started in the MG (Market Garden) department, the reply comes from the work supervisor, "we will get every number one carrot we can today, this is very important.” Prayer is first on the list of things to do, once that is completed then each student is assigned their area, then off we go.
The process is very simple, but yet involved. You see it takes everyone doing their part well for the whole operation to work; it is a team effort that produces great results. Well how does it all work and where did it begin? Several months before we get into the carrot barn, seeds were planted into well cultivated and fertile soil. This process is done by a tractor drawn seeder, this job looks like fun but all those involved really need to pay attention. If not you could miss the whole field or put out too much seeds. After months of a lot of tender loving care (constant weeding) plus a lot of water, our seeds have now become fully grown plants, ready for harvest.
The harvesting is quite the operation; again this is done by a tractor drawn harvester, accompanied by another tractor pulling a trailer with storage bins. This part of the operation really demands paying attention to details.
Once the harvesting is completed large storage bins are used to keep the carrots until time for processing, where they are kept in large coolers at just above freezing.
So, here we are again back at the carrot barn, we just finished prayer all the student are assigned their positions, what’s next? Well do you remember those storage bins? We bring those out of the coolers dump the carrots into a washer and get to work.
The first part of the processing equipment is a barrel washer then a long conveyor belt. In the first part of the processing the workers scan the belt for those coveted number one carrots, it is the ideal to package as many of these as possible, these carrots are also called table carrots. Next the belt is scanned for number two’s or more commonly called juice carrots. Last of all we have what we call number three’s or juice pieces.
This part of the operation requires several individuals, let’s see, we need a pusher; responsible for getting the carrots into the washer, then we need about four eager individuals looking for those coveted number one’s, then at least two individuals looking for two’s and the same for three’s. Let’s not forget our bagger (person responsible for getting carrots from scales) and a person stacking large bags of carrots for shipment. So you see it takes about twelve individual to be productive. At the end of the day you walk away tired but yet, fulfilled in the fact that you were part of a team, that you were productive, that your small part made a big difference. This was just a quick journey through the different fazes of the Market Garden. Let us continue to do our small part and make a big difference.