Gajeski Produce

Riverhead, NY
Fruits & Vegetables

Brian Gajeski who owns and runs the 125 acre Gajeski Produce Farm in Riverhead, NY, greets the day at 4:15 a.m. in order to load up his truck with produce, make the two hour drive down to the city and sell at farmers markets every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

"It's a challenge," says Brian whose produce is for sale at eight different farmers markets every week. "We have a lot of stuff and we take two or three crates of everything."

Brian knows his farm well; it's where he was raised and it has been in his family for about 90 years. He left just long enough to get his bachelors in Plant Science from SUNY Cobleskill, a degree he has found very useful. Brian employs innovative agricultural practices like companion planting, a technique where plants are strategically placed according to the natural substances in their roots that either attract or repel insects. This keeps pesticide use to a minimum and saves the farm money.

Brian's father, mother and grandfather still help out and live on the farm and his aunt Elaine runs the Gajeski Produce stand at Hunts Point Farmers Market in the Bronx.

Even when things slow down in the winter months, there is still work to be done according to Brian, who also sells at several indoor winter markets with his family's help. "We do a lot of repairs and greenhouse work." But when December rolls around the Gajeski's takes a much needed vacation. "My day off is December," he says. "We go someplace warm like Florida."