Our Produce

Our farm produces mainly Green Bell Pepper, but we also grow some varieties of Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Pepper. Almost all varieties of Bell Pepper start off as green, the colored Peppers that we eat are just Peppers that were allowed to ripen fully and have changed to their natural color.  Each variety will change to a specific color, red being the most common.  As Bell Peppers change color they also get sweeter.  Bell Pepper is the only member of the Pepper family that does not produce capsaicin (the chemical that makes Peppers spicy), that is why we refer to them as Sweet Peppers.  Bell Pepper is a good source of Fiber, and a great source of Vitamin C.  Did you know a cup of chopped Pepper contains about 2-3 times more Vitamin C than an Orange.

Eggplant is an oval shaped vegetable that is Purple-Black in color.  The word "Eggplant" used in North America comes from a small white variety that was popular in India when the British colonized.  It is eaten in many different types of cuisine, but should always be eaten cooked.  Eggplant is spongy, and as a result is is great at absorbing flavors when its cooked.  This makes it very versatile in the kitchen, and a healthy low-calorie replacement for many high-calorie ingredients. The skin is a good source of dietary Fiber, and it is also high in Vitamin B6, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Folate.  Eggplant also has very high levels of antioxidants that help your body fight disease; it may also help with heart disease, controlling blood sugar, and fighting cancer.  It can also help with and promote weight loss.

Little River Produce specializes in growing Pole-Grown Cucumbers to provide our customers with the best quality cucumbers. Cucumbers are a staple in many diets and are rich in vitamins and minerals.  Cucumbers contain Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.  They are one of natures multivitamins.  Interestingly, cucumbers are comprised of about 96% water, this gives them the highest water content of any food.  The high water content makes Cucumbers a great way to help with dehydration.  Aside from the many health benefits internally; Cucumbers are are great way to help ease pain from sunburns and helps inflammation, like puffiness around your eyes.

Summer Squash comes in several varieties and colors.  At our farm we grow Straight-neck "Yellow" Squash and Zucchini "Green" Squash.  Summer squash can be cooked in an assortment of ways like being grilled, baked, boiled, sautéed, steamed, or used in a stir-fry.  Most of the nutritional value is found in the skin and seeds.  Summer squashes are excellent source of Manganese, Copper, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, and Fiber.  They also contain large amount of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.  They help with preventing heart disease, controlling blood sugar levels for diabetes, and digestive health. 

Specialty Peppers are a mixture of sweet and/or hot peppers.  Chili Peppers contain varying amounts of capsaicin, the higher the amount the hotter the Pepper.  Peppers that do not contain capsaicin are considered "sweet" Peppers.  We grow Shishito, Long Hot, Poblano, Hunky, Red Fresno, Jalapeno, and Serrano Peppers (in order from mildest to hottest).  We also grow "Mini Sweet" Sweet Peppers.  Studies have shown that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic, and anti-diabetic properties. It is also found to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in overweight persons.

At Little River we grow both Round "Slicer" Tomatoes and Roma Tomatoes.  We pick and pack vine-ripened tomatoes.  Tomatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat.  Americans obtain more vitamins from tomatoes than from any other vegetable.  Tomatoes have powerful medicinal properties.  It can lower the risk of cancer, prevents cardiovascular diseases, purifies cigarette smoke carcinogens, full of minerals and vitamins, lowers hypertension, regulates blood levels, dissolves gallstones, reduces severity of blood clots, treats inflammation, and more.

Cabbage is one of the first known cultivated vegetables, is has been around for almost 6,000 years.  We are currently only growing Green Cabbage.  Cabbage can be cooked and eaten in a variety of way.  It can be used raw to make a salad, fermented to make sauerkraut, or cooked for soups and stir-fries.  Cabbage is high in dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin A, Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Iron which help keep the digestive tract and colon in a healthy condition.  Also, eating cruciferous veggies like cabbage has been scientifically proven to lower your risk of developing cancer.  It also has a high sulfur content which translates into keratin production which promotes healthier hair, skin and nails and results in feeling good inside and out.

Our farm is currently growing 2 different kinds of sweet corn; Yellow and Bi-Color.  Sweet corn can be cooked in several different ways, and enjoyed in a variety of cuisines.  Sweet corn only accounts for about 1% of the corn production in the United States.  The average ear of corn has about 800 kernels, and corn always has an even number of rows usually averaging 16.  Corn is cholesterol free and it is a good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A, Potassium, Thiamine and Fiber, and very high in Antioxidants.

Pickling Cucumbers are really just small Cucumbers.  They can be eaten raw or cooked in the exact same ways you would normally eat any Cucumber.  The smaller size makes them more suitable to fit into containers so they can be pickled.  Pickling Cucumbers has been going on for over 4,000 years, with some of the earliest known pickled Cucumbers happening in India with the gherkin pickle.  Pickles have been a staple in most cultures (especially Asia and Europe) for many centuries because of the ability of store them for long periods of time without spoilage.  Pickling Cucumbers have similar nutritional value to regular Cucumbers before they are pickled.