FARMER JOHN'S BERRY PAC'N SHED

HAULING BERRIES TO THE PAC'N SHED

The lugs full of berries, each weighing from 15-20 lbs. of berries are stacked onto wooden pallets, usually oak construction.  They are stacked 40 lugs to the pallet.  A pallet weighs about 600-900 lbs. worth of unpacked berries direct from the field.  Trailers or refrigerated trucks are used to haul the berries to the "pac'n shed".  Loads range from about 4,000 to over 20,000 lbs. per trip to the shed.  Depending on the size of the delivery vehicle.
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Berries are then GRADED and setup for FRESH packing or for FROZEN market (called processing or processed berries) and/or JUICE grades...as distinguished from fresh packaged berries, sometimes shipped direct to your friendly food outlet chains.  Or, sometimes shipped to wholesalers, who then ship to food outlets (retail outlets).
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HOW DO DEM BERRIES GET IN DEM PACKAGES

LET'S LOOK AT A MODERN FACILITY LIKE "FARMER JOHN"

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Berries are weighed in on electronic scales to determine gross and tare weights.  Then the race is one...ya gotta keep dem berries cool, graded, sorted, selected and packaged as quickly as possible to maintain market fresh berries to your food table.

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Farmer John's modern, microcomputer controlled and assisted re-packaging equipment is shown below.  The room is kept at a nice 40 deg. F when it may be 100 deg F outside...a nice differential when going from the farmers field to the re-pack room.
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9,000,000 LBS. OF BERRIES PER YEAR & GROWING

YUMMY FRESH BERRIES RIGHT TO YOUR WHEATIES TABLE!

Into dem packages and down to dee market we go:  from there it's up to you to get 'em to your table, open your mouth wide and let dem boogers chomp right on down.  AND THAT'S THE STORY ON HOW THOSE BERRIES GET TO YOUR BREAKFAST TABLE TO EAT 'EM WITH YOUR WHEATIES!

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NOTE:   If your berry package has a DOLE label on it....you may be eating some

                         of farmer BOB'S berries.

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"IF YOU LIKE YOUR BERRIES YOU CAN KEEP THEM, IF YOU LIKE YOUR BERRIES YOU CAN EAT THEM...AFTER THAT THANK GOD FOR YOUR BERRIES, AND THEN FOR THE FARMER THAT GREW 'EM."

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DISCLAIMER:    THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT GROW THESE BLUEBERRIES....THE GOOD  

                       LORD HELPED ME AND I GREW 'EM!