On a Mission
Brian Corollo of MK Fruits & Veggies
Brian Carollo has always liked gardening and being outside. “Starting from seed and watching it grow, there’s satisfaction in that,” says Carollo. He had helped farmers in the past and realized he could make a living from farming. He leased 50 acres of land from his in-laws. When first starting their farm, Carollo and his wife were expecting twin girls, Makena and Kallie. They chose to name their business MK Fruits and Veggies in honor of their girls. Today, Carollo still has that lease as he continues his third year growing.
Brian decided to sell at farmers’ markets instead of wholesale. One strong factor in that choice was the customer. He likes dealing directly with the person consuming his food. Carollo is always up for questions and conversation regarding his products. Brian describes the mission of MK Fruits and Veggies: “My goal is to supply you with fresh, locally grown produce that is both good for you and the environment.” As a father of two, this mission is especially important to him.
MK Fruits and Veggies hopes to become organic in the future, but Carollo admits that maintaining an organic farm can be quite a challenge. ”Everyone wants produce to look good without the use of chemicals.” Carollo says he tries not to spray chemicals, but occasionally has the need. Insects are hard to manage and will cause severe crop damage given the chance. MK Fruits and Veggies does employ the use of high tunnels and unheated greenhouses to help with insect prevention and to protect delicate crops from bad weather. “High tunnels allow you to control Mother Nature,” says Carollo. He plans to build more in the future.
Carollo continues to grow the staple produce that market customers tend to want. He has been focusing on vegetables more than fruit lately, but he would like to try growing a little bit of everything. As MK Fruits and Veggies experiments with growing new products, Brian determines what crops to sell at the market.
For Carollo, the biggest challenge is simply getting everything done. “There just aren’t enough hours in the day,” said Carollo. Weeds and insect control are both high maintenance, but Carollo and his family definitely enjoys the fruits of his labor.
- Article by Megan Favignano. Photo by Dave Sanders.