Fresh From the Field Fridays

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, we’re talking dandelion greens, Cara Cara red navels, and those rare Chocolate Navel oranges — all showing up in stores right now. Dan also breaks down a timely AgLife Media article on California pear growers and the impact of heavy imported pear volume still in the pipeline just as fresh Lake County pears are hitting the market. And we wrap it up with a...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss dive into the biggest fresh produce and food trends of 2025 —and look ahead to what’s coming in 2026. From fresh-cut vs. bulk on the produce stand to mushrooms, berries, and the ever-growing wall of salads, we break down what’s hot, what’s changing, and what shoppers are actually buying. We also tackle the ag...

It’s a new year on Fresh-from-the-Field Fridays , and Dan the Produce Man brings you four in-season favorites. We kick things off with broccolini, also known as sweet baby broccoli, where it came from, why it goes by so many different names, and why the stems matter. With all the rain in Northern California, chanterelle mushrooms are abundant right now, and they remain a true favorite among chefs....

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Ross brings on a special guest, his daughter Alice, to share her preteen fresh produce picks. Ross also digs into some dairy-free alternatives to his traditional Czech heritage cookies, plus brand-new seasoned veggie kits made for the air fryer. They cover New Year’s Eve produce picks, from black-eyed peas and collard greens to grapes, and even tackle th...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss are talking Christmas cookie traditions, with Ross sharing family-favorite Czech recipesand why he still uses an old-school, hand-turned grinder to make walnut flour the traditional way. That technique also opens the door to gluten-free and dairy-free holiday cookie options. On the table this week: Oro Blanco...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Chef Jeffrey Schlissel joins us with smart, time-saving prep tips to make your holiday cooking a whole lot easier. We get into what you can prep ahead so you’re not slammed on the big day, the latest trends in the restaurant and food-service world, and a heads-up about ingredients in fresh-prepped foods. Chef Jeffrey brings the heat with practical advice...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays: Ross is on the East Coast at the New York Produce Show, and Dan is in Monterey at the Organic Grower Summit. We kick things off with the latest on the strawberry situation, then roll right into our picks of the week: crisp Iceberg lettuce, sweet Ambrosia apples, classic Rome Beauties, those gorgeous red Dianju pears, and creamy Bacon avocados. And believe...

This week on Fresh From the Field Fridays , it’s Black Friday , folks — and Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man are diving into the world of online produce shopping . Do you buy produce online? Who do you trust? And what’s your experience been? We get into all of it — the good, the bad, and the “why did they ship me that ?” Plus… it’s chestnut season. We talk fresh chestnuts , a little c...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan The Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss welcome Chef Eric Meisel — culinary produce specialist and all-around kitchen wizard. We’re diving into everything Thanksgiving… brining tips, roasted veggie magic, the right fruits to brighten your table, and even some fun drinks to bring a little extra groove to your holiday spread. It’s all right here on F...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man dig into some seasonal gems—fresh Florida citrus, Honey Nut squash, and a few more late-fall goodies hitting produce departments right now. Then the duo welcomes Dustin Robison from Harvest Central , a sweet potato grower out of Livingston, California. Dustin breaks down sweet potatoes the way only a farmer c...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss dive into some killer seasonal gems — Arkansas Black apples, miniature mangoes, Koginut squash, Fuyu persimmons — plus other surprises straight from the field. We also drop a few simple tips to help you prep for the big holiday coming up this month. Fresh, fun, seasonal! It’s all right here on Fresh from the F...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man — we’re getting spooky with produce. Halloween goodies, healthy swaps, and yes… even some candied fruit for the sweet tooth crowd. Ross breaks out a killer lineup of creative Halloween fruit boards and charcuterie-style displays — perfect for parties or keeping the kids off the sugar crash. We also touch o...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , there’s an exciting new pineapple in town — and boy oh boy, it’s smashingly incredible! 🍍 It’s the Colada Royale from Dole Fruit Company , and we’ve got the exclusive interview with Dr. Roberto Young , the developer behind this outstanding new pineapple. This one’s a real winner, folks! We also catch up with Bill Goldberg from Dole Fruit Company for mor...

This Week on Fresh from the Field Fridays! With Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss Ross breaks down some Blackstone cooking and cleaning tips that’ll make your next backyard session a breeze, while Dan takes us back to pumpkin season memories at Dan’s Fresh Produce - kids’ field trips, big smiles, and a few pumpkin-handling tips for shoppers too (keep those pretty stems intact!). We’ve...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays: Ross the Produce Boss is flying solo while Dan is visiting the Bay Area terminal produce markets. Ross is live from Indianapolis, Indiana , where he describes his visit to Tuttle Orchards in Greenfield —sampling some fantastic cider, Pixie Crunch apples , and Ludacrisp apples with an absolutely majestic crunch! He also digs into apple cider donuts , check...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays! Ross the Produce Boss is fresh back from Idaho with an inside look at the onion harvest—how they’re sorted, sized, packed, and stored for the season. We’ve both got garden updates: in Dan’s backyard, the Bosc pear tree is loaded with beautiful golden-russet fruit. We’ll also share how to tell the difference between when Bartlett-type pears and variety pea...

It’s the first Friday of fall, and Ross “The Produce Boss” and Dan “The Produce Man” are reminiscing about their retail display days — back when fall produce departments came alive with vibrant displays of pumpkins, gourds, apples, and squashes. Dan shares an important tip: when buying pumpkins, never pick them up by the stem — the weight of the pumpkin can snap it right off! Ross dives into a swe...

This Week on Fresh from the Field Fridays Ross “The Produce Boss” Nelson and Dan “The Produce Man” Avakian share their top picks of the week! Ross dives into Moon Cherries , Baby Nibble Spuds cooked up on his Blackstone, and talks trends with vegetable consumption down and fruit consumption up . He also introduces his favorite new salad mix from Dole and explains why he’s still stashing berries in...

This week on  Fresh From the Field Fridays , host Ross Nelson is joined by special co-host Patrick Kelly while on the road in Charlotte, NC! Together, they dig into what’s fresh from the fields and landing in your grocery stores right now. The conversation also explores rising consumer trends, with a spotlight on millennial purchase power, and wraps up with some key takeaways on how shoppers...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss share some of their top picks of the week. They’re joined byaward-winning organic retail consultant, educator, and advocate, and the owner of Organic Options Mark Mulcahy . Mark brings the latest on what’s tasting great right now — like dry-farmed early-grown tomatoes and even dry-farmed variety melons grown...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, we’re going ape for grapes! Ross “The Produce Boss” Nelson and Dan “The Produce Man” Avakian welcome Jim Beagle from Grapery . Jim shares his journey from working the fields at age five with his dad to becoming CEO of Grapery—still walking the rows every day with his crew. You’ll hear how rich dialogue with consumers keeps Grapery in tune with shopper exp...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss are joined by Farmer Lee Jones from The Chef's Garden in Huron, Ohio. Farmer Lee digs deep into regenerative agriculture —feeding the soil, respecting its biology, and restoring nutrients to our food. He explains how vegetables grown a century ago carried up to 80% more nutrients than they do today, but now w...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays , Anthony Totta from FreshXperts joins us. FreshXperts is a powerhouse team of produce industry consultants, advisors, and mentors. Anthony walks us through the group’s broad spectrum of expertise—everything from retail-level merchandising, product handling, and worker training, all the way back through the supply chain. That includes warehousing, ERP soft...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media— Ross the Produce Boss and Dan the Produce Man are joined by Dick Peixoto , founder and proprietor of Lakeside Organic Gardens . You’ve seen the Lakeside Organic Gardens label on organic veggies all across America, from grocery stores to foodservice distributors. Hear how Dick went from being the son of a...

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays from The Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media—Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss are live in Monterey at the IFPA Foodservice Summit! Ross is just back from Europe with great photos and stories from produce markets abroad. Dan’s got summer treats like Angelcots, Japanese honeydew, and more, plus the latest from this year’s IFPA Food Show. I...