Annette Carpenter of Preston Berry Farms uses a high tunnel hoop house to grown thornless raspberries that produce large berries.
by Chris Wood and Candy Moore, Idaho Farm Service Agency
Sweet goodness from field to family is the motto of Annette Padilla Carpenter, owner of Preston Berry Farms. She and her husband Stan grow more than 5,000 bushes of newly developed thornless raspberry bushes that produce large fruit.
"Last year, I sold all the berries we grew and could have sold more, if I had them,” Stan said.
The Carpenters first came to the Idaho Farm Service Agency with a business plan to develop the berry by using high tunnel hoop houses that resemble a greenhouse without any electronic climate controls. The sides of the tunnels can be rolled up to regulate the temperature.
“The raspberries with tunnels over them are about two feet higher than ones that are grown in the open,” Carpenter said. The Carpenters were the first to introduce high tunnel production of juicy red raspberries in southeastern Idaho and folks are coming from all over to take a look and buy the various products offered at the farm, including their raspberry jam, seedless raspberry jam and raspberry syrup drizzle.
The Carpenters obtained several FSA loans through Stacey Moyles, farm loan officer in Preston, Idaho before graduating to commercial credit. They keep in touch with Stacey and in a recent email stated, "We are working hard and learning as we go. We miss seeing you Stacey. Hope all is well with you and yours."
Preston Berry Farms’ website says it best: “The sweet, healthy raspberry plants are nestled in prime, rich Idaho soil, like a love affair. Their compatibility is romanced with Italian Honey Bees during the day and Idaho’s cool mountain air at night, producing a succulent berry you will want to taste over and over again.”
This year the Carpenters added three additional farmer's markets to the list of places that sell their products.
