New Wilmington Produce Auction under new ownership
Jul. 10—The New Wilmington Produce Auction is under new ownership.
Joe Miller and Amanda Houston recently sold the facility at 3238 state Route 208 just west of Route 18 to Dan Byler of New Wilmington.
"The opportunity was there and I figured I'd try it," said Byler, who like Miller is Amish.
Byler continues to hold public auctions at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and sells locally grown produce of which 80 percent is from the Amish.
He has added the opportunity for buyers to bid over the phone and delivery.
Rudy Miller, who is Amish, takes phone calls from potential produce buyers.
"Let's say someone calls in and asks for 35 pints of blueberries. He (the buyer) tells us the price (he wants to pay), and we will watch them," Byler said.
Miller then calls the buyer back with the price for the blueberries.
Delivery is $2 per mile from the auction facilities location.
"I've got a driver that does that for me," Byler said. "A lot of restaurants will be interested in that and the County Market in Grove City gets a lot of stuff like that from us."
The 2,800 Amish in Lawrence County live predominantly in the New Wilmington and Volant areas. Representing the Old Order Amish, they are very strict and have no electricity, computers or cell phones and don't drive vehicles. They can, however, use phones and ride in vehicles.
New Wilmington Produce Auction sells large and small quantities of produce. Most is sold wholesale to buyers within a 50-mile radius including Pittsburgh, Butler, Meadville and Ohio. Most buyers operate farmers' markets, roadside stands and a few restaurants.
"It's mostly wholesale buyers getting the volume price and then they are taking it to the market for retail price," said Byler, who before buying the auction worked as a carpenter.
He also sells to a few restaurants.
"I'm trying to get more local restaurants," he said.
In season right now are blueberries, raspberries, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Sweet corn is expected next week.
Byler said he hopes to get $2.50 a dozen for wholesale corn and expects that roadside stands will ask $4.75 a dozen.
"Three weeks without rain slowed the growing season, but with the recent moisture, "we are making up for it," he said.
Byler is the only full-time employee. Non-auction days are spent cleaning and preparing for the next sale. He also sells growing supplies five days a week, including boxes for those who raise and transport produce.
On auction days, Byler employs four workers and buyers like John Ruby, 80, of Austintown, Ohio, and Ed Kimbrough, 75, of New Wilmington showed up early.
"I like the ambiance and the availability reasonable priced fresh vegetables," Kimbrough said on Friday.
A retired trucker, Ruby said he also likes going to the auction for fresh vegetables.
"You can find just about anything from five-gallon buckets to firewood and 80 heads of cabbage,"he joked.
