Pete’s Greens moves into town

The signs are up, the shelves are full of fresh produce and the doors are wide open as Pete’s Greens grows into business in Waterbury this week.

The well-known four-season organic vegetable farm, based in Craftsbury, has opened Pete’s Farm Stand in the red building at 2802 Waterbury-Stowe Road, just north of the Cabot Cheese Annex.

Tim Fishburne, Pete’s wholesale sales manager, said Monday in a telephone interview that the new spot will offer all-organic produce, plus a selection of specialty items.

“We’re going to completely fill the space with locally produced items. We’ll have some fresh breads, cheeses, syrups and other various things,” Fishburne said, as he was preparing to deliver the first fresh produce to the Waterbury location.

He said both cleanup and setup work started just last weekend to get the building ready for businesses. The building is the former home of the Vermont Clay Studio, a floral and gift shop, and a thrift store run by the Stowe Education Fund; it was also once eyed for a medical marijuana dispensary.

The store opened Tuesday, but Fishburne said the hours of operation haven’t been set yet — nor has a decision been made on just how long Pete’s will do business in Waterbury.

Fishburne said the farm stand is operating on a four-month trial lease, but that could be extended well into the future if business warrants it.

“We want the stand to succeed and, as long as it’s successful, it will stay open. ... Our goal is to really be here long-term,” he said.

Pete’s has had its eyes on Waterbury “for years, but we just couldn’t pinpoint an ideal location,” Fishburne said.

Finally, it settled on the Route 100 building, with a steady flow of local and out-of-town traffic flowing by.

“We just decided we’re going for it,” Fishburne said.

The expansion into the Waterbury-Stowe area makes sense, as residents and visitors are as eager as anyone to buy local — a mantra recited regularly since Pete Johnson started the farm in 1995.

“We believe wholeheartedly that, as more Vermonters eat locally, we will become healthier as communities and as individuals,” the company’s website says in describing its business goals. “Foods grown locally and in-season are also more nutritious, taste better, and eating them connects us to our place and to our present time of year.”

Fishburne said this summer’s harvest has been extremely good so far, another reason Pete’s was looking for more outlets for its produce.

The Waterbury location will be a scaled-down version of the Pete’s Greens Farm Stand in Craftsbury.

May through October, the Craftsbury stand usually boasts a bountiful selection of organic produce, localvore products such as eggs, breads, honey and cheeses, and a Pete’s selection of pastured meats.

At the peak of the summer season, the stand may offer more than 100 varieties of veggies of all shapes, sizes and colors.

Pete’s also takes its show on the road, and has participated in the Capital City Farmers Market in Montpelier since 2002.

But the truck doesn’t stop there.

Pete’s also runs the Good Eats Community Supported Agriculture food-delivery program, where people can sign up for one of six types of food shares — from veggies only to a selection of organic produce and locally produced items such as breads and cheeses.

The share program is already available in Waterbury, with deliveries every Wednesday to the White Meeting House at the Congregational Church at 8 N. Main St. from 4:30 to 8 p.m.

“We’re definitely excited about being a part of Waterbury, and having the support of people is a really positive thing,” Fishburne said. “In our typical fashion, we’re just going to go for it. We’re definitely stoked. This is just an outlet for all this amazing food that we produce and, with traffic flow, it’s a natural spot that offers us a lot of potential.”

Information: petesgreens.com.