With our nation celebrating Veteran's Day earlier this week on Tuesday, November 11, I thought it was the perfect time to feature the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's Homegrown By Heroes program and visit with one of the farmer-veterans enrolled in this specific Kentucky Proud program. Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer launched this program in January of 2013 and there are now over 60 Kentucky farmer-veterans enrolled, using the distinctive logo shown above which shows buyers they are purchasing Kentucky products from a Kentucky veteran.
I had the opportunity to visit with Joe Trigg and Rodney Trigg, of Trigg Enterprises, in Glasgow, Kentucky. Joe and Rodney are two of the five family members, including Eron, Christopher, and Cedric that make up the family produce business that has been in place since 1993. Trigg Enterprises has a greenhouse operation in the city limits of Glasgow and sells directly to customers at that location and also at the two farmer's markets in Glasgow.
"The greenhouse features a watering, fertigation system (water & fertilizer added through irrigation), that is all controlled by an automated system. This makes it easier because we can't always be here to water at specific times." explained Joe.
Trigg Enterprises has developed an outstanding business selling a large variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, and hydroponic lettuces and greens. They are also very successful with their strawberry operation growing everbearing varieties in plant pouches. I was lucky to sample the strawberries and they are delicious!
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| Joe Trigg, left, with Rodney Trigg in Trigg Enterprises greenhouse with broccoli being grown in buckets with onions and tomatoes, where the summer tomatoes where previously grown. The strawberry plant pouches are hanging at the upper right side of the photograph. |
It's obvious that Trigg Enterprises has been in business much longer than Homegrown By Heroes has been in place, however, the veterans are taking advantage of the program to promote and build their successful business . Joe Trigg is a 28-year veteran of the United States Air Force and Rodney Trigg is a 21-year veteran of the Navy and their service to our nation is great. An amazing way to say "Thank You" to these veterans is to support their business, or a Homegrown By Heroes business in your area.
For more information on Trigg Enterprises and their entire operation please visit the following link: http://www.triggenterprise.com/index.html
For more information on the Homegrown By Heroes program please visit the Kentucky Department of Agriculture link: http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/homegrown-by-heroes.html
Photograph property of Wanda Quiggins
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