It's All About The Kids

The holidays are about the kids - young and those 'with more experience'. Peddler's Son Produce employees have adopted the Childhelp charity as our charity of choice for the holidays.

Childhelp focuses on the prevention, intervention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The toys collected are used for children as they are welcomed into the facility.

Each year, as we celebrate the holiday with our annual pot luck, we collect the toys to be given to Childhelp. Of course the food is always great, but my favorite part of the celebration is the conversation that starts from toys that employees have donated. Each toy seems to bring back memories of their childhood and we get to relive the excitement and fun from Christmases long ago.

So, we want to wish all of the 'kids' this holiday season, a year of good health and happiness!

Dinner 4 Donations

A few years ago, the employees of Peddler's Son Produce chose Childhelp USA as their charity of choice. ChildHelp is dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect by focusing on prevention, intervention and treatment. Each year we collect toys at our holiday party which are used for children as they are welcomed int
o the facility.

This year, Childhelp has teamed up with RESTAURANT.COM to provide DINNER4DONATIONS. This program matches anything you give DOLLAR4DOLLAR, up to $100, to be used at your favorite restaurant and also helps support a child in need. So, when you give to Childhelp, you will receive the same amount in a gift certificate to one of the 19,000 participating restaurants – DOLLAR4DOLLAR. Visit RESTAURANT.COM to see participating restaurants in your area.

Here's how it works: If you donate $25, $50, $75 or $100 to help end child abuse by supporting Childhelp's programs, you will receive a Dining Code (within 24 hours), via email, that you can enter into the Dollar4Dollar website, where you can download your Dining Certificate for dinner in that same amount. Each restaurant has different rules so be sure to either call the restaurant or visit the respective restaurant’s website for program details. Some restaurants may require a minimum purchase, while others may not. In any case, you will receive the full amount of your dining certificate.

Want to help us stop child abuse? Donate to Childhelp Dinner4Donations or stop by the Peddler's Son Produce warehouse with a toy.

Warren Pears

Warren Pears are available until early January. This is Frog Hollow Farm's signature pear and for good reason. They are too difficult to grow for most farmers to consider so it's never caught on commercially but Farmer Al has never shied away from putting the time and effort into a fruit that tastes so good. The Warren Pear has a classic European texture, very soft and juicy with a silky sweetness that avoids the typical grittiness found in most pears. It was discovered by Thomas Oscar Warren growing naturally outside a post office in Hattiesburg, MS. Once known as the Post Office pear, it's taken on its founder name is a favorite of chefs.

Watermelon Radishes

The holidays are here and thoughts turn to food, presents and decorations. One of my favorite things about working at the warehouse is learning about all of the specialty produce that is out there.

So, let me introduce you to watermelon radishes. They're an heirloom variety of the Chinese daikon. Their crunchy, sweet taste is milder than a normal radish and even a little sweet. The fun part? The color of the inner flesh is red making it an attractive part of any appetizer tray and sandwiches.

Watermelon radishes are great sliced thinly on top of salads, and some like them pickled. I found this recipe that looks easy to make and yummy. Do you have a favorite watermelon radish recipe to share?

These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Thanksgiving Things

Thanksgiving is all about traditions, food and family. It's probably my favorite holiday so I wanted to learn what my co-workers enjoy about this time of year. So, in no particular order, here are the responses of some of our Peddler's Son team on their favorite Thanksgiving traditions:

Bob - My mom's homemade cornbread dressing!

Sheri - My favorite tradition is my mom's favorite cranberry sauce - the one from the can!

Sal - Our family flag football game.

Jordan - Watching football.

Joe - Just eating!

Paco - The turkey.

Aliza - The family dinner conversation.

Robert - Sleeping in! It's the only day of the year I can sleep in.

Hector - Getting all of the guys in the family together the night before to prepare the turkey to be deep fried. It usually includes beverages!

Scottie - Watching football.

Chris - Eating so much I can't move!

Scott - Eating.

Ted - The smell of the turkey in the oven and LEFTOVERS!

William - Watching football.

Jill - Playing football with the family and turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce and potatoes!

John - My wife is Irish so we celebrate the fact that we're half way to St. Patrick's Day! Also loading up on calories to keep us through watching ASU beat up U of A in football. (whoops!)

Tim - Someone else cooking and this year, my mom's homemade pies!

What are your favorite traditions?

The People Behind The Produce

Adam Barregarve been a part of our night crew for a year and a half and helps put together customer orders and gets them ready for our drivers to deliver. He sets the orders for Prescott and also helps his brother, Richard, fill the Tucson orders. (Joe and Ted aren't the only set of brothers we have working here at Peddler's Son!) Arizona is home to Adam and he said he enjoys the variety that the state has to offer being close to fishing and snow. He collects hats and says his favorite hat is one with a bald eagle on it that his brother bought him.

What's your favorite part of the job?

I like seeing the warehouse fill up with orders at night and then having all of the orders moved out the next morning. It's the whole process of watching things from the beginning through to the end. It's also been fun to see how much we've grown since I've been here. We've got quality product and a great crew so I think that's why we've done so well.

What is your favorite movie?

My favorite movie is Ace Ventura Pet Detective. It's a funny movie and I think it's Jim Carrey at his best.

What is your favorite music?

My favorite band is Sublime. They have a regge, funky, relaxed mix. Kind of like me. I'm a little bit of everything.

What is your favorite tv show?

I don't really watch TV, I just watch Netflix movies. Nightmare Before Christmas, is also a great movie and I try to watch that whenever I can. The soundtrack is great too. It ties in with the mood and the expressions of the characters really well.

What is your favorite food?

Pizza. Intelligent people enjoy pizza, wings and fried foods! It's the fastest way to get all of the food groups; dairy, meat, veggies and fruit.

What was your first job?
I worked at a Water & Ice store and filled bags of ice and water jugs.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? I would have dinner with my grandmother. My mom, grandmother and I used to go to dinner once a week when I was growing up. She passed away when I was 14 so I'd like to have another dinner with her again.

What do you do in your leisure time? I don't have much leisure time right now. I also work trimming palm trees and shade trees when I'm not at the warehouse so I keep pretty busy. I do like to play some video games. Fallout is my favorite game. It has a post-apocalytic and retro-futuristic setting with cars styled after models from the 1950s. I like that. Everything has a classic look.

What is your favorite quote or piece of advice you'd like to share? 'If you're waiting for something, you're not doing anything.' Adam Barregarve

That's my quote and I say it all the time. I like to stay busy.

Adam, Peddler's Son loves your hard work, energy and positive attitude! You make the warehouse a fun place to be!

The Perfect Color and Size

We already know the holidays are coming up fast. The decorations, commercials and even music have started. It's tough finding the perfect gift, especially if you're trying to find something for your customers and employees. Well, we have an answer! Check out the new fruit gift boxes we have available!

There are two gift boxes available - one ready for any occasion and one with a festive flair. They make a great alternative to traditional gifts and fundraisers for your school, organization or church. Each box contains approximately 10 pounds of fruit including:

• Red Delicious Apples
• Golden Delicious Apples
• Oranges (Arizona Grown)
• Pears

If you're interested in learning more about these gift boxes, give us a call! 602 253 3577