Page 14
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 16, 2008
April 11 Second Friday
Art Walk photos by Illinois
Valley News. Art Walk is a
project of Illinois River
Valley Arts Council. Co-
sponsors are Evergreen
Federal Bank, Home Val-
ley Bank, Jefferson State
Financial Group and Luz
Moore.
Donna Pernicka with produce. (Photo by Michelle Binker, Illinois Valley. News)
‘Produce +’ promises quality, value
(Clockwise from
left) Diane McManus
at Book Exchange &
Tea Cozy with author
and retired judge
Laurence Cushing
with his book, Bitter-
sweet Canyon; Mar-
sha Nilles and John
Stiwinter at An Artist’s
Way; Kris Pindar at
Amazon Queen Bou-
tique; and Bernie Pi-
nard with her quilts at
Curves.
Down & dirty soil amendments main
product of The Good Earth Organics
Phoenix Organic recently made a special
delivery of certified compost, approved by the
Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
for organic crop production.
Customers including the president of Illi-
nois Valley Garden Club; and a truck with a
Harmony Gardens logo loaded up with black
gold at The Good Earth Organics, said Roy and
Barbara Leon.
They opened The Good Earth Organics on
Airport Drive in rural Cave Junction as a new
business in March because “there seemed to be
a need for organic gardening products.”
While living in Jacksonville, the Leons
realized that everyone they liked and bonded
with lived in Illinois Valley. Three years ago,
they decided to relocate, and now own and
operate A-1 Affordable Backhoe services.
When friends admired their garden they
were told, “It’s the soil -- you like to have a
fluffy bed to lay on, why wouldn’t your plants
want to?”
Roy is used to the clay in the area and can
give suggestions on ways to build up soil.
“Adding compost and organic fertilizers
should take care of most problems” he advises.
Choose custom blends, such as adding
pumice, similar to perlite, a natural rock that
breaks up clay soil and retains water, he said,
and added:
Amend and enhance soil with products
such as bat guano, bone or feather meal. Liq-
uid fish fertilizer does wonders for tomatoes.
Greensand is an excellent soil conditioner that
adds structure to sandy soils and loosens clay.
Compost, chicken manure, feather & bone
meal are recommended for container and
raised beds.
All the preceding products, plus all-
purpose fertilizer, potting soil, glacial rock
dust, rock phosphate, chicken manure and
“People just love it -- they’re buying bags
of fruit and vegetables, walking out with big
smiles and big savings,” according to Donna
Pernicka, customer service representative at
Produce +.
It’s a new business at 115 S. Redwood
Hwy. in Downtown Cave Junction, across
from the 76 station.
The Pernickas moved to Cave Junction
from Happy Camp 13 years ago, and have
been in business for 10. Early in April, they
branched out and started Produce +. Donna’s
husband, Michael, directs quality control; their
son, Michael, is produce manager; and his
brother, Drake, is company salesman.
“Oregon has been good to us; it was the
best move ever,” said Donna. “Now we can
help our community by buying local and selling
for local prices, making it affordable so people
can eat better. We all need to eat a lot better.
“We stand behind our products, we be-
lieve in customer satisfaction and service, and
we’re glad to take special requests. We are
trying for mostly organic, right now we have a
mix.”
Produce + has submitted its application to
accept Oregon Trail food stamp cards. Once
that is complete, the business plans to apply to
the WIC program to process vouchers for pro-
duce.
The family goal is for anyone producing
healthy food to come in on Saturdays, and pay
$10 to set up and sell all day long in front of
the store.
Farmers markets will be held every Satur-
day, not just seasonally or once a month, the
family said. During the winter, Produce + will
move inside and be open year-round. For ex-
ample, organic eggs are needed, with one pos-
sible vendor in May.
“Whoever has it now, bring it now,” said
Donna. “This is a way for local growers to
make a little extra to get through.”
This week Produce + is offering a free
cucumber to new customers. Prices on any
fruit or vegetable starting to go bad are re-
duced.
Said Donna, “I would rather put a pepper
on sale for 25-cents so someone can use it,
and not have it go to waste. Our prices will be
as cheap as possible.”
Currently the building used is divided,
with one side Produce +, and Puff ‘n’ Stuff
separated into the other side of the store.
A “blowout” sale on dresses ($18 to
$22.50) is making room for produce. Tie-dye
clothing and gift items also are available.
Current produce sales include jumbo yel-
low onions at 25-cents a pound, cauliflower
$1.68 head, and organic bananas 99-cents a
pound. Granny Smith and organic Fuji apples
are 65-cents each.
Produce + labels identify each grower.
Those with double green ++ mean double
savings.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are
delivery days for all fresh produce; organic is
delivered on Fridays only.
“Last week we had organic Swiss chard; it
was so good and it went so fast that I know
local growers will do well at Produce + all
year-round,” said Donna.
Current hours are Mondays through Fri-
days from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. until summer,
when 8 p.m. will be closing time. Sunday hours
are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Phone 592-5473 for special requests.
~Zina Booth
Delays likely
due to bridge
work near GP
Roy Leon (Photos by Zina Booth, IVN)
worm castings are now available at The Good
Earth Organics.
Leon makes deliveries up to 6 yards in his
truck, and can arrange for larger deliveries.
Delivery charges vary depending on location
within Illinois Valley.
Customers can save more by bringing
their own vehicle, and custom blends can be
mixed by using the truck and a backhoe.
“As far as loading compost or pumice or
custom blends,” said Roy, “the following ap-
plies: Saturday is our scheduled loading day,
but if someone can’t make it on Saturday or
for very large orders they should contact us at
592-4496, 840-9352, or 415-
2975 to make special arrange-
ments.”
Regular business hours
are Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
and Saturdays 9-5.
The Good Earth Organic
is located at 30088 Redwood
Hwy, 4 miles south of Cave
Junction. Turn on Airport
Drive and go to the first build-
ing on the left side of the road:
“Look for signs.”
~Zina Booth
Construction was to be-
gin Monday, April 14 to
replace three aging bridges on
Interstate 5 in and around
Grants Pass, said ODOT.
Construction crews will
minimize traffic effects where
possible night-time ramp clo-
sures with delays of up to 20
minutes will be occasionally
needed, ODOT said.
Construction crews will
occasionally restrict access to
the portion of Merlin Road
that runs underneath I-5.
Flaggers are to limit delays to
no more than 20 minutes dur-
ing certain construction ac-
tivities such as demolition of
the old bridges and placement
of the roadway deck.
During the final stage of
work, construction crews will
lower Merlin Road to create a
vertical clearance to accom-
modate tall trucks. During the
excavation work, workers
will restrict Merlin Road to
alternating one-way traffic for
a period of up to 60 days.
Flaggers will direct
traffic on the shared roadway.
Nighttime work will oc-
casionally restrict access to
the northbound exit 55 ramp
while workers move large
equipment and during con-
struction of framework to
support the new bridge. Flag-
gers will control access to the
I-5 northbound ramp from 8
p.m. to 5 a.m.
Delays may last up to 20
minutes at a time. Message
boards will direct northbound
motorists to use exit 58 for
Grants Pass during ramp clo-
sures.
illinois-valley-news.com
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by Rough & Ready
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Mondays - Fridays, 9 - 5, Saturdays 10 - 2
592-2413