Covered Wash & Pack

What did you do?

We constructed a covered vegetable wash and pack facility on our produce farm. The new facility was added on to the back and side of our farm stand, which also houses our walk-in cooler and CSA pickup area. We hired a local carpenter and roofer to extend the roofline of the existing building to create a 20’x35’ covered wash area on the back of the building, and poured a concrete slab under this area as well as under a pre-existing 10'x25' side shed that now serves as our packing area. The addition is post and beam, with open sides downstairs. In addition to the first-floor wash and pack area, the addition also has an enclosed loft space where extra harvest and packing supplies like bags, pint containers, rubber bands, etc can be kept clean and dry while in storage. The covered wash and pack facility has permanent water lines, floor drainage (which flows to a concrete sediment settling tank and then out to a leach field), water-proof electric outlets and overhead lights to improve work flow and reduce safety hazards like tripping over hoses and extension cords. The area has space for racks and shelving to store harvest bins, harvest tools, our root washer and greens spinner, water totes and tables, and cleaning supplies.

Why did you do it?

We were tired of setting up a temporary wash & pack station twice a week and wanted to upgrade for efficiency of labor and improved quality of produce.

About how much did it cost?

$55,000

How did it help?

It has made harvest days (and the subsequent washing & packing of produce) so much more efficient, enjoyable, and clean. Prior to building this wash station all of our produce was washed on folding tables outside, with no protection from the elements or proper drainage. By adding this covered area our produce is kept cooler by being out of the sun and is protected from overhead contamination by birds. Having a designated space for produce washing and packing means that our harvest and storage totes have a clean place to be stored, produce is placed on racks when it comes in from the field, instead of on the ground, and we have easy access to our walk-in cooler as soon as the produce is washed and packed. Over all, this area is simply easier to keep clean and organized, which in turn leads to improved food safety. We have already received many compliments from our customers that our produce is cleaner now that we have this facility.

What are you most pleased with?

Medium-polish concrete slab allows for easy cleaning without being too slippery when wet. Gutter floor drain makes for fast drainage. Designated place for harvest tools and cleaning supplies keeps space tidy and tools accounted for and well cared for. White board for harvest list and notes makes communication among crew better. Dry space (just a small table against the white board wall) is great for planning harvest and setting coffee cups! Wide (4-5') doorways & aisles for easy entrance while holding crates and totes. Overhead light is awesome.

Any mistakes or lessons learned?

Open-air is fine for us most of the time (and was certainly cheaper), as we are primarily a summer-only farm, but the ability t wash things when it is below freezing would be nice for our Thanksgiving and Christmas CSA share. Make sure there is an easy way to completely drain water lines if your space will freeze. Make sure to slant concrete towards your drains and not leave hollows where water will pool.