Lopata Gardens
Winthrop, Iowa
Al Lopata, his daughters and other employees farm Lopata Gardens in Northeast Iowa. The operation consists of 400 acres, all for vegetables. His land is bordered by the Wapsi River, providing a fertile growing area with light, sandy loam soil. This soil is ideal for cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer and fall squash, peppers, eggplant, and fall seasonal items.
Al has been farming all of his life. From an early age, he and his brother helped their father with the planting, growing, harvesting & distribution of the crops, to both small markets and produce stands. Al has carried on the family business and is continually expanding the farming operation. His Iowa-grown produce can be found in area grocery stores, restaurants and is distributed by Loffredo Fresh Produce. While the scale of the farm is much larger than in his father’s day, all of the crops are still harvested by hand.
In order to harvest fresh crops throughout the entire Iowa growing season, Al staggers planting approximately every two weeks. This is one of the steps taken to insure peak freshness of the vegetables. Also, he does not warehouse any of his produce, preferring to take an order, harvest & ship the produce within hours. A semi-trailer of cabbage can be hand picked, loaded and ready for transport in four hours.
Al’s favorite part of owning and operating his farm is during harvest season. He says it is rewarding to see the vegetables that Lopata Gardens employees work so grow and take care of coming out of the fields. He says it gives him a sense of accomplishment and is proud to be able to provide local produce to his customers.
