Kutztown Produce Auction Inc

Kutztown Produce Auction Inc is a wholesale produce auction located at 209 Oak Haven Rd in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, in the farm country of northern Berks County between Kutztown and Fleetwood. The business operates as a marketplace rather than a store: local growers bring their crops, plants and other goods to the sale barn, and buyers bid on them in open outcry auctions conducted by professional auctioneers. Lots move quickly, sold by the box, flat, crate, pallet or bin, and the auction handles the clerking, settlement and payment so that farmers can return to their fields and buyers can load and go.

Produce auctions of this kind grew out of the Plain farming communities of Pennsylvania and have become an important piece of the state's agricultural infrastructure. They give small and midsize growers, many of whom farm only a few acres of vegetables, berries or bedding plants, access to a competitive wholesale market without having to find individual customers, negotiate contracts or run their own delivery routes. In return, buyers get a single location where many farms' harvests arrive on the same morning, often picked the day before or that same day.

How the Auction Works

Buyers who want to bid register at the office when they arrive and receive a bidder number, which is used to track purchases through the sale and to settle up at checkout. The auction floor is organized so that lots are presented in sequence and the auctioneer moves steadily down the rows. Buyers follow along, inspect what is coming up, and bid on the quantities they want. After the sale, purchases are paid for at the office and buyers load their own vehicles. Because of this format, it helps to arrive with a truck, trailer or van sized for what you plan to buy, along with your own straps, totes or pallets if you are taking home a large volume.

Anyone can attend and watch, and many first-time visitors come simply to see how a working agricultural auction operates. Lot sizes are geared to wholesale quantities, so this is not a farmers market where single tomatoes or a half dozen ears of corn are sold. Buyers who are new to the process often find it useful to come early, walk the floor before bidding opens, and get a sense of what is on hand and how the lots are grouped.

What Comes Up for Sale

The inventory changes with the growing season and with what area farms have ready. Over the course of a year, goods crossing the block can include:

• Field and garden vegetables such as sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, beans, cabbage, potatoes and root crops
• Soft fruit and tree fruit in season, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches and apples
• Bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, cut flowers and potted flowering plants in the spring
• Fall crops including pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks, straw bales, mums and seasonal decorative items
• Greenhouse produce and specialty items brought in by individual growers
• Eggs and other farm goods
• Small livestock and poultry at designated sales
• Consignment items such as farm equipment, tools, garden supplies, furnishings and household goods at scheduled consignment auctions

Each grower is identified by a number, and regular buyers often learn which farms consistently supply the quality or variety they are after. Produce is typically graded and packed by the grower, and buyers can inspect lots before bidding.

Who Buys Here

The buyer base is broad. Roadside stand operators, farm market owners, independent grocers, restaurant and food service buyers, greenhouse retailers, landscapers, food trucks, canners and churches or civic groups organizing large events all purchase at produce auctions. Home gardeners and families buying in bulk for freezing, canning or putting up jam also attend, particularly during the peak of berry and tomato season. Because lots are sold in wholesale quantities, buyers sometimes split large purchases with friends or neighbors.

Location and Getting There

The auction sits on Oak Haven Road in Fleetwood, surrounded by the working farms that supply it. The area is reached by way of the Route 222 and Route 662 corridors north of Reading, placing the site within reasonable driving distance of Kutztown, Fleetwood, Topton, Blandon, Maxatawny, Lyons, Hamburg, Reading and the broader Lehigh Valley. Parking is on site and is laid out to accommodate pickups, trailers and box trucks as well as passenger vehicles. Note that the business does not provide delivery, so all purchases are picked up by the buyer at the time of the sale.

Practical Information for Visitors

Credit cards and debit cards are accepted, and restrooms are available on the property. The entrance, parking area and restroom are wheelchair accessible. A food stand on site serves breakfast items and snacks, which is a practical convenience given how early produce auctions typically begin.

Sale days and start times shift with the season, since the schedule follows the harvest rather than a fixed year round calendar. Spring plant sales, summer produce sales, fall pumpkin and mum sales, and special consignment or small animal sales each run on their own schedule. Because of this, the most reliable way to confirm sale days, start times and what is expected to be offered is to call the auction directly at +1 610-683-7161 before making the trip.

Visitors should dress for the weather and for a working agricultural setting. Much of the activity takes place in and around open sale barns and loading areas, and footing can be uneven or damp after rain. Closed shoes, layers and a willingness to move with the auction as it progresses all make for a smoother visit.

Contact

Kutztown Produce Auction Inc is located at 209 Oak Haven Rd, Fleetwood, PA 19522. For questions about sale schedules, consignment, buyer registration or what is currently coming in from area farms, call +1 610-683-7161.