No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazines
  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • ADVERTISE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • PURCHASE A COPY
  • DIGITAL ISSUES
  • EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
  • CONTACT US
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Pivot: Wish Farms

Wish Farms donates fresh berries to those in need during the pandemic

by McKenna Kelley
June 22, 2020
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

While many businesses that depend on people gathering saw their doors close in the days leading up to widespread stay-at-home orders, farms that supply grocery stores saw the complete opposite impact. Nick Wishnatzki says his family’s Wish Farms in Plant City, one of the region’s berry growers, saw a huge spike in demand as people flocked to grocery stores, stocking up on anything they could get their hands on. The pandemic hit in the middle of strawberry season, so supply was high, but Wish Farms still had to go to work to meet the demand.

“For a good week or two, we saw a giant increase in demand, and it was hard for us to keep up with it. Our team was working overtime to try and supply all of our retail partners,” Wishnatzki explains.

Then, as people began to settle in at home, demand dropped off a cliff.

“All these folks went to the store and bought everything off the shelf and hoarded a lot of nonperishable stuff so that they didn’t have to go out to the stores,” Wishnatzki says. “There just was not a demand for fresh produce because people were realizing [they] wanted something that’s going to hold up for two weeks.”

Wish Farms donated a quarter-million pounds of fresh berries to frontline workers around Tampa Bay and central Florida (PHOTO: Wish Farms)

In the sudden chasm that opened up between supply and demand, the Wish Farms team saw an opportunity. Between March and April, the company donated a quarter of a million pounds of berries — the equivalent of nine semitruck loads — to Feeding Tampa Bay, the United Food Bank of Plant City and other local nonprofits, which don’t often receive donations of berries. They also hand-delivered 8,000 pounds of berries to frontline workers at Tampa General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tampa Fire Rescue and other organizations.

“Even if it wasn’t a New York-style [outbreak] here, there was still a lot of stress [frontline workers] were feeling. There’s a heavy burden that they were carrying,” Wishnatzki says. “We just wanted to show our appreciation and let them know we were thinking about them.”

It’s easy for harvesters to spread out in the open fields when picking berries, Wishnatzki says, and members of the packing team are wearing facing masks and socially distancing as much as possible on the production line. As the world slowly moves toward a new normal, Wish Farms is finding ways to continue giving back. They plan to begin donating to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to help get fresh berries to older and at-risk people who are more or less trapped inside until the pandemic subsides. Already they’ve gotten the thumbs-up from one Land O’Lakes nursing home, Wishnatzki says.

“They sent us pictures of some of the residents with some of the berries, and it was just so sweet.”

A Land O’Lakes veterans’ nursing home inspired Wish Farms to start donating to more long-term care facilities (PHOTO: Wish Farms)
Tags: berriescorona viruscovid-19foodfresh foodWish farms
Next Post
Front Desk: July/August 2020

Front Desk: July/August 2020

INSTAGRAM

tampabayliveworkplay

TAMPA BAY Live+Work+Play
That cheese pull 🙌 Take a trip to Paris via dow That cheese pull 🙌 Take a trip to Paris via downtown Tampa at Water Street’s newest restaurant, Boulon Brasserie. Love eating your way around the globe? Don’t miss our International Dining Guide coming in March. 65,000 copies mailed to hungry homes each issue. Restaurants: email info@TampaMagazines.com to be included 🍽️
-
-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #tamparestaurant #tamparestaurants #tampafoodie #tampafood #cheesepull #frenchonionsoup #tampaeats #tampabayeats
Argh you ready? Pirates are coming tomorrow 🏴‍☠️ The Gasparilla invasion runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the parade rolls through Tampa from 2-6 p.m. This is a free event with 300,000 spectators expected to attend. There are over 1,000 porta potties lining the parade route, be sure to pack your hand sanitizer 🦠-
-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #winterinflorida #gasparilla #gasparillatampa #tampabayarea #tampafl #bayshore #bayshoreblvd
Don’t let this weekend sail in without proper pi Don’t let this weekend sail in without proper pirate attire! ☠️🏴 If you’re not sure where to shop, use the link in our bio to learn where to get your Gasparilla fit. 🏴‍☠🦜

#tampa  #gasparilla  #boatparade  vel #FloridaDestination
This is your last chance to participate in the Bes This is your last chance to participate in the Best of South Tampa contest. 📢📢📢Tap the link in bio to support your favorite local businesses before the end of day! 

 #BestofSouthTampa  #TampaBuisness  #ShopTampa #tampa #HealthandBeauty
Each week, so many awesome Farmers Markets set up Each week, so many awesome Farmers Markets set up across Tampa Bay! 🚜🌾🌽🥕 Selling locally sourced produce, artisan bread, art, clothing and more; there is something for everyone! Tap the link in bio to plan your next trip to the Farmers Market. 👨‍🌾🥚 

#TampaMarket #ThingsToDo #tampabay  #LocalProduce #StPete #StPeteMarkets
We had a blast at the St. Pete Power & Sailboat Sh We had a blast at the St. Pete Power & Sailboat Show, the largest in the gulf coast ⛵️Tampa Magazine features a boating story every issue in our Players & Pursuits section. Subscribe today to get your copy! Link in bio, $24.95 for a year subscription, 10 issues.
If you are looking for something to watch tonight, If you are looking for something to watch tonight, check out Bezos: The Beginning, the biopic about Jeff Bezos, executive produced by Tampa’s own Nick Friedman who also makes his acting debut in the film. The owner of the Tampa Tarpons, Armando Gutierrez plays Jeff Bezos so there’s plenty of reasons for the Tampa Bay community to rally in support of this movie 🎬 Tampa Magazine caught a glimpse at a private screening last night at Hyde House 🍿The film is available to stream on Amazon Video, Google Play, and iTunes .
The perfect pasta does exist and you’ll find it The perfect pasta does exist and you’ll find it at Rocca in Tampa Heights. Handmade by executive chef and partner Bryce Bonsack, the gamut of traditional pastas are innovatively served in an elegant setting, as well as savory meat and fish dishes — recognized by none other than Michelin. Read all about it at the link in our bio 🍝 @roccatampa
The time has come to grab your beads, pirate gear, The time has come to grab your beads, pirate gear, and sunscreen: Gasparilla is here! 🦜Tap the link in our bio for all of the event details. 🏴‍☠🦜

  #gasparilla #TampaInvasion #boatparade #PirateInvasion #TampaTravel #FloridaDestination
Best of South Tampa is almost over. Don’t forget Best of South Tampa is almost over. Don’t forget to show your favorite Tampa businesses some love. Tap the link in bio to vote today. 

#BestofSouthTampa  #TampaBuisness  #ShopTampa #tampa #HealthandBeauty #SouthTampa
Load More... Follow on Instagram

  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.

No Result
View All Result
  • Tampa Culture
  • Food and Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Local Knowledge
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Shop
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.