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Merry Christmas from deb in The Little Irish Van (liv)! see you in 2021!

12/23/2020

 
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FOOD SAFETY EVERYDAY = two SUCCESSFUL audit days and happy food safety teams!

11/9/2020

 
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Another beautiful morning at another amazing produce operation. Why do I use the term "produce operation"? Well...each of my clients are a bit different. Their operations may include produce growing, packing, repacking, cooling, cold storage and/or transportation. They all have dynamic food safety plans, unique challenges, employee skills, diverse products and production techniques. 

What do I mean by a dynamic Food Safety Plan? Each time I visit an operation, the written plans continually will need updating/revising as new machinery may be added, new property is established, employees change, etc. 

So let's walk around an operation and see if the food safety plan procedures  are followed.
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Do we have the cleaning and sanitation records for the canvas tool bags? 

Are the bins with trash marked "Trash Only"?

Hum, is the water on the floor left from sanitation procedures or is this condensation? Look up and all around...

A few operational adjustments and some Standard Operating Procedure re-trainings...this farm is implementing their plan well. 
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Their customers will be grateful for this food safety teams hard work to comply to good agriculture and manufacturing practices. Thank you Eagle Certifications for sending a qualified auditor. Another successful audit day is one reward for Food Safety Everyday!

Off to the next Produce Operation~
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 The opportunity to see amazing scenery while traveling in an RV from job to job has been a blessing. Best business investment I have made! No more airplanes, rental cars and strange hotels!  

On my way to Salinas, CA I received a call from a client in Colorado very excited about their new purchase. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS HANDWASHING STATION! It has a timer to remind the employees to leave hands in until it turns off. Meritech is the manufacturer. 
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The next produce operation is a cold storage and transportation company. This company receives palletized product from local farms and fulfills customer orders. Some buyers consider this facility a distribution center or DC. Late at night is when operations get busy and I have the opportunity to watch the action when staying in LIV right there on the property (another advantage of RV life). During the daytime it is quite.
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So let's walk around this operation and see if the food safety plan procedures  are followed.
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You never know where you may find trash hidden away, behind the sign...really?

Dumpster area looks good. A short re-training to remind the crew to keep the lids closed...
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Who invited that wooden handle to join the group?

​Dock door seals are abused on a daily basis. Always one that needs replacing! 
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A few adjustments and new employee trainings and this operation is ready for an audit. The team here are picking up on "looking up, down and all around" to find the small non-compliances that must be followed on a daily basis. 

Audit day was successful and lessons were learned. Keep up the good work team! Thank you Primus Auditing (JS Operations) for sending a qualified auditor! 

Thank you birds for cooperating with us to stay out of the eves of the facility. 
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A few weeks off traveling to catch up on editing documents and visiting family. See you next post! 
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US Citrus has been grafting citrus trees and establishing groves in perfect sandy loam soil of Hargill, a tiny South Texas town

10/27/2020

 
Check out US Citrus Craft Box!  Our family signed up for monthly delivery. What a treat!
uscitrus.com/collections/citrus-fruit

Farm #7...oFF TO TexAs! WHEW...THAT'S A LONG WAY... AND WORTH EVERY MILE TO ASSIST THE NEXT FARM FAMILY OPERATION!

8/31/2020

 
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If you ever wondered about logistic (trailer) washout procedures, here is a short video. Watch the bay to the right side. And by the way, LIV the RV gets a wash between every farm. 
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New Mexico stop over. While there, it was fun to video the nearby childhood home of some friends back in California and share it with them. 
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Fun little Texas RV Park off the highway. See LIV between the donkeys ears?

Drove thru Texas Hill Country on my way to San Antonio where I will stay a few days to enjoy the sites and scenes...with my mask on and social distancing!
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Not much open due to the pandemic. Enjoyed long walks along the river and the sound of the water in the background while working remotely in AgEmpowered mobile office.

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Short drive from SA to Farm #7. When I arrived, an electrician was installing a 30 amp plug for LIV. My clients are all so kind and are sure to make me feel welcome and comfortable during my farm visits. Farm 7 is a specialty citrus orchard and currently building a packinghouse. We will be setting up food safety flow charts, implementing Standard Operating Procedures, retrofitting equipment to comply to food safety standards and training employees. This operation should be ready for an audit early next year. Buyers be ready for this top notch citrus operation!

Check out the Finger Lime to the right. The Caviar of citrus. 
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5:30 am alarm every morning...nice...Will return to this farm for audit day.Another successful farm visit.

​Taking a side trip to visit New Mexico Department of Ag friends. OTRA! 
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Back through Hill Country past San Antonio and straight up highway 84 (seems like neverending) dry flat Texas.
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Here is some shots of my stay with NMDA recently retired friends and their soon to be apple farm. This North Central NM property sits in a valley where the Pecos River runs thru it. Retired doesn't mean vacation for these folks! 
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Hatch chili season! Can't visit NM this time of the year without freshly roasted Hatch Chili Quesadillas! YUM! 😋

Hard to leave this wonderful place. On to Farm # 8. See you next post! 

Farm #5, Cooler #6 Visit and a quick stop to see family

8/17/2020

 
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Assisting Farm #5 Food Safety Coordinator in the southern part of California. 

​California LGMA Food Safety Practices (Metrics) water assessment. ​https://lgma.ca.gov/food-safety-program
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Internal audit for upcoming annual PrimusGFS Farm and Facility annual audit. 

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There is LIV (left side ) parked under trees by this farms packinghouse. Excellent food safety program implementation, a clean and efficient facility and great well trained staff. Another successful Farm Visit! See you on audit day Farm #5! 
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In California...Need a family fix! Lots of exciting family news. My Son has purchased his first home, wine grape harvest has begun for my daughter and son-in-law and my daughter who assists me with AgEmpowered has many new improvements to her home. All 7 grandkids doing just fine with online learning. My daughters have done a fine job setting up home study areas.
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All is well and LIV and I are happy to be home even, if for a short time. ​
Off again to Cooler #6 Visit in Salinas, California. We are preparing for an annual facility audit using the PrimusGFS schema. Internal audits are an important part of "checking up" on food safety program implementation and include but not limited to fine tuning of; industry changes in best practices; findings regarding needed staff retraining; and edits to Standard Operating and Sanitation Procedures. They should happen throughout the year and when I assist with annual audit preparation day, I use the audit checklist my client will be audited against. 

Two days reviewing documents with the management staff, touring operations, identifying a few corrective actions and discussing implementation. See you on audit day Cooler #6!  
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Off to Texas to visit Farm #7! See you next post! 

Off to See a few FRIENDS in the busIness before farm# 4 Visit.

7/30/2020

 
And a friendly stop at a truck wash along highway 88 on way to Kansas. $40 for a wash and wax!! Decided on a name for the Coachman Leprechaun/Ford Transit van. The Little Irish Van office will be called “LIV”.
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Had a nice visit with my friend and colleague Jerry and his family at JNJ Company in Kansas. Jerry assists packing operations with sanitation procedures throughout the U.S. and offers local horse farmers good agriculture practice education. He is the pastor of a local church and farms hay with his father.
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Down the Yellow Brick Road skipping toward Colorado. If you’re ever in Kansas, be sure to try the smoked chicken. It is delicious!
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Driving from Kansas to Eastern Colorado has a beauty all its own. Big sky’s, expansive prairies and large expressive church’s in each small town. This modest Elderberry winery caught my attention as it reminded me of stories my father told about gathering elderberries in the Eastern Sierras with his uncle to make wine. Shared it with friends along the way...it was quite good!
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Arrived at Facility #4 on a Sunday evening. AgEmpowered office setup and ready to go when staff arrived Monday morning.
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This cold storage and transportation facility complies to Sanitary Transportation, Good Manufacturing Practices, among other Federal, State and County requirements.  A generational operation, the ground you see in the above picture was a part of the families onion growing farm. The current generation has expanded the business to wholesale and transportation operations. It is always a pleasure to work here with the dedicated staff. This visit we are fine tuning the food safety program to comply with a new building expansion and conducting staff trainings on revised procedures.  
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See you for audit week next year Farm #4! 




​Time for a short side trip to Garden of the Gods in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
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Driving thru Denver I noticed the sign on the right side of this famous stadium...If I was better at editing pictures, I would add AG in front of EMPOWER FIELD!  

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Working on the road is most enjoyable when AgEmpowered office has a lovely view and is different each day or two. Here it is in Manitou Springs, a lovely historical town. Tomorrow a hike in the Garden of the Gods after a few hours working on food safety documents. 
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Gardens of the Gods hike is a must if you are in the Springs area of Colorado! 
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Stopped by to visit with another friend and colleague, Matt and his family after hiking. Matt represents a food safety auditing software, RizePoint (https://rizepoint.com/). A great time discussing the future of electronic food safety in the age of FDAs "New Era of Smarter Food Safety". (https://www.fda.gov/food/new-era-smarter-food-safety). Headed for Farm #5...California bound, interstate 70 is closed thru Aspen due to a fire...so its highway 50 this trip to meet up with 70 (sorry about the bug splat on the windshield).
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 Just could not resist another side trip to Zion National Park! ​
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Lunch stop at Debs Cafe (no mask required) along the Sevier River before reaching Zion National Park. A lovely view!
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Worth the time to slow down and visit our National Parks!
Of course I pick the hottest day in recorded history to travel across the Nevada desert :( and the smoke! See you in California!
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On my way to see Farmer JoHn Peterson at Angelic Organics, Farm #3, just up the road 3 hours from Farm#2.

7/27/2020

 
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Overnight stop in a State preserve. Took a long walk alone the Rock River and reflected on this journey. Exactly how I envisioned I would spend this part of my career...helping family farms in all parts of the country!

Time to visit Farm #3 after a good nights rest in a quite park. Can’t say I missed the train from the last farm stay, but did miss the sound of the tractors starting up in the morning heading out to harvest the potato fields.

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Driving in to Angelic Organics to assist them to fine tuning the farms food safety plan. Angelic Organics is a Community Supported Agriculture farm, growing vegetables and herbs. Check out their website at www.angelicOrganics.com. You will find a fantastic documentary film about the trials and tribulations of Farmer Johns plight to save his family farm. This is exactly why I do what I do. Fight on John Peterson!
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After a full tour of the farm we sat down and worked on food safety documents that they will need to implement good agriculture practices. This Farm is using HeavyConnect for their electronic food safety documentation. They will be prepared to meet the food safety modernization act produce rule requirements after a few improvements to their field packing procedures and training of their workers  and volunteers. 
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Upon leaving the farm, I was graciously handed some of the beautiful products grown at Angelic Organics and yes it was dinner! Never in my life have I tasted such sweet corn! Keep up the good work Angelica organics, we want to see your farm successful for many years to come!
Learn more about camps, workshops, educational farm stays and more at Angelic OrganicsLearningCenter: www.learngrowconnect.org

A few photos from farm #2 before moving on to next location. See you there!

7/25/2020

 
Shrine of the Virgin Mary at the Camino y Esperanza. A retreat for Marriage and Family. Many fieldworkers come to pray in the evening.
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A beautiful Illinois sunset over the farm
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AgEmpowered office on the farm. AMAZING! 

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Successful audit day for farm #2!

7/25/2020

 
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Food safety management system ✅
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The Farm ✅
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The Harvest Crew ✅
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The Storage and Distribution ✅
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And the HACCP ✅


A BIG SHOUT OUT TO CCI FOR THEIR EXCELLENT SERVICE, EASY SCHEDULING AND SEASONED AUDITORS. 
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HEAVYCONNECT DASHBOARD AND APP ALLOWED THIS AUDIT PROCESS TO PROCEED WITHOUT A HITCH! GAVE AUDITOR PERMISSION TO SEE REQUESTED DOCUMENTS BEFORE AUDIT DAY. All OTHER DOCUMENTS, REPORTS, RESOURCES AND MORE AVAILABLE FOR AUDIT DAY ORGANIZED AND QUICK TO FIND WITH A CLICK OR SEARCH TAB. 
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​GREAT WORK FARM TEAM! 

Four days of travel, happy i am not flying! So much to see AnD experience.

7/18/2020

 
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Hay and grain crops to feed the large livestock industry here in Utah.
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Beautiful big skies in Wyoming and more hay crops and cattle.
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The state of corn and soy beans and more corn and more soy beans. Very windy today. Stayed in a wonderful RV camp surrounded by corn and cattle.
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I bet you can tell the difference between the GMO corn in the heirloom corn. I found this demonstration in Iowa. 
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Made it to Illinois and ready to empower Farm number two in their quest to strengthen Food safety and comply to the added requirements of their customers.
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Can you identify this crop?
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  • We've Gone Mobile!
    • Where's Deb Now?
    • A Day on the Road with Deb
  • Food Safety Updates
  • Be Audit Ready
  • Contact
  • About