NORTH BANGOR -- The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has posted the results of a project collecting and analyzing data from the first two years of operation of the St. Lawrence Valley Produce Auction at 58 Martin Road in North Bangor.

This auction is the northernmost produce auction in New York State.

The report posted at www.nnyagdev.org provides growers with tips for selling at wholesale auction, including notes on what to plant, when to plant, and how often to replant the same crop to increase auction sales. The project also included a survey of buyers.

The St. Lawrence Valley Produce Auction opened in 2018. Buyers purchase produce in lots of varying sizes. Sellers must accept the price brought by bidding. The auction generally operates one day each week in the spring, increasing to three days each week through the growing season to the end of October.

A survey of the St. Lawrence Valley Produce Auction buyers indicated that they value the opportunity to purchase local products, spend less on transportation by buying at auction, and the auction allows them to purchase from a variety of growers.

Overall sales at the auction increased 38 percent from 2018 to 2019. The top five products sold at the St. Lawrence Valley Produce Auction in both years were annual and perennial flowers, tomatoes, mums, pumpkins, and beans. Growers with product early and late in the year saw higher bidding.

Growers will find the results of Northern New York Agricultural Development Program research projects related to high tunnel production and fruit and vegetable production under Northern New York climate and growing conditions at www.nnyagdev.org or by contacting their local Cornell Cooperative Extension offices.

The St. Lawrence Valley Produce Auction is open for business in 2020. Find more details at https://www.facebook.com/stlawrencevalleyproduceauction.