Safe, Easy, Low-Cost Produce Handling: Farm Containers for Harvest and Storage

Fresh produce may come in contact with a variety of containers as it moves from the field, through the wash/pack process, and on to storage or transport for sale. To reduce food safety risks, all containers should be durable and cleanable. To enhance efficiency, containers that are stackable and/or color-coded based on function may be useful. 

farm containers
Yellow Buckthorns and blue Rubermaid "Brute," solid containers ready for pack-out action at Stout Oak Farm, Brentwood, NH. All solid containers work well to prevent crop wilting in dry coolers. "Brutes" are harder than Buckthorns to open, but they are "bombproof," and with heavy duty handles, can work well for heavy crops (watch your back!) or greens harvest.  Black "bulb crates" (far left--filled with twine) are very affordable, have limited use for long term storage and are very difficult to clean.  Photo by Andy Chamberlin.

Design Goals

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  • Containers are easy to clean, to minimize risk of cross-contamination to produce.
  • Containers are durable so they last a long time.
  • Containers support efficient produce handling.
  • Containers for different uses are clearly distinguishable by color, shape and/or size.
  • The weight of containers when full is comfortable for farm employees.
  • Containers are easy to store because they are stackable or nest inside one another.

Design Elements

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  • Containers are made of durable, smooth material, typically some type of plastic. There are holes or slits to allow water to drain and promote drying after use.
  • Rounded corners and smooth, shallow handles, lids and perforation holes make for easy scrubbing with most brushes.
  • Containers are tough and sturdy so they will last. Plastic is thick and UV resistant, any hinges are extra beefy, and may be reinforced with stainless steel rods.
  • Container types are suited to the farm’s crops and procedures; they fit well within row and path spaces, onto transport vehicles from the field to the wash/pack area, and in storage or delivery vehicles to markets.   
  • Containers are color-coded based on what they are used for, so that harvest containers stay in the field, and only clean containers go into storage or on to markets.
  • The size of containers is based on their weight when full, so it is comfortable for employees to lift and carry them. If needed, tools such as carts are available to assist with moving full containers.
  • When not in use, stackable or nesting containers easily fit in available storage space.

Benefits

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  • Reduce risk of spreading pathogens. Containers that are easily cleaned and dried can reduce growth of harmful organisms.
  • Reduce labor costs and increase farm profitability. Avoiding confusion about which containers should be used when and where saves time.
  • Save money. Durable containers may cost more initially but replacement frequency is reduced.
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Photos

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stacked plastic bins hanging on a wall
Harvest bin storage for tight spaces:  At Flywheel farm in Woodbury, VT, a "nesting" ergonomic harvest basket, secured to a high beam in the wash pack makes for easy out-of-the-way storage for a small number of harvest bins. Photo by Hans Estrin
stacked plastic bins on a wooden pallet
These solid and and vented wall harvest containers are affordable, rugged, versatile,  and available.  Smooth inner contact surfaces make for easy cleaning. Johnson Farm, Putney, VT. Photo by Hans Estrin
huge collection of stacked plastic bins
Corrugated plastic "mail" totes are easy to clean, have solid bottoms and are highly versatile. Root 5 farm in Fairlee, VT. dries totes in bottom-up pyramids. 
stacked plastic bins on dollies
Root 5 farm in Fairlee, VT uses the simple management system "dirty bins face up, clean bins face down," and "everything on wheels!" goes without saying. Photo by Hans Estrin
stacked plastic bins and wooden pallets
Buckthorn crates come in many shapes and sizes. They are pricey, but so rugged they pay for themselves many times over the years.  These wide and shallow flip-top buckthorn crates at Dennison Farm in Schaghticoke, NY, have four-panel tops that help dial in moisture retention, and can work well for single layer cases of fragile items such as head lettuce.

 

 

carrots in bins on tables
Harvest totes of multiple colors help differential myriad crops headed to the stand, and a pack cooler at Walker Farm, in Dummerston, VT. 

 

stacked plastic bins on a table
This picture from All One Farm in Putney, VT, shows all the bins. totes, and spinner (about $350 value) used for a 1/2-acre shoulder-season greens CSA, selling approximately 50 pounds of salad mix and bunched greens per week. Although not durable, the low-cost translucent storage bins on the right work well for salad mix harvest.

Authors: Hans Estrin and Vern Grubinger, UVM Extension

This work is supported by the Food Safety Outreach Program Name, project award no. 2023-70020-40688, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.

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