While state-of-the-art farming can be found at John C. Leo & Son in Oxford, the owners aren’t satisfied and are looking to the future.
The farm was the first in the region to use modern mushroom growing equipment pioneered in Holland. Partners Ed Leo and Bob Cantarera are planning on additional investments to make sure the mushroom farm continues to employ the latest growing systems.
“In 1999 we started building the Oxford farm and began operating in September 2000,” Ed said. “The technology was new for this area and it was basically Dutch technology. We were the first farm in this area with the new system. As expected, there was a learning curve. Tasks were a little different than we were accustomed to so we had to adjust some things. Now everything is going very well.”
Bob handles the operational and technical side of mushroom growing while Ed focuses mainly on the business end. Ed’s son, Dan, is a farm manager who performs many different functions.
The innovations, according to Ed, have eliminated many of the hard labor jobs. “The farm is more worker friendly than the older farms,” he said. “Food safety is an important issue for all farms and we are better prepared to ensure product safety.”
Bob said, “We’re making investments to make our operations here more efficient. Our system allows us to maintain a steady workforce and production schedule. It will also create a better work environment on the farm.”
In the future, according to Ed, farms will need to grow and be more efficient to survive. Bob said, “There has been some consolidation throughout the area and more is on the way. This is a very mature industry. The old model has worked well for decades but maybe not for the future. We need to improve the efficiency of farming. There are 300 million people to feed in this country and it cannot be done using 20th century agricultural technology.
The new technology and paying attention to the environment has led to special recognition for John C. Leo & Son. The company has worked with Chester County Conservation District officials on a system to accumulate all wash down and drain water. The water flows to a collection tank where it is aerated and then pumped to a spray irrigation field. “The goal is to have the water that leaves this property and goes into the Chesapeake watershed the same quality as when it entered,” Ed said. The system has been studied and praised by members of various Conservation Districts in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. “We want to be good stewards of the environment,” Ed said.
The farm has received special recognition for their environmental efforts, including being recognized as the Conservation Farmer of the Year by the Chester County Conservation District in 2001 at the annual meeting of the Chester and Delaware Counties Farm Bureau.
Ed said his grandfather, Anthony Leo, was the first in the family to grow mushrooms. His father, John, entered the business in 1937. “I began working on the farm full time in 1972” Ed said. “In the mid 1990’s I was looking for someone to help run the farm as my father had been semi-retired for some time and Bob came on board. He eventually bought my father’s interest in the partnership.”
From 1951 until 2000 the farm was located in New Garden Township. As for the move to Oxford, Ed said, “Our plant was a bit dated. We wanted to upgrade with the new technology and we didn’t have the room to expand. The area was becoming crowded with development so Bob and I looked for a new location and moved here, to Oxford. We have 120 acres with the proper zoning.”
Ed and Bob are active in the mushroom growers’ trade association, the American Mushroom Institute, and have served on a number of community committees. Ed serves as a board member on the Chester County Economic Development Council as well the First National Bank of Chester County. His wife, Janet, serves on the board of the YMCA in Kennett Square. Bob is on the board of the Oxford Area Sewer Authority.
Bob became a partner with Ed in 1995. He started mushroom farming in 1978 after graduating from the University of Delaware where he majored in entomology. He worked at other area farms and a supply company where he was involved in growing, pest management and customer service. His experience taught him that it takes a team effort to create a successful business. “You need to have a partnership with suppliers,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have a strong agricultural infrastructure in the area. We have knowledgeable material suppliers, equipment manufacturers and machine fabricators. They are all critical for a successful mushroom agriculture community”.
The family connection continued when Dan joined the business in October 2003 after graduating from Susquehanna University where he majored in communications. Dan worked at Wilmington Trust Company before joining the farming operation. “Growing up, my brother and I worked on the farm doing odd jobs on weekends,” he said. “I always enjoyed it.” His brother, Ed, works at Wilmington Trust as a project manager. “I encouraged both of my sons to do what they wanted,” Ed said. “That is the way I was raised.”
“I’m looking forward to the challenges,” Dan said. “This is a good time to be a mushroom farmer. A lot of changes will take place in the next five years and it’s good to be part of it.”
The farm was the first in the region to use modern mushroom growing equipment pioneered in Holland. Partners Ed Leo and Bob Cantarera are planning on additional investments to make sure the mushroom farm continues to employ the latest growing systems.
“In 1999 we started building the Oxford farm and began operating in September 2000,” Ed said. “The technology was new for this area and it was basically Dutch technology. We were the first farm in this area with the new system. As expected, there was a learning curve. Tasks were a little different than we were accustomed to so we had to adjust some things. Now everything is going very well.”
Bob handles the operational and technical side of mushroom growing while Ed focuses mainly on the business end. Ed’s son, Dan, is a farm manager who performs many different functions.
The innovations, according to Ed, have eliminated many of the hard labor jobs. “The farm is more worker friendly than the older farms,” he said. “Food safety is an important issue for all farms and we are better prepared to ensure product safety.”
Bob said, “We’re making investments to make our operations here more efficient. Our system allows us to maintain a steady workforce and production schedule. It will also create a better work environment on the farm.”
In the future, according to Ed, farms will need to grow and be more efficient to survive. Bob said, “There has been some consolidation throughout the area and more is on the way. This is a very mature industry. The old model has worked well for decades but maybe not for the future. We need to improve the efficiency of farming. There are 300 million people to feed in this country and it cannot be done using 20th century agricultural technology.
The new technology and paying attention to the environment has led to special recognition for John C. Leo & Son. The company has worked with Chester County Conservation District officials on a system to accumulate all wash down and drain water. The water flows to a collection tank where it is aerated and then pumped to a spray irrigation field. “The goal is to have the water that leaves this property and goes into the Chesapeake watershed the same quality as when it entered,” Ed said. The system has been studied and praised by members of various Conservation Districts in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. “We want to be good stewards of the environment,” Ed said.
The farm has received special recognition for their environmental efforts, including being recognized as the Conservation Farmer of the Year by the Chester County Conservation District in 2001 at the annual meeting of the Chester and Delaware Counties Farm Bureau.
Ed said his grandfather, Anthony Leo, was the first in the family to grow mushrooms. His father, John, entered the business in 1937. “I began working on the farm full time in 1972” Ed said. “In the mid 1990’s I was looking for someone to help run the farm as my father had been semi-retired for some time and Bob came on board. He eventually bought my father’s interest in the partnership.”
From 1951 until 2000 the farm was located in New Garden Township. As for the move to Oxford, Ed said, “Our plant was a bit dated. We wanted to upgrade with the new technology and we didn’t have the room to expand. The area was becoming crowded with development so Bob and I looked for a new location and moved here, to Oxford. We have 120 acres with the proper zoning.”
Ed and Bob are active in the mushroom growers’ trade association, the American Mushroom Institute, and have served on a number of community committees. Ed serves as a board member on the Chester County Economic Development Council as well the First National Bank of Chester County. His wife, Janet, serves on the board of the YMCA in Kennett Square. Bob is on the board of the Oxford Area Sewer Authority.
Bob became a partner with Ed in 1995. He started mushroom farming in 1978 after graduating from the University of Delaware where he majored in entomology. He worked at other area farms and a supply company where he was involved in growing, pest management and customer service. His experience taught him that it takes a team effort to create a successful business. “You need to have a partnership with suppliers,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have a strong agricultural infrastructure in the area. We have knowledgeable material suppliers, equipment manufacturers and machine fabricators. They are all critical for a successful mushroom agriculture community”.
The family connection continued when Dan joined the business in October 2003 after graduating from Susquehanna University where he majored in communications. Dan worked at Wilmington Trust Company before joining the farming operation. “Growing up, my brother and I worked on the farm doing odd jobs on weekends,” he said. “I always enjoyed it.” His brother, Ed, works at Wilmington Trust as a project manager. “I encouraged both of my sons to do what they wanted,” Ed said. “That is the way I was raised.”
“I’m looking forward to the challenges,” Dan said. “This is a good time to be a mushroom farmer. A lot of changes will take place in the next five years and it’s good to be part of it.”
John C. Leo & Son
Overview of Mushroom Farming l Economic Importance
Environmental Importance l Nutritional Importance l Farm Profile
Environmental Importance l Nutritional Importance l Farm Profile
Ed Leo
Bob Cantarera
Dan & Ed Leo
Bob, Dan & Ed