Chances are, the first local produce — think leeks, beets, kale or Swiss chard — you'll use this year started life in a Vineland greenhouse.
Those tender veggies began as seedling siblings while South Jersey was still in a deep freeze in February.
They split the well-supplied water in raised seed-starter trays in temperature-controlled spaces. As soon as the temps crawled into the 50s, they were exposed to soft breezes. The plastic sides of their nursery greenhouses were raised and lowered day by day, sometimes hour by hour, to keep in warmth and keep out critters.
All under the guardianship of Andrew Pagnini, who supplies vegetable seedlings from a 105-acre property to farmers in South Jersey.