Blue Goose Produce carries on Loomis legacy

LOOMIS - Perched on a chair in his office, chatting history and horticulture, Blue Goose Produce owner Mark Foley comes off like he's been doing this for years. The truth is Foley, 48, only opened the produce shop in the Blue Goose Fruit Shed in April, and held a grand opening Saturday. Instead, he has spent much of his career working in construction management and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's in finance.So how does an accountant from San Diego end up owning a produce shop in Loomis?Blue Goose ProduceWhat: Fresh locally grown fruits and vegetablesHours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through SaturdayWhere: Blue Goose Fruit Shed, 3550 Taylor Road, Loomis"I've always been interested in agriculture," he said. "We lived across the street from an orchard when I was young, and I was always bringing my mom extra produce from a fruit shed nearby. I guess it's in my blood."Foley said that on a visit to his parents and sister in Newcastle in the mid-1990s, he discovered the pristine Sierra foothills as an ideal place for growing produce. With the hot days and cold nights, he said, the flavor is better here than elsewhere."This is such a great area for growing," he said. "We have great soil and water. The quality is as good here as anywhere."Foley began talking to experts in the field and taking classes in grafting and horticulture. In 1999 he bought acreage in Newcastle and planted his first mandarin orchard with a variety of the tree he grafted himself.Soon, Foley was selling at farmers' markets and roadside stands. He helped create mini-markets in North Auburn, Foresthill and other places around Placer County and became involved with Foothills Farmers' Markets.But when a new law passed several years ago prohibiting the sale of fruit from roadside stands, Foley took his business to the next level and opened a full-service produce market. He bought the produce business from long-time owner Glenn Young, who recently moved to Whiteboro, Texas, to be with family."I know (he) will run a great produce market." Young wrote in a letter to the editor July 7, 2005. "I wish Mark great success in keeping the spirit of the agricultural segment of the Loomis Basin alive and well."The business' location in a historical fruit packing shed in the heart of Loomis has already proved invaluable. Just ask Newcastle resident Maria Pinedo, who stopped by Blue Goose Produce to buy tomatoes and watermelon on her way home from work on Friday.Pinedo said she frequently shops at local farmers' markets and auctions, and pulled off Taylor Road because it was directly on the way home for her."It stays fresher longer, and the taste is way better," she said of locally grown produce. "This place is good." One of the ways Foley ensures freshness is by buying from local growers. He prides himself on buying locally - from farmers in Lincoln, Penryn, Newcastle, Sheridan and Loomis - and frequently trades with locals for product. To help with the busy days in a produce shop, Foley's mother, Joan Foley of Newcastle, works full-time in the store. Joan Foley said she enjoys chatting with locals and working in a place with historical significance. "He calls me 'quality control,'" she joked. As for Mark Foley, plans for the Blue Goose include one day expanding into a deli, with bread, jellies and specialty baking products available for purchase. Until then, he invites locals to stop by the store and try some of his more exotic fruits and vegetables."If everybody doesn't try an ambrosia melon, they're missing out," he quipped. Sarah Langford can be reached at sarahl@theloomisnews.net.