The History of Black Gold is Wonderful and
Unique.
Highlights of our past and present are documented hereafter to help explain
our heritage within the potato industry.
1928 - Certified Seed Potatoes Grown in Forest River, ND
A.E. (Hallie) Halverson, a Red River Valley Pioneer, planted his first
crop of potatoes on the home farm in the
Red River Valley of the North near
Forest River, ND. This 10-acre plot was planted for re-certification.
1949 - "A.E.H" Brand Name
"A.E.H" was the brand name under which potatoes were marketed. Table
stock potatoes were grown, washed, packaged and sold by Hallie's son, Jack
Halverson. He had just completed a new wash plant near Forest River, ND called the Forest River Potato Company. At this point the acres numbered
approximately 400.
1959
- Potatoes for Potato Chips
This was the first year the Halversons sold potatoes into the chip
trade. Kennebec was the standard of the industry. The potato acreage had
jumped to 600 acres by this time.
1965 - Black Gold Farms, Inc.
Black Gold Farms, Inc. was formed. 1965 is also the year the Halversons
entered the Registered Angus Cattle business.
The reason for the name "Black Gold" is as follows: The color
Black alludes to the ebony black soil of the Red River Valley as well as
the color of the hide of the Registered Angus cattle marketed at the time.
Gold represents what the
relative value of the cattle would hopefully
be, as well as the color of the skin of the chip potatoes then being
produced.
1985 - Black Gold Potato Sales, Inc.
This is the year Black Gold Potato Sales, Inc. was formed, operating out
of the farm office near Forest River, ND. It was founded as a result of the
recognition that a full-service sales organization, emphasizing service and
quality would be a necessity to the future of a successful potato production
enterprise.
1986
- Southeast Missouri
Our first Southeast Missouri crop was planted in 1986. Black Gold is
now the largest potato grower in Missouri.
1987 - Additional Areas
Throughout 1987 we began building additional relationships and
purchasing potatoes for resale from growers in
numerous areas. Black Gold
is active in literally all potato production areas including Central
Florida,
North Carolina, South Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota,
North Dakota and
Wisconsin. We have maintained and enhanced
these relationships to this day.
1988 - Black Gold Potato Sales, Inc.
Black Gold Potato Sales has evolved to the point where our office, which
was relocated to Grand Forks, ND, operates year-round, has a staff of nine
and handles all the production off our farms as well as handling seed, chip
and processing potatoes from other select growers on a national basis. The Black Gold Potato Sales team is a highly
motivated 24/7 sales, quality control and logistics organization. High-tech
business procedures and methods are used combined with personalized service.
Black Gold Farms expanded into the office
building of Black Gold Potato Sales in 2003 with a staff of four which
greatly improves communications amongst the two branches of Black Gold.
1992 - Pearsall, Texas
After observing industry-wide supply issues in Florida, we made the
decision to create a Spring chip potato production
unit in the Pearsall, TX
area. In 1998, a new state-of-the-art facility was built West of Pearsall.
With a late April
annual harvest startup, this area has grown rapidly. Due to
extremely hot conditions, an in-line hydrocooler was added to
the grading
facility to increase quality through wet breakdown elimination.
1994 - Winamac, Indiana
This North Central production area was added to supply the late summer
and fall demand for chip potatoes. A new, modern grading facility was built
in the summer of 2000. This facility, with on-scale loading, enhances the
Black Gold efficiency and capability. We are now the largest potato
grower in Indiana.
1995
- Certified Seed Potatoes Grown in Forest River, ND
Once again Black Gold is growing certified seed potatoes in Forest
River, ND. The majority of this seed is used in
our southern production
areas with the remainder being sold to other growers throughout the nation.
1999 - Arbyrd, Missouri
Located on the Missouri/Arkansas state line, this production area was
added to bridge the harvest schedule between Pearsall, TX and Charleston,
MO. It is an area of loamy sand with an early June harvest startup. It has
proven to be a very valuable, high-quality chip potato area. A new grading
facility, complete with an office and QC complex, was completed in 2002.
2000 - Sturgis, Michigan
This new Black Gold production area sits on the Indiana/Michigan
border. It compliments and adds flexibility to our Winamac, IN production
area. This area has an abundance of irrigated, loamy sand ideal for chip
potato production. New facilities for efficient all-weather grading were
used for the first time in 2002.
2003
- Black Gold Celebrates 75 Years in the Potato Industry
The year 2003 marks the 75th year of continuous potato production by the
Halverson family. Throughout the past 75 years, change and innovation
have become the hallmarks of Black Gold. Everyone associated with
Black Gold is proud of our stature as a global potato production, sales
and service organization.
2004 - Columbia, North Carolina
The 2004 addition of a Columbia, NC farm marks a new chapter in Black
Gold history. Black Gold purchased the well-run Durwood Cooper Farm in NE
North Carolina. This acquisition moves Black Gold into the East Coast
shipping lanes and compliments our MO/AR shipping window. The soils are a
deep, black, silt loam. This farm also raises corn and soybeans.
2006 - Live Oak, Florida
Live Oak, FL , with rich, center-pivot
irrigated sand located in North Florida will fill the mid-May
through June shipment window. Near the intersection of I-10 and I-75,
this unit is strategically located in a very good area with easy freight
accessibility. In 2007, a permanent harvest load out facility was
added.
2006 - Hawkinsville, Georgia
Our Hawkinsville, GA location is very close to I-75
in Southern Central Georgia.
The red irrigated sands of Pulaski, Dooley & Wilcox counties are very productive
and serve the important late May to July 4th shipment window.
Production facilities were integrated to enhance productivity in 2008 to
accommodate growth opportunities in this region.
2007 - Black Gold Farm Managers and
Black Gold employees.
2008 - Winamac, Indiana
A new office and shop area was constructed to accommodate the growth of this
location. Black Gold is the largest potato grower in Indiana.
2008 - Arbyrd, Missouri
Tablestock potato production was added to this location.
2008 - Rhodesdale, Maryland
The addition of the
Rhodesdale, MD farm completes the spring shipping window along the East
Coast for Black Gold. This is an established chip potato production
area with irrigated sandy loam soils in and around Dorchester County.
This location is ideally situated within a short distance from a large
portion of the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada chip and tablestock
potato usage.
