Bay Baby produce got their start with an unconventional product: wacky, colorful, ornamental pumpkins. Over time, these hand-painted gourds grew into a full-fledged business. Today, Bay Baby sells edible, decorative, and miniature squash in grocery stores all over the country, as well as in Blue Apron meal kits.
Farm founders Michele Youngquist and Liz Mitchell have been working together for over 20 years. When they founded Bay Baby produce, they were initially looking for a way to “give pumpkins some personality.” Their first product to come out of this idea became known as Pumpkin Patch Pals®. These miniature pumpkins are decorated by hand, and are meant to embody a goofy, bright personality. Partly inspired by Mitchell’s background as an elementary school teacher, Pumpkin Patch Pals® soon became a way to connect to the community. These silly squash serve as ambassadors of healthy eating to children everywhere.
Even though it started out as a small creative outlet, Bay Baby is now a thriving organic farm. Mitchell and Youngquist own and operate over 500 acres of land in the Skagit Valley near Mt. Vernon, Washington. The farm has earned a WSDA organic certification, and as members of the Sustainable Farm Trade Association, the team takes environmental stewardship seriously.
As their business expanded, so did their offerings. Today, Youngquist and Mitchell grow more than just decorative gourds. The team at Bay Bay produces several varieties of hard winter squash, in addition to pie pumpkins. They’re the trusted supplier of butterbaby, a miniature butternut squash that’s just as cute as it sounds, for all Blue Apron boxes. They also worked alongside the chefs at Blue Apron to engineer a miniature spaghetti squash. These tiny squash aren’t just adorable, they’re perfectly portioned to serve two people, making them an ideal addition to any Blue Apron dinner.
Hungry for more? Try Bay Baby produce products in Blue Apron dinner boxes all fall long.
