FALL TRANSITION
It is that time of year when many California growers start to transition their wet veg operation, think lettuces, leafy greens, broccoli and cauliflower, from the cooler areas of the Central Coast and Salinas Valley down to the warmer regions in the California desert, Imperial Valley and Yuma, Arizona. The desert regions include Coachella, Thermal and Mecca north of the Salton Sea and south of Palm Springs. The Imperial Valley extends from the southern area of Coachella, past the Salton Sea and all the way down to the border of Mexico. Warm veg will soon mostly be coming out of Baja California and northern Mexico, think zucchini, green beans, hot peppers, colored bells, cucumbers and tomatoes.
The closer we get to the winter solstice on December 21st it is getting colder and days are becoming shorter. Less hours of sun slows down the growth of everything which means there are less hours in the day to harvest which can lead to light volumes. Combined with the fact that during winter the entire United States is pulling vegetables from the same area which also limits the quantities available and can lead to higher prices.
Veg Market Update:
Rain throughout northern California and overnight frost in the central valley will end the lingering local summer veg. Don’t miss out on the last of the JAS Cherry Bomb Peppers and Comanche Creek Gypsy Peppers and Jimmy Nardello Sweet Peppers (arriving Friday).
Broccoli has steady availability but continues to experience discoloration and occasional pin rot will continue until the transition down to the desert is complete.
Celery is one of the last items to transition to the desert in December. Quality is looking great at the moment but expect to see issues with blight and sizing as we get closer to the transition.
Tomatero basil is seeing discoloration issues as the cold weather sets in and will be wrapping up soon.
Red and butter lettuce is seeing some occasional mildew and the wet weather will not help. Expect smaller bunched greens with less daylight hours.
Organic Girl is transitioning down to the desert and end of season challenges are present. We will encounter spot challenges and limited availability on baby spinach, super greens, butter plus, baby greens + crunch, little gems, butter baby and romaine. We anticipate improvements in the next few weeks once the transition is complete.
Bulk Spinach and Arugula are seeing the effects of temperature spikes and some rains. With these conditions the product has a shorter shelf life and some yellowing.
Look for plentiful supply on Brussels Sprouts, Gold and Red Beets, Brussels Sprouts, Herbs with Display Shippers, Onions, Gold, Red and Russet Potatoes, Parsnips, Rutabaga, Turnips, Sweet Potatoes and Hard Squash through Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for Earl’s Thanksgiving Essentials Checklist!