MR. GREENS "FRESH TIPS"
February 2, 2001
Our last MR. GREEN'S PUZZZZLE dealt with Valentine produce: What produce item is related to the rose? With the very high price of Roses at Valentine's Day, this is a great alternative. In its ancient form, this produce item was small and had a white flesh, and was very sweet. It originated, most likely, in China. During the Middle Ages, because this produce item was so delicate, it was harvested on pillows and taken in to the Kings and Queens of England. Today, you can still smell the faint aroma of its past. Cut a ripe one open. Smell the center. You can still smell the faint aroma of the rose in every...Nectarine. This week's PUZZZZLE deals again with Valentine produce: What part of the Grapefruit would you give your Valentine? Check out the answer right here in next week's "Fresh Tips."
ENERGY CRISIS FOR PRODUCE: Rolling blackouts have been a threat since December. Stage three alerts from the Cal ISO have become commonplace in the news. In fact, alerts and blackouts aren't really news anymore. The power crunch may be an inconvenience to consumers and some businesses. An hour or hour-and-a-half to most people isn't that big of a deal. But, if you are a citrus grower in the San Joaquin Valley, an hour without power could become a year without a crop. Citrus growers use electricity to run wind machines and irrigation during cold nights. These tools help keep the trees and the fruit from sustaining freeze damage. For most citrus growers, the first line of defense against cold temperatures, is the wind machine. It creates warmer airflows throughout the orchard. If temperatures continue to drop, the second line of defense is used, irrigating the fields. This helps keep the root systems warmer to prevent tree damage from the cold. If the power goes out at a critical time of cold temps, it could mean disaster for a grower. Even one hour, can ruin a crop. Most vulnerable are lemons, which have less sugar content, which means they are much more susceptible to cold damage. Also vulnerable are Tangerines. They are smaller and have a thinner peel than oranges. With 25 degree temperatures a possibility, growers donŐt care who's to blame, but the loss of power would not be an inconvenience to a citrus farmer. It could spell ruin. In December, 1998, cold temperatures caused nearly $1 billion in losses to citrus growers.ASPARAGUS: Cold can be good for Asparagus, especially during the winter dormancy season. In fact, Asparagus plants need a certain number of "chilling hours" in order to be "rested" and ready to go for Spring growth. This winter has been one of the coldest in Northern California, and that could delay the peak of the season for California Asparagus. Baja is already in production, as is the desert growing region in California. In fact, supplies have picked up so much in the fields, that shippers are now packing in the larger 28# cartons. The past two winters have been somewhat mild which has meant an earlier peak of supplies. Salinas, for example normally peaks in harvest production from about mid-February to mid-March. Colder winter temperatures could delay that peak by a few weeks. About 2/3 of the nation's Asparagus is grown in the Delta growing regions of the San Joaquin Valley, just west of Stockton. Early shipments from the Imperial Valley have been about 10 - 15% higher than normal because new fields are just now coming into production. Those fields were planted about 3 years ago. With good supplies and more acreage, why is Asparagus so expensive. Asparagus is expensive, even with better farming practices and better yields, mainly because it's a very labor-intensive crop to harvest, pack and ship. Even so, spears of Asparagus are very versatile. There's more to cooking Asparagus than just steaming them. There are a lot of unique recipes for these Spring spears.
MELONS: We have noticed higher prices than normal for this time of year, compared to the past few years. There was a time when Cantaloupes and Honeydew were virtually non-existent during winter months. But, with better growing, cooking and transportation, the U.S. is able to enjoy melons from Central America and the Caribbean basin, primarily from Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala. Losses over the past few years have put a crunch on melon acreage in these regions. Banks were less willing to finance melons. Many growers cut back acreage as much as 50% in some nations. Expect higher prices right into April.
CLICK HERE for Mr. Green's Wrapped Asparagus With Herb Sauce.