MR. GREENS "FRESH TIPS"
May 4, 2001
Our last PRODUCE MAN PUZZZZLE dealt with Spring produce: What is the only vegetable not allowed on a US nuclear powered Trident submarine? You didn't know that there is actually a vegetable never allowed on a US submarine? We can't believe that some of you called friends in the Navy to find out if there really was a regulation barring one produce item from a submarine. When Your Produce Man toured the USS Alaska, a Trident nuclear powered submarine, I first heard of this secret information. The chef for the submarine, known as "Cookie," cooks for a crew from his kitchen called the "Kodiak Cafe." For this mission, he has loaded about 72,000 pounds of dry and canned food, about 18,000 pounds of frozen food, 10,000 pounds of dairy, 2,000 pounds of potatoes, 600 pounds of onions, 300 pounds of lettuce, 300 pounds of tomatoes, and several hundred pounds of other fresh fruits and vegetables. But there is one produce item never allowed on submarines...Leeks! If you don't know why, please write to me and ask. This week's PUZZZZLE is: What US city got its name from Garlic? See next week's "Fresh Tips" for the answer.
GRAPES: There are still a few million cartons of Chilean grapes still coming in, but prices have been very high. Most growers in Mexico and the Coachella Valley in California, expect their vineyards to start harvest a week or so later than normal. That could easily create quite a supply gap until Memorial Day or beyond. Any grapes left from Chile, will be from storage, not "fresh cut." You will no doubt see a lot more "shatter" with these grapes. There have been some late season Red Globe Grapes coming in from Chile. 
Quality on the Red Globes has been very nice, but they do have seeds. The state of Sonora, Mexico, just south of Arizona, is blessed with a west coast climate that helps nurture a wide variety of produce, including cantaloupes, honeydews, watermelons, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn and of course, grapes. Grapes flourish in Sonora, as a result of sandy soil and long, sunny days. This region used to be a desert, until growers brought in water. Now drip irrigation has been the single largest factor in the growth of vineyards for table grapes in the past 30 years.The first table grape vineyard was planted by Jack Farnsworth's company in 1966 and within a few years, a group of eight Mexican growers followed the successful model. The first commercial sales of table grapes to the United States occurred in 1969. In the early 1970s, two American companies, Oasis Garden and D'Arrigo Bros. invested, and each worked with four growers. Their success fostered the interest of other California growers like Pandol Bros. and Blue Anchor. In the 1980s, about 100 miles north of Hermosillo in Caborca, more vineyards were planted. Now, including Hermosillo and Caborca, there are 30,300 acres of table grape vineyards planted. Last season's grape exports to the United States totaled 172 million pounds of grapes in 9.5 million boxes. Similar production is projected this season. Growers in Hermosillo, Mexico expect to make their first harvest cuts within a week or two. California growers probably won't start cutting until mid-to-late May, but with limited quantities. Until then, expect to continue and see very high prices. Prices will most likely stay higher than normal until June.