Seasonal Transition Update

Adam Calder, Wheatsfield Produce Manager

This is a time of year for transitioning seasons, and it is also a time of transition for many of the produce items we sell at Wheatsfield.

During the winter months, many crops are raised in the desert growing regions of Arizona and Mexico and distributed all across North America.  As we move into spring, the production in those growing regions winds down and shifts back into the Salinas Valley area of California.

This spring, broccoli and cauliflower will see price increases and possible gaps in supply in part because of the transition of growing reasons, and also because of increased aphid populations.

As the desert supply winds down, the size of iceberg lettuce heads will also decrease until the Salinas valley fields are at full capacity in April.

Romaine hearts are higher in price than they usually are this time of year, although supply should be consistent with no gaps in availability.

Celery is currently being grown in Mexico, and production is just starting in Oxnard, California.  Celery will ship from both places for the next couple of months until the celery season in Oxnard is in full swing.  The production in Mexico will then wind down as Oxnard takes over.  There should be no fluctuations in availability or price.

Carrot supply is low for this time of year, and it is having negative effects on availability.  It has been unusually cold in the carrot growing regions over the past month, and this is the primary reason for the limited supply.

Green and red cabbage supply seems to be holding steady, with no gaps in availability.  Napa cabbage supply is spotty, with availability changing from week to week.

Leaf lettuce is having the most difficult time with the seasonal growing region transition.  There may be very little green leaf or romaine lettuce for the next couple of weeks, and red leaf will see even more limited supply than green or romaine.

We will do our best to work around these transition related issues, and to keep our produce department fresh and fully stocked.