Chico, Sustainable

Where the Lettuce was Grown?
Generally speaking, organic lettuce purchased in Chico is grown in California. Cal Organics come from the San Joaquin Valley. Earthbound Organics is based in the Salinas Valley and packaged in San Juan Bautista (though in the winter months it can come from Mexico or Arizona). No clue about Trader Joe’s (other than “Monrovia”). Meanwhile, the folks selling lettuce at the farmer’s market grow in or just outside of Chico. Both choices arrive pretty fresh—the Farmer’s market lettuce is usually picked within 48 hours of being sold, the store-bought lettuce comes in high tech breathable packaging that helps preserve freshness.

Price
Ounce for ounce, grocery store organic lettuce costs about 5 times as much as Farmer’s Market lettuce. Just for kicks I checked out the price of conventional lettuce over at Winco, which is still about 4 times as expensive.

Quality
Yes, the lettuce from Earthbound Organic looks, well, perfect. Too perfect? The ten or so varieties of green make it colorful and flavorful, the small leaves are easy to manage, and it’s free of additional flora and fauna (Michael Pollan in The Omnivore’s Dilemma reveals how they do it: Machines. Big, expensive, impressive machines). The Farmer’s Market lettuce is question usually contains only 3-4 varieties of greens, it is cut but still chunky, and sometimes I find an extra weed or spider in the mix. It is crisp and tasty, though the lack of variety makes it a bit blander than Earthbound's mix.

Organic?
I am beginning to learn that being labeled “certified organic” does not necessarily make something the best choice. To become certified can be a lengthy, expensive process, which is not always feasible or cost-effective for a small grower. Meanwhile, the packaged lettuce has been machine picked, triple-washed, scientifically packaged, and then trucked 250 miles. So how can I learn how my Chico lettuce was grown?

Simple. I ask the farmer, who is standing right there at the other side of the table.

At the two locations that were selling $1 bags I waited for a lull in sales and then pleasantly inquired as to the following: Where is your lettuce grown? How many varieties of lettuce are in the bag? Do you spray? Do you use fertilizer, and if so, what kind?

The answers were friendly. Both locations had about 4 varieties per bag and neither sprayed with any ‘cides. The two differences were the amount of lettuce per bag, and the fact that one grower used a conventional fertilizer, while the other used crop rotation to maintain soil health.

So, locally grown, multiple varieties, no spray, no artificial fertilizer, and cheap. Not only is this organic in my book, but also sustainable.

The Purchase is Made
I ended up gladly trading my dollar bill for the slightly smaller bag of lettuce (18 ounces vs. 20 ounces) that had been grown without the use of fertilizers. And to show my appreciation for answering all of my questions, I had them toss in a bunch of carrots (also for a dollar).