The harvesting of Butterhead and Oak Leaf lettuce in mid-May signifies the start of the growing season for us here at The Farm. They’re one of the first crops we pick. Following on from these early lettuce crops we’ll be planting Batavia and Cos varieties, ready for picking in early summer, just in time for those gorgeously refreshing salads!
Lettuce praiseOur Butterhead and Oak Leaf lettuce are planted in the polytunnels each January and are picked in time to bridge the gap between our winter and summer crops. They’re a farmer’s dream. They’re reliable, uniform growers with excellent disease resistance - out of the 2,000 lettuce we plant, we rarely have waste, which is pretty good going with those volumes! They’re a favourite with customers too, who love their tender, mild flavour and large leaves.
Wilt-free food
Lettuce is picked the day before delivery. Their soft, petal-like leaves mean they need careful handling to avoid bruising or wilting. These delicate greens are delivered to customers in recyclable plastic bags to protect and preserve their quality. (Customers can return the bags along with their empty boxes so we can reuse them). Once delivered, lettuce should be one of the first things you eat from your box, and stored in the fridge, to ensure their freshness.
Wildlife watch
At The Farm we actively encourage wildlife onto the land, due to our nature-friendly farming methods. As a result, we need to protect our produce from 'midnight raids’ - and daytime ones too! We cover our field-grown lettuce with netting, to prevent them becoming a tasty treat for the deer who roam our acres.
