Salinas Fresh Forum: What do you wish you could grow?

Salinas, CA, sources were asked, The Salinas Valley is one of the greatest growing regions in the world, but it doesn’t work for every crop. What’s the one fruit or vegetable you wish you could grow or ship in the area?

Ken Balestrieri, K. Balestrieri Company, Inc.
We can grow anything here, although it’s not hot enough for citrus. There are some microclimates where avocados will grow. Row crops are so valuable, why would you want to put in trees?

Joe Feldman, River Fresh Farms, LLC
Avocados; they’re very particular trees.

Norm Groot, Monterey County Farm Bureau
Hard to answer as there are over 150 different crops and varieties here already…maybe more varieties of citrus.

Joe Kaslin, Bengard Ranch, Inc.
It would make sense if we could grow tomatoes, but it’s too cool. The Salinas Valley used to grow green onions, but the labor is prohibitive, so it’s all gone to Mexico.

Jeff Hyosaka, Pacific International Marketing
It would be nice if we had melons, but the ground is too expensive and there’s not enough heat.

This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full version.