Market Outlook

Lettuce:

The Iceberg market is rising as shippers are coming up short. Yuma is experiencing cold weather overnight and ice in the fields in the morning which is delaying and shortening harvest times. This pattern is expected to continue through the end of this week. Shippers are advising that we will see some blister and epidermal peel on arrival.

Leaf:

California leaf market is rising along with iceberg.

Broccoli:

Broccoli market is rising as cold weather is keeping the plants from growing.

Cauliflower:

The cauliflower market is lower, but availability is spotty with retail based shippers. Quality has been good. This market is expected to strengthen.

Carrots:

Carrot market has continued to go up in price for next week. Quality has been good overall.

Celery:

The celery market is steady ion western product. We will have our first of season Florida celery arriving around 1/4/15. Quality has been very good. Yuma should begin mid January.

Strawberries:

Strawberry market has come off now that the holiday are over for next week, quality has been good.

Potatoes:

Market has gone up a little for next week as the trend continues going into the New Year. Trucks are still extremely tight with rail options available but with plenty of notice. Quality remains good.

Onions:

The market is steady going into next week. Product is plentiful and quality has been very nice. Truck freight out of Oregon/Idaho has been extremely difficult.

Citrus:

The California lemon market is steady along with the Navel market. The quality is very good. Lime market is steady out of Mexico. Quality has been good overall.

Cucumbers:

Cucumbers have loosened up for next week with much better weather in Florida this week.

Peppers

The Green pepper market has gotten a little better going into next week, but we are still struggling with suntans, they are just not coloring up.

Tomatoes:

The round tomato market is lower with large fruit still commanding dollars more than smaller fruit. Grapes and cherries are steady and romas are steady to lower.

The offshore melon deal is off to a slow start and availability is limited keeping markets strong.

Look for California grapes to wind down over the next week or two. We will then move to offshore product.

Yuma products will be stronger across the board and we expect quality to suffer on lettuce and leaf items. We saw very warm temperatures for the first month of the season or so which brought a lot of products forward and kept markets depressed. Shippers are now below budget on most items and this coupled with much cooler weather, ice in the morning, delayed and or curtailed harvest times will lead to stronger markets and possible pro-rates.

 

Recipe of the Week

4 small/medium sized poblano peppers

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 links chicken sausage

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup corn

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Salt and pepper

1 oz. manchego cheese, shredded

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion until tender. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute. Crumble in the chicken sausage, and cook until the sausage starts to brown. Add the salsa, corn, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer over low for a few minutes.

3. Lay the poblanos flat, and cut a T-shaped slit into the top of the poblano. Pry the slit apart, and remove all of the seeds.

4. Stuff the sausage mixture into the peppers. Top each pepper with some of the manchego cheese.

5. Bake until the poblano is tender and browned around the edges