LETTUCE

THE UNDISPUTED KING OF THE SALAD BOWL

By Veronica Worthington

Lettuce is, without doubt, the world's most popular salad plant. It is a plant with a long, and ancient history, cultivated possibly longer than any other common vegetable crop; pictures of a pointed-leaved lettuce have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 4500 B.C. Historical botanists think, however, that the Egyptians grew lettuce originally for the edible oil extracted from its seeds and the narcotic qualities of its milky sap, not as a table food.

Our modern day lettuce 'Lactuca sativa' derives its Latin name from Lactuca for milk, a reference to the white juice that exudes from cut stems, and sativa indicating a cultivated plant. Lactuca scariola, the wild relative of cultivated lettuce, called "Prickly lettuce," is a common weed of orchards, roadsides and crops. You probably have seen it in your garden. Prickly lettuce, like all lettuce, contains lactucarium, a mild narcotic similar to opium. All lettuces possess it, although, cultivation has somewhat lessened the narcotic properties.

The name "salad" came to us from the Latin word for salt (sal), with which the greens were seasoned before the advent of commercial salad dressings. (A simple dressing of olive oil and salt makes the best dressing in my opinion, or lime juice and salt sprinkled with fresh herbs and mint leaves for a very refreshing summer salad.)

As mentioned, lettuce has been grown not only as a food but also as a medicinal herb. Its milky juice is recommended by herbalist as a sedative and as an aid for sleep. In Germany, Lactuca vurisa, a close lettuce relative, was used to induce sleep. Elizabethan herbalists commented on the importance of lettuce and recommended that it be eaten at mealtime and before "indulgence in drink" because, "it staieth the vapours that disturb the head and cooleth the hot stomache which some call heart burn."

Lettuce eventually made its way to the dinner table. Ancient civilizations saw the plant as both an appetite stimulant as well as an aid to sleep. In ancient Greece this led to confusion whether to eat the plant at the beginning or the end of a meal. The ancient Greeks believed that lettuce induced sleep, so they served it at the end of the meal. The Romans continued the custom. However, the dictatorial Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD) served it at the beginning of his feasts so he could torture his guests by forcing them to stay awake in the presence of the Emperor. Later, it was eaten at the beginning to stimulate the appetite.

Herodotus spoke of lettuce being served at the royal table of Persian kings in the fifth century B.C. Theophrastus named three varieties in his History of Plants, 350 B.C. In the year 1 A.D. the Romans mentioned 12 lettuce varieties. By the 1st century, Pliny was mentioning nine varieties of lettuce, including a purple one and a red one. All were loose leaf types. By the 5th century, lettuce was being cultivated in China, where it was treated as a vegetable to cook. Because of this, the types of lettuce developed in China and the Far East have different characteristics from the European types.

Columbus apparently first brought lettuce seeds to the New World, for it is recorded as being cultivated at lsabela, his first stop, in 1494. By Colonial times lettuce was a common vegetable in the gardens of upper-class families, if one can judge from the working kitchen garden planned by George Washington at Mt. Vernon. Of the 61 beds he mapped out for his near-acre plot, 16 were planted with lettuce.

In 1806, a seedsman of the times, McMahon, listed 16 varieties of lettuce in his catalogue. Le Bon Jardinier of 1880 lists 40 varieties existing in France. A report of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station of 1885 describes 87 varieties with 585 names of synonyms. Today there are hundreds of varieties of cultivated lettuce served around the world.

Although 95% of all lettuce in the US today (mainly Iceberg) is now grown in California and Arizona, Boston was once the lettuce capital of the world, with its namesake being the preferred variety of the day (Big Boston). Locally grown organic produce has come full circle, as has the organic movement itself. To a certain extent we have returned to the agricultural diversity that existed a century or more ago.

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Cos or Romaine lettuces (var. longifolia) have long upright leaves that form a cylindrical head. This type is most common in the Middle East because of its tolerance of hot climates. The leaves are generally green, but can be found in red and have thick, crisp, juicy ribs. Its strong texture stands up to cooking better than any other lettuce, and the flavor is sharper and pleasantly nutty. Romaine is said to be the most nutritious of the lettuces. Chinese types like Stem lettuce are best stir-fried, or steamed and eaten like asparagus. Red-headed lettuce is becoming popular since its leaves have a more delicate texture and a better flavor than many green-leaf varieties. One well-known variety is the French lettuce Merveille de Quatre Saisons.

LETTUCE CULTIVATION

The cultivation of lettuce is relatively simple if you follow a few rules. A humus-rich, moisture-retaining soil is the essential foundation for fine-flavored lettuces. Lettuce can be successfully grown year-round by choosing varieties adapted to each season, although your lettuces will always achieve perfection during early April and May plantings. Summer plantings benefit greatly from a 50% shade cover; fall and winter crops from a plastic row cover or insulation blanket. Once lettuce is properly hardened off, it can easily take a hard freeze unscathed. On Cape Cod lettuce easily survives in the garden, covered by a cold frame, until Christmas. Ventilation of the frame is important on sunny days and during long periods of below 40-degree temperatures, as mildew is a common problem of cool-weather lettuce growing.

Lettuce can germinate at 40 degrees but germinate faster and more uniformly at 65-70 degrees. Lettuce should be grown quickly, never having to wait around to be planted or suffer drought or nutrient deficient conditions. Rapid growth is important and is forced by occasional top dressings of compost. Remember "feed the soil"; don't worry about the lettuce, soil decomposers (bacteria, fungi and possibly certain arthropods) are responsible for nutrient retention and availability in soil.

Lettuce is best started in seed trays and not seeded directly into the garden. Once planted give them ample space between plants; lettuce will not head unless thinned frequently and ruthlessly to final distance of 1 foot. Very competitive with its reproductive strategies, once it touches its neighbor, lettuce will bolt, trying to win its place in the race for procreation. Plant seeds every two weeks for a continuous supply.

CEDAR SPRING
HERB FARM

WHERE HERITAGE, KNOWLEDGE & PASSION CONVERGE

By Dianne Langeland

Donna Eaton in one of her herb identification gardens.

Some people reveal themselves more carefully than others. Donna Eaton is one such person. But don't let her soft, soothing voice and a calm manner deceive you. Donna is a force of nature; a strong, confident woman who has carved out a unique niche for herself, built on her heritage, knowledge and passion.

We got to know Donna last summer when she was a seasonal vendor at the Mid-Cape Farmers' Market in Hyannis. She was always set up and ready to greet the first customers of the morning, her custom-made display showcasing an interesting array of products and impeccable produce. Donna's goods intrigued us, especially since she was more interested in talking about the herbal products than the veggies we were buying from her. Her produce was so delicious that we wanted to learn more about her operation. There was nothing else to do, but get in the car and take a visit to her farm, Cedar Spring Herb Farm.

Although she earned a degree in Psychology, it was when she was working part-time for her future husband who had a landscaping business that Donna found her calling. As Donna recalls, "A client asked me to design an English herb garden and I loved every aspect of it. I visited herb gardens and met Adelma Grenier Simmons at Caprilands and decided I wanted to grow up to be just like her. Herbs have so many uses-culinary, decorative, fragrance, medicinal, household-and are used similarly to the way they were centuries ago. As I studied about herbs, their history cultivation and use, I came across medicinal references that intrigued me. At the same time I began to seek alternative health options for my husband Brad and myself, and met a Naturopathic Doctor who encouraged me to go to Naturopathic Physicians School. But I wanted to be closer to the plants and the Earth, so he referred me to Dominion Herbal College in Vancouver B.C., which he considered to be the best education for herbalists at that time."

Of Onondagan heritage, Donna has also studied with several North and South American healers to learn the spiritual and herbal healing techniques of native people. At Cedar Spring Herb Farm, she brings her eclectic training and skills to bear in a wide range of activities. For example, you can take a class in Organic Gardening, Herbalism, Shamanic Healing or Soap Making. You can get a wellness consultation in using herbs for general health to tone and strengthen the systems of the body, much like eating healthy food, or for use in the prevention of disease; participate in a Sweat Lodge Purification Ceremony; or join a women's group that meets monthly on the night of the new moon.

Donna and Brad purchased the property on which Cedar Spring Herb Farm is situated in 1997. According to Donna, they "searched two-and-one-half years for a parcel that wasn't near a golf course, high power lines or a cranberry bog, and that had potential for organic growing, which meant it was either untouched for a few years or wooded. The property in Harwich met these conditions and was offered by a seller who shares a deep commitment to land, open space and agriculture. Also on the property is a White Cedar swamp that brings back fond memories of yearly family walks at the Marconi Beach Swamp Trail and which is sacred to Native Americans. Harwich has been such a perfect fit for this venture. I've had lots of support from the Town, local businesses and the community."

Today the farm includes a treatment and teaching facility, herb specialty shop, walking trails, herb identification gardens, herb drying loft, greenhouse, meditation gardens, the aforementioned purification lodge and production gardens that yield some of the most beautiful produce sold at the Mid-Cape Farmers' Market each Wednesday during the summer. We're particularly fond of the Gold Marie Vining Beans that Donna sells with a handful of summer savory in a neatly tied package. The beans, which are a lovely pale gold color and as long as your hand is wide, have flat pods and a nice nutty flavor. Parboiled, then tossed in a sauté pan with the summer savory, a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt and a splash of good olive oil, the beans were a favorite side dish on our dinner table last summer.

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In addition to the Gold Maries and eight different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, Donna grows more exotic plants like Fennel, Egyptian Onions, Blue Hubbard Squash, Red Russian Kale and Burgundy Beans, which turn from deep purple to green when cooked. She also has planted almond and hazelnut trees as part of a National Arbor Day Foundation program to develop alternative food sources. Since neither plant is indigenous to the Cape, Donna is taking careful records monitoring the growth and vigor of the plants to see how long they take to bear nuts.

Donna's real love, however, is working with herbs, which she uses in a variety of organically-grown culinary, medicinal and personal care products; everything from herbal honeys, to tea blends, to aftershave gel and baby oil, to scouring powder. All are chemical free and created on site in Harwich. A stroll with Donna in her herb identification gardens leaves one's head spinning and full of ideas. As she walks through the neat beds, she points to each plant and gives a mini-tutorial. Sweet Woodruff smells like freshly mowed hay and is used to make traditional May wine from a base of Rhine wine. Thyme is used as an antiseptic and stimulant in herb lotions and baths. Lovage leaves are celery flavored and used in soups and salads. The Cedar Spring Herb Farm website (cedarspringherbfarm.com) provides descriptions, uses and garden notes on many common kitchen garden herbs. For those who want more in-depth knowledge of herbs, Donna offers a seven-month program called Garden of Health. In addition to learning how to grow, identify, harvest and dry herbs, attendees learn how to create herbal tonics and cosmetics and formulations.

Denise Atwood, who with her husband Bill has owned the renowned Red Pheasant Inn for 30 years, participated in Donna's Garden of Health program and has rave reviews. Says Denise, "I grew many herbs and was always experimenting with new plants, but I was not sure what to do with them, other than the obvious flower garnishes and cooking (which is pretty much Bill's domain.) What I needed was to learn more about my plants and expand my knowledge. With Donna I found that and more. I learned to see the plants as part of the Earth's dynamic. Each plant has characteristics that are unique; each plant can heal various parts of the body, and if you look and listen, it will show you about itself. It is hard to put in words, but Donna brings out the magic in plants. She shares her knowledge on many levels, maybe depending on where we are and what we need to hear. There is fun to be had in the soap making classes; there is healing to learn about in her medicinal lectures; there is hard work to do in her hands on gardening; but the connection with the plants and the earth is life long."

Donna sums it up, "If you had asked me 20 years ago, I never would have thought that I would have an herb farm on Cape Cod. Now I can't imagine doing anything else. This is a life work for me, and the vision is evolving slowly, in harmony with the land. I hope to always keep it available for people to come and learn from and experience. I have been given so much, the farm is my way of giving back."

Donna Enjoying Gold Marie Vining Beans Straight from the Garden.

WHERE'S THE (LOCAL) BEEF?

TRADITIONAL NEW ENGLAND BEEF MEETS MODERN DISTRIBUTION

By Chelsea Vivian

Before sunrise as still air condenses to mist, twenty box trucks roar to life interrupting the silence in the town of Woburn, Mass. The cargo? Boxes packed with a multitude of pre-portioned and sealed foods that include poultry, eggs, dairy, and produce. The destination? Restaurants and markets in all over New England and beyond.

The trucks belong to Dole & Bailey a regional quality foods distributor, which has been family run for more than a century. Some of the boxes contain a new brand, which is a lovechild of the Dole & Bailey proprietors. The product is pasture-fed, naturally raised beef, veal and poultry from 35 local small family farms. The farms are part of the North East Family Farms (NEFF) program, which sources and markets meat cuts from animals raised using traditional, sustainable farming methods. Dole & Bailey buys this meat that is raised the old-fashioned way, and distributes it with up-to-date efficiency, consistency and economies of scale.

IT ALL STARTS ON THE FARM

Half of the 30 farms involved in the NEFF program supply pasture-fed beef, and these farms usually process between 20 and 100 head of cattle annually. Dole & Bailey requires product that meet a strict set of protocols for breeding, ranching techniques and feed to ensure the quality and optimum flavor of the end product. All cattle must be grown in the Northeast, so ability to flourish in New England is key. Thus breeds such as Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn are common. To be part of NEFF, the breeds must have identification and source verification. Animals must be handled humanely and allowed to forage in the pasture for a minimum of half of their food. Supplemental feed cannot contain animal or fish by-products, hormones or antibiotics. In the same spirit, milk-fed veal must be raised the old-fashioned way: by a cow. These methods increase breeding time and costs substantially. NEFF beef cattle take two years to mature, while animals raised using industrialized methods only take eleven months, which is highly unnatural.

One grower in the NEFF collaborative is Ioka Valley Farm, which has been owned and operated by the Leab family since 1936 when Robert and Dorothy Leab drove 13 cows to their new plot in the Berkshires and started a dairy farm and a family. Over time the dairy herd was sold and the farm diversified to produce natural, hormone-free beef, as well as pumpkins, strawberries, hay, corn and maple syrup. The cattle graze in the pasture from spring through fall, and are housed comfortably for winter. Their diet is supplemented with corn and hay from the farm. The Leab family takes pride in the unique flavor and color of their beef, and believes that support and guidance from Northeast Family Farms enables them to effectively focus on the development and health of the herd.

From the farm, the cattle board trucks for the next stop, the meatpacking house. From Ioka Farm they make a short trip to Over the Hill Farm slaughterhouse and meat processing facility in Benson, Vermont. Within the NEFF the beef farms use one of three small processors. Dole & Bailey experts have spent countless hours with each packinghouse helping to develop a meat cutting system that makes the most of each animal. They incorporate efficient methods used in much larger facilities yet remain vigilant about quality while maintaining a safe, humane and sanitary workplace. Typically 60 percent of a 700-pound animal is usable meat, which translates to about 1,600 four-ounce servings. However, less than of half that yield is premium cuts like strip steaks and rib eyes. The rest is ground beef, and while marketing the steak is important, the successful economics of the whole process rely on the sale of the hamburger.

PACKING AND DISTRIBUTING: DOLE & BAILEY TAKE OVER

At the next stop, the meat is portioned and packaged and tagged by Dole & Bailey. On the floor of the D & B hub-essentially a huge, immaculate refrigerator-men and women in white coats, aprons and hairnets break down large pieces of meat into familiar steak and roast cuts. The air is nippy, but the mood is warm and jovial. Many employees and their families have worked here for years. To one side is the final packaging and labeling area, where the emphasis on farms is apparent; the labels show the NEFF logo and the farm of origin. In another climate-controlled area, there is a meat-aging locker where ribs and sirloin age for two months to add distinct flavor and color to the meat.
Dole & Bailey's expertise in packaging and marketing has been honed for more than a century. In the late 1860s Frank Bailey, a homesteader, and Cyrus Dole, a farmer, partnered to raise Vermont lamb. They delivered the mat by horse and wagon sold it at the Boston Farmers' Market in Faneuil Hall. The operation prospered and soon included myriad meats, cheeses, poultry, produce and eggs from family farms throughout New England. An up-and-coming master butcher Bud Matheson learned the tricks of the trade from the founder's nephew. He eventually traded his apron to take the helm of the operation and he grew the business into three facilities. Today his daughter Nancy and son Scott continue to run the operation, and serve and educate the region's culinary community.

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Part of the Dole & Bailey mantra is a commitment to sustainable agriculture. Their web site says "We support the revitalization of farming in healthy sustainable ways, and encourage suppliers and growers to engage in these practices." Every employee at Dole & Bailey upholds this ethos, and when you sit down with owner Nancy Matheson, her passion and enthusiasm for preserving New England's agricultural legacy really shines. Having grown up on a farm informed her vision of the local landscape. She says that when she first came across a struggling cooperative of New England farms trying to break into the conventional food market she knew Dole & Bailey could leverage their expertise at marketing and distribution to form a perfect partnership.

Nancy asked her meat-processing director, John Stowell, to adopt the NEFF program and integrate it into Dole & Bailey's distribution. For John, a man with an MBA and a large corporate meatpacking background, the numbers initially didn't compute. He says his first thought was "Nobody is dumb enough to do what we're doing." Each step, from the farm to restaurant requires more cost, time and quality control than using factory-farm meat. NEFF is dedicated to the viability of the farmers and pays more per pound than most other packinghouses and distributors. Then, there is the coordination nightmare: instead of working with a few ranches with thousands of acres, he has to manage logistics with many small farms. And to top it off, pasture-fed beef commands less than five percent market share. But, as soon as he tasted the meat and went out to see the farmers, shelved his hesitation. He says that the small-time family farmers trying to create a quality product, uphold traditional, sustainable methods and survive amidst the meat-industry machine, revealed a unique opportunity for Dole & Bailey. Now, he oversees the process at all levels, from meeting with farmers, to educating the meat processors and his own staff, who package and sell the meat.

Currently NEFF's products make up about seven percent of Dole & Bailey's meat sales. The growth so far is testament to the increasing demand for delicious premium cuts of meat from animals that are raised humanely without unnatural additives. However, growth is slowed by the economics of the ground beef business. Dole & Bailey could easily double the production and number of farms it works with except for the difficulty in selling the ground beef. This meat, which, despite superior flavor, tends to be viewed as a commodity. To maintain an economically-viable supply of the gourmet cuts, consistent purchasers of the hamburger must be found. That means asking consumers to pay a little extra for burgers, taco meat and meatloaf. Dole & Bailey regional sales manager Ed Brylcyk says it is easy to sell steaks to restaurants that support sustainable agriculture, but the true test of their conviction is convincing them to pay top dollar for the ground beef.

There are some promising signs. This summer The Flatbread Company, a restaurant chain dotted throughout New England, will sell a new taco pizza using the naturally-raised ground beef. But more needs to happen for the NEFF program to grow faster. Dole & Bailey has found that, in addition to aggressive marketing, educating eaters can open new doors. An example is the Farm to School program, where Dole & Bailey sells large quantities of meat to food service departments at academic institutions. Yale University is currently NEFF's largest customer; after students overwhelmingly voted to pay more for a food plan that includes pasture-raised, local family farm ingredients. Students tend to love burgers, so the farm products include large amounts of the NEFF ground beef. This sales volume allows Dole & Bailey to use more cattle for prime cuts. If more large buyers like universities, government campuses and schools follow suit, then the trickle down "theory" will help small farmers prosper.

SO WHERE CAN YOU FIND NEFF BEEF ON THE CAPE?

Several of those Dole & Bailey trucks that gear up every morning make their way across the Cape Cod Canal to deliver NEFF meat to top restaurants. Among other cuts, you'll find flat iron steaks and short ribs featured at places like Bleu in Mashpee, The Wicked Oyster in Wellfleet and The Bramble Inn in Brewster. Some of the meat even makes it to the Islands to places like Chantecleer and Le Langueduc. One Dole & Bailey delivery route continues around the Orleans rotary, to Far Land Provisions on Bradford Street in Provincetown. Owners Tom Boland and Jim Farley transformed the corner building, which has been a market since the 1950s, into a homey, hospitable eatery with gourmet flair. Many dishes in the deli to-go case use naturally-raised meats. In the meat section they sell ground beef, flat iron steak and culotte steak from NEFF. Once head chef Erik Hansen and staff explain the facts about the NEFF meat, customers quickly appreciated the added value and began snapping it up. Many describe the meat flavor as richer, gamier, the way beef should taste. So buying Dole & Bailey meat from the NEFF program is truly a way to eat better while doing the right thing for small family farms and our whole food distribution system. Eat well, while doing the right thing.