Here's a look!
Sweet Corn--is the hottest thing on the market right now. Summer means sweet corn, but Michigan and Indiana are slow to go and southern states are finishing up. Prices are high, though quality is good. A bit of heat should bring on the local corn deal rapidly.
Avocados --might be hotter than corn, except they don't really signify summer, like corn does. The avocado market continues to climb and prices are reaching new heights. It will get worse before it gets better! We've been able to secure #2 avocados, which taste fine, but are not the prettiest and are much less expensive. If this source dries up, you may see prices in the, dare shall I say it, $70 range.
Peeled Garlic--from China is another product on the rise. How long could we expect it to be so inexpensive?
Sugar Snaps--all the good stuff is being sourced from Peru, and the supplies are limited. Product from the other major player, Guatemala has been of poor quality leading to a supply shortage. Pea pods, on the other hand have been nice from both countries, therefore prices are low.
Lettuce--our weather has been quite good for lettuce products, once we got past the deluges a few weeks back. The local Boston lettuce, in particular, has been outstanding.
Zucchini and yellow squash--are a tale of opposites. Zucchini prices are steady, if not dropping, while yellow squash is on the rise.
Eggplant--which has been a bargain for months, has taken a rapid jump. Here's another instance where Michigan product should help relieve the situation.
Onions--good news is on the horizon here. Prices appear to show signs of weakness and should start to fall.
Tomatoes--seem to be on a bit of a roller coaster ride as of late. Now it appears as if 25 pound 5x6 tomatoes are beginning to inch up in price, while romas and grape tomatoes show signs of dropping. All hot house tomatoes remain steady. There are still very few good options for a tasty vine ripe tomato. We'll probably just have to wait for the local deal to begin.
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( 3 / 50 )Yikes! Is it Art Fair season already? When did July come along, and isn't it supposed to be hot in July. I don't know about you, but I kind of like this weather, especially if it stayed like this into, let's say, like January. Oh yea, they call that Southern California. Okay, so back to Art Fair. You know the drill by now. Be prepared and call your orders in early, and we'll deliver before dawn the next day. It's really difficult to navigate around downtown during the day. Let us know when someone is there to receive your order, and we'll be at your doorstep with a smile. So, what's going on in the produce business during the season of ART FAIR. Let's take a look.
Tomatoes--the price crunch is officially over, though we haven't found a tomato which we particularly care for. The grower in Kentucky whose product usually arrives just as Art Fair begins, said this is the worst growing year in over 30 years for him. Lots of rain has hit the eastern part of the U.S. Good for the watersheds, bad for tomatoes. Not sure what the tomato of choice will be for next week, but we'll find something that will fit the bill. Grape tomatoes, at least, seem to be of higher quality this week.
Asparagus --the domestic season, including our almost domestic brothers and sisters in Canada, is officially over. All asparagus from here on in will be from from Peru and Chili. It's just asparagus, though the price is right.
Corn--has hit a little bump after the 4th, and we're waiting for the local Michigan and Ohio folks to help straighten it out. The corn for the past few weeks has been outstanding though prices are up this week. If the weather heats up, the local corn should catch up and prices should fall.
Green Beans--on the other hand have improved greatly this week. And believe it or not, the product has been from the great mitten state of Michigan.
Blueberries--have now transitioned to Michigan. Prices will actually rise, as New Jersey and several southern states drop out of the picture. Early season Dukes (the variety) lead the way, with Blue Crops not far behind. If you're interested in 5 or 10 pound lugs, let the Frog crew know. We do like our Michigan blueberries!
Cherries--Michigan is about to begin its sweet and tart crop on the western part of the state. If you're interested in tart cherries, let us know. It's ironic that we produce the most tart cherries in the U.S., though they're virtually never found in produce markets or grocery stores. Sweet cherries will transition to the Traverse City area in a few weeks. Cherries from Washington state and Oregon are in a rare state of supply exceeds demand, so prices of Northwest cherries will down this year.
Fresh Figs--plump, Black Mission figs are now available and they are mighty tasty. They come in 12 pint cases, or loose in usually 24 or 48 count cases. The first season is coming to an end, and there will be a short gap before the 2nd or main summer season begins. Dust off all of your fig recipes!
Avocados --are outrageously expensive, as the Mexican crop begins to flower for next year and the harvest continues to finish up this years' crop. There's a name for this phenomenon, though I can't remember it at the present. After this thing occurs, the market tends to drop. We're doing everything we can to source avocados a bit less expensive. The real market is about $60 per case. We hope the market will fall in a few weeks.
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( 2.9 / 73 )As we approach the month of July, many states across the country enter
the main part of their growing season. It is the one time of the year that we are a bit less reliant on California for our produce items. Our own state of Michigan is a leading producer of many fruits and vegetables, some of which get exported as far south to Florida and east to New York. Let's take a look at what's going on .
Tomatoes--the market starts to drop as tomatoes from mid-Atlantic states begin their harvest. Virgina, Arkansas, and Kentucky, produce significant volume, enough to help satisfy demand. The biggest drop is in the 5x6 market where prices have dropped overnight from the mid $30's to the mid $20's. Prices should continue to fall toward the end of the week and drop even further after Independence Day.
Berries--rain in California has nudged the raspberry market higher, while strawberries and blackberries remain stable. One of the country's best commercial berry growers, hits the market this week. Raspberries, currants of several colors, and blackberries from Richter Farms in Washington are due in Monday. They are flown in to Detroit, and in years past they tend to be picture perfect. If you want a treat, indulge in a case of their berries.
Blueberries are now being harvested from New Jersey and they are pressuring the market downward. This is about as cheap as it gets. A case of 12 full pints is under $20. Such a deal!
Bing Cherries--from Washington state have begun. The crop is about 2 weeks behind schedule, and has still not achieved proper maturity. The crop was touted to be very large, and the growers need to move significant volume during the July 4th holiday, otherwise prices could get very low. We've talked to our growers in the Traverse City area, and they are about 2 weeks away for the good stuff! If you are interested in tart cherries, please let us know ahead of time so we can reserve some for you.
Peeled Garlic--prices for Chinese product have increased. From what I can fathom, new crop Chinese garlic is now being harvested, and last year's crop is about done. You probably will able to smell the pungent odor when the new crop arrives.
Peapods and Sugar Snaps--from Guatemala are in a gap and prices are higher and quality is lower. Peru takes up some of the slack, as does California, but nothing is exceptional. A good time to give them a break and use something fresher.
What's going out of season.
Artichokes(see ya in the fall), asparagus(the local season is about done), Florida Valencia oranges(say hello to California Valencia's).
Michigan produce--yellow squash and zucchini, cucumbers, baby bunch beets and carrots, collards, mustards and turnip greens, green and red leaf lettuce, boston and romaine, all cabbages including baby bok choy, green onions, many herbs, and rhubarb. By the way, I am including the farmers from Leamington, Canada as "Michigan" produce. It's poetic license.
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( 2.7 / 56 )It never fails. Just when the Michigan strawberry season gets going, it starts to rain and get hot. That's not a good combination for the tender Michigan strawberry. The season is now at its peak and could go on for another couple of weeks, depending on the weather. Many other states have a local deal going on now, causing California berries to be less expensive.
The warmer weather should be great for most Michigan summer crops, which are a bit behind schedule. Not many new Michigan items have cropped up this week.
Here's a look at other produce news.
Spanish Onions--I can't remember the last time I talked about onions, but there's news here now. California and Texas are finished for the season, and the next producing areas such as New Mexico, Washington, and Colorado, are not ready to pick up the slack. Demand is higher than supplies and the market has moved higher very quickly, and is already in the mid $20's. Jumbo whites are high as well, though red onions are now a bargain.
Lettuce--Romaine and its off shoots like romaine hearts are higher. Iceberg prices are in the low to mid $20's, while local leaf lettuce deals keep the prices down here. The Michigan deal I mentioned last week hopefully will begin next week.
Cantaloupe and Honeydew--prices are lower as the weather heats up in California.
Tomatoes--it looks as if the market for large tomatoes could remain high for about another week. Grape tomato prices have come down in a hurry (they grow quickly), and roma tomatoes are also lower.
Asparagus--this could be the last week for Michigan product as farmers need to put the fields to bed. Asparagus from Peru is being quoted for next week, and there could be some product from Ontario still available.
Sweet Corn--is looking and tasting much better, and prices are lower. Product is predominantly from Georgia. If you're a white corn fan, there is some available at the Detroit market.
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( 3 / 46 )I say hold on to your pocketbook!! The tomato market is on fire with prices exceeding $30 for 4x5's and 5x6's. The culprit is as discussed in the previous blog, Florida has been rained out and no one is ready to take its place. Hopefully some local deals i.e. Kentucky, Arkansas, etc. will relieve the pressure, though that could take a few weeks. Grape tomatoes are not quite as bad, yet. The other major rain displaced crop is sweet corn, which is virtually non-existent. Prices are approaching $30 there for a crate of 45 ears.
Another issue which always effects prices at this time of the year is the price of trucks coming from the west coast. With the addition of stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, cherries, etc. there is a greater demand for trucks, and prices escalate. Sometimes the price of the ride is greater than the commodity itself.
Broccoli and cauliflower--prices are higher mostly due to the price of trucks. There are local deals around which mitigate California prices.
Celery--prices are starting to climb. Those celery boxes are awfully heavy and expensive to ship across the country.
Lettuce--this is lettuce weather around here, and one of the best Michigan deals should begin next week. Gorgeous heads of boston lettuce lead the way, along with deep crimson colored red leaf, fresh romaine and green leaf. Keep your eyes peeled for lettuce from Black River.
Lemons--the lemon market is climbing as we approach "lemon season." California and Arizona are the major contributors on the supply side. It's all about supply and demand. Limes, on the other hand, have been a bargain. They are almost all from Mexico.
Zucchini and Yellow squash--these fast maturing veggies are already coming from a hand full of Michigan growers and as well as from many other states. Prices are lower.
Pineapples--a glut in the market has caused prices to be inexpensive. Unfortunately, quality has been somewhat hit and miss.
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