Field to Plate
Lettuce {Lactuca sativa}
Lettuce is a member of the daisy and thistle family. It was known as a water plant because it refreshed thirsty travellers.
Since early times lettuce has been recommended as a remedy for nervousness and as an aid against insomnia - you may remember Peter Rabbit found Mr McGregor's lettuces had a soporific effect!
Lettuce low down
Iceberg
A classic crisphead lettuce with plenty of crunch. Cut it into chunks, shred it or use the larger leaves as a ‘cup’ for other ingredients.
Keeps well in the salad drawer of the fridge and you don’t have to eat it all at once.
Romaine
A long-head lettuce with dark green, narrow crisp leaves and lots of flavour. Also known as Cos.
Tear into smaller pieces and serve in a classic Caesar Salad.
Little Gem
A miniature Romaine which is small and sweet to taste. It’s the perfect size for one person.
Serve the leaves whole or cut the head into quarters.
The land
Shropshire’s lettuces are grown on farmland in the area of Ely, Cambridgeshire where the soil and climate is ideal.
The area enjoys a mix of black fen soils, skirt fen and silty loams. The black fen is good for its fertility and warmth which suits fast growing crops, with the skirt fen and silty loams being good for their water retention and lower weed pressure. Shropshire’s utilises the different types of soil depending on the time of year and the crop.
We grow three main types of lettuce: Iceberg, Romaine and Little Gem (Miniature Romaine), as well as speciality lettuces such as Batavia and Oak Leaf.
Seasons
Organic seeds are sown in the greenhouses in January and young plants first appear at the end of February. These are then grown under protective fleece until they are ready to harvest in May. We continue sequential sowings and plantings each week right through until August, with harvest finishing at the end of October.
All lettuces are cut and bagged on bespoke rigs in the field and then cooled within an hour before being despatched from our coldstore. Within 24 hours of being cut they will be in a regional distribution store from where they will be taken to individual stores and on sale.
Organics
All organic lettuces are grown to Soil Association standards, with natural predators such as ladybirds used to control greenfly and other pests that attack the lettuce. Mechanical and hand-weeding helps to control weeds and healthy soils ensure that the nutrients are provided to grow the crop. Compost made on our own farms is also used to enrich the soil with further nutrients.
Preparation
To prepare whole heads of lettuce, you should separate and wash the leaves in cold water, drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper or use a salad spinner. Before serving, break or tear into bite-sized pieces, rather than cut using a knife which can bruise the leaves. Many popular lettuces are now available in bags, ready to serve.
Tips for Eating and Cooking
Iceberg: A classic crisphead lettuce with plenty of crunch. Cut it into chunks, shred it or use the larger leaves as a ‘cup’ for other ingredients. Keeps well in the salad drawer of the fridge and you don’t have to eat it all at once.
Romaine: A long-head lettuce with dark green, narrow crisp leaves and lots of flavour. Also known as Cos. Tear into smaller pieces and serve in a classic Caesar Salad.
Little Gem: A miniature Romaine which is small and sweet to taste. It’s the perfect size for one person. Serve the leaves whole or cut the head into quarters.