Summer Lettuce Variety Trial – Farmer-Led Research
To meet customer demand, Iowa vegetable farmers need to grow lettuce during the hot summer months when lettuce, a cool-season crop, is most difficult to grow.
Six farmer-cooperators compared four lettuce varieties – Concept, Cherokee, Magenta and Nevada – to determine which grow and taste best during summer in Iowa.
In this video, PFI horticulture and habitat programs manager, Liz Kolbe, explains the research project. Jordan Scheibel, of Middle Way Farm in Grinnell, talks about what he’s looking for in a heat-tolerant lettuce variety and how it can help benefit his operation.