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produce market report July 16, 2013

Strict enforcement is in effect from DOT regulations beginning July 1st. Regulations are mandating a shift in the way logistics are planned and executed. DOT has trimmed drivers work weeks by 12 hours. With the strict enforcement for drivers Hours of Service (HOS), we are using our resources as efficiently as possible.

You

can help us by placing orders earlier, by 5:00pm.

Local
Peaches and Nectarines Blackberries Gold Cherry Tomatoes Fillet Green Beans Blueberries Corn Broccoli Beefsteak Tomatoes Cabbage Watermelon Mixed Baby Squash Cucumbers

Local Corner
Heavy rains and high heat have impacted all local produce but luckily, Crown Orchards peaches and nectarines have been impervious to the problems so far! Westmoreland Farm is bringing us their famous giant, ripe blackberries. We are very proud to ship our local bushel beans. The filet green beans from Spring Valley Farms have the most vibrant color and texture around! Blueberries are flowing from Jersey. Heirloom tomatoes and 25 lb. vine ripes are arriving daily from local sources. Act now! Mixed baby local squash is a great choice this week, grown only 140 miles from Keany. Yellow squash and zucchini crops have suffered greatly from all of the rainy weather. We have moved outside of our region to cover demand. Lois of Lois Produce of Virginia was surely correct when she predicted that this years crop of gold cherry tomatoes would be memorable. They are the sweetest we have ever seen! North Carolina is sending us the sweetest, juiciest, best eating watermelon right now. Broccoli crown harvests are well underway at Parker Farms, Virginia. Green cabbage is plentiful from Arnold Farms on Marylands Eastern Shore. The heat embeds some scorched layers in red cabbage which we are on the watch for. White, bi-color and yellow corn all thrive in the heat and weve had plenty of that recently. Great news for corn crops! Cucumbers are another crop that has not faired well. Both select and pickling cukes are difficult to source locally.

Keep in Mind:
Avocados are steady now out of California with excellent quality and good supplies. The one nagging problems is the continued shortage of the 48 size. California shippers are sending us Brown Turkish Figs right now. Good flavor and availability. Champagne grapes are available now until the late summer . Red globe, Flame, green and black seedless are all in good stock. Leafy items like iceberg, romaine and green leaf are typically lower this time of year, but California has eased off with the expectation of higher yields on the East Coast. Red leaf and Boston lettuce are still holding their own. Baby spinach, destemmed spinach, field greens and arugula are good choices. Celery has finally come off its high horse according to our buyers.

Just in from Tasteful selections...the best varieties of potatoes with fantastic flavors, great texture and tender skins. Ready from pantry to plate. Prewashed, no peeling and faster cook times.

Tastefulselections.com
We are in great shape on California stone fruit like pluots, plums, nectarines, and peaches. The best melons of the season from the West Coast have arrived. They are the sweetest honeydew and cantaloupe melons! CA asparagus is winding down, Washington is finished, Michigan is finished and Peru is raising prices. We are having issues with strawberries and these will continue for the next couple of weeks. In warm, moist weather with little or no wind, the berries suffer. There are not enough to go around and the demand is high. Stem strawberries are not available. Raspberries are up a few dollars but the quality is good.

Keep in Mind
Avocados Plums, pluots, nectarines Champagne Grapes Iceberg, romaine, and green leaf Honeydew and Cantaloupe Celery

Watch
Lemons are on the rise. Typical of the season. We expect Bartlett pears from Bakersfield to start arriving next week. These first are called River Bartletts from down in the valley. Get ready!

WATCH
Strawberries Raspberries Bartlett pears Lemons

Keany Produce Company | 3310 75th Avenue | Landover, MD 20785 | 301-772-3333 | FAX: 301-772-3469 Visit us on the web at: www.keanyproduce.com