Lettuce Sunrise
by Robert Bales
Title
Lettuce Sunrise
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
Got up early to do some computer work and my wife said looks like there is going to be a nice sunrise. So we jumped in the car and went out to some lettuce fields where we knew the mountains were in the background. This lettuce is a few days away from being harvest. It maybe on your Thanksgiving table.
The Yuma area produces over 90 percent of the winter lettuce for the United Stated.
Tucked away in the very southwest corner of Arizona, you will find sunshine, clean air, majestic vistas, and beautiful rows of fresh lettuce. Yuma lies in the Sonora Desert, framed by rugged mountains, irrigated by the Colorado River, and flooded with sunshine almost every day of the year. Known as the Winter Lettuce Capital of the World, Yuma produces the majority of the fresh lettuces you eat during the winter.
Now, of the 230,000 acres of land utilized for agriculture in Yuma County, 100 per cent are irrigated with Colorado River water delivered by one of the county's seven irrigation districts. Every single field in the county is also laser-leveled and graded using GPS technology, making Yuma's irrigation network one of the most efficient in the world.
All this has made Yuma County first in the state - and THIRD IN THE NATION - for vegetable production. In fact, about 90 percent of all the leafy vegetables grown in the U.S. from November through March are grown in and around the Yuma area.
To put this in perspective, the Yuma area is home to nine salad plants that produce bagged lettuce and salad mixes. During peak production months, each of those plants processes more than two million pounds of lettuce per day.
Uploaded
November 20th, 2013
Embed
Share
Similar Images
Comments (41)
I'ina Van Lawick
There are still places in our country that seem to go on forever. Great image, Bob. Such a feeling of vastness. LF
Elizabeth Dow
Magnificent color and patterns! The soil is so rich and I bet the lettuce is so delicious.
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks for the visit and nice comment it is amazing to watch it grow and be harvested!!
Christopher James
One of your peers nominated this image in the 1000 views Groups Special Features Nominations For Promotion #23 . Please help your fellow artists by visiting and passing on the love to another artist in the the 1000 Views Group....L/F/Tw
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much for the information, discussion, and the promotion, Christopher!!
VIVA Anderson
Lovely Lettuce, Robert !! Great story, too. FAV, regards.....VIVA
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks so much for the comment and the Fav!! So glad you enjoyed the write-up!!
Regina Geoghan
Super capture of the lettuce field in beautiful light and appreciate your detailed description, Robert. F.
Christopher James
Congratulation.....your wonderful work has been featured in the 1000 Views on 1 Image Group ..... Feel free to place your featured image in the Features Archive and any Genre specific Archive l/f/p
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks, Christopher for the nice feature, congrats, invite, comments and promotion!!
Phyllis Kaltenbach
We didn't realize that Yuma was that productive, Robert. A gorgeous sunrise and scene! V/F
Robert Bales replied:
Sorry I missed this one, but thanks so much for the comments and the VF. I was also surprised on my first visit.
Linda Phelps
L Beautiful colors! The red tone in the earth work nocely with the green crop and the sunrise. Thanks for the interesting info about the lettuce. We love the leafy kind!
Robert Bales replied:
There is a lot here, but now they are planting grain and melons. Thanks for the Like!!
Recently Viewed
