Marcello’s Farm. The name has a southern-European ring to it but the farm can be found in the Dutch polder landscape. Marcel van Sitteren operates 100% organically and grew Salanova® for the first time this spring.

‘Flower lettuce’
‘Real works of art’; that is what Marcel and his partner, Inge Schwagermann, call the green and red multi-leaf Salanova® butterhead lettuce they grow on Marcello’s Farm. “The lettuce forms really nice heads of small leaves. They look just like beautiful flowers.” No wonder, then, that several supermarkets at home and abroad are interested in their product. Since April, 8,400 plants have been planted, with the first lettuce cut mid-May. 

Sales
Trading company Green Organics specialises in organic products. The company sees a lot of opportunities for this product and is, therefore, having talks with potential sales partners. The kind of partner the company has in mind would appreciate seasonal supplies from a regular grower, with a pre-agreed quality protocol. Green Organics follows the product intensively, from grower to shop, so that all links connect seamlessly.

Natural product
Crop-technically speaking, it takes all the growers’ skill and expertise to keep the lettuce nice and clean. “Salanova® grows outdoors and we grow it organically, so there is nothing to stop nature doing its worst. In early spring the crop is protected by fleece but it will always be a natural product. This crop needs a lot of attention while it is growing and during harvesting. That is why we check each head of lettuce carefully during cutting. Any discoloured leaves or damaged heads are immediately removed.”

Elegant looks
The lettuces are put in Salanova® bags in the field. “Together with Rijk Zwaan we are busy at the moment developing a special bag with our name and website printed on it.” After bagging, the lettuces are put, six at a time, in black, plasticised boxes. “They don’t get wet out in the field and they look elegant. We know we are supplying a great product this way.”