I want my greens!

[lawchick04]

Does anyone know if it's safe to eat fresh spinach and lettuce in in the USA again? After the spinach scare, the news said it was ok to eat spinach as long as it wasn't produced in California. I still wasn't really confident about spinach (which I love) and kept avoiding it.

Then there was something out about lettuce having e.coli problems as well...

I just want to have a salad! Are these things safe again?

[lulu]

My goodness.....what was wrong with USA greens! I could not cope with out lettuce or spinach for too long!

[corazon]

I think most of the greens are safe now. It was the baby spinach in a bag that was the e coli culprit, so I would suggest buying the regular spinach. It has big stems to cut of and you have to wash all the dirt out. From what I understand, greens are safe again.

[lawchick04]

I read that there was a big recall of Dole bagged lettuce as well and that there was a problem with shipments in several western USA states. I'm in Colorado, so that had me freaked out. I guess buying the greenery fresh and not in bags would be the key...?

[devora]

Lawchick, as I understood the recall (and I followed it pretty closely b/c 1. I'm in CA and 2. I love spinach) it was ONLY for spinach, no other greens were in danger of having the dreaded e coli. I was a scaredy cat, tho, and avoided all greens for a bit. But this was probably irrational! Now anything you find on your shelf is safe b/c everything from CA that was in danger has been recalled. If you're still wary, how about other greens?

[Katie E]

On my last grocery shopping trip - last Wednesday - I noticed that spinach had made it back on the area produce shelves. I'm in western Kentucky, so I expected to see a long period of time without spinach. It has made it back in both bags and in bulk, which leads me to think the problem has been identified and isolated. Our area markets are very conservative and I was happy to see one of my favorite veggies back.

[BreezyCooking]

So far only one of my local markets has begun carrying bagged spinach again, but there's a HUGE free-standing floor sign stating that the market has confirmed that it's all been raised on the east coast. It's the regular savoy-type spinach - not the flat-leaf baby stuff.

Even with the sign, however, the spinach-stuffed shelves hadn't been touched. I think it's going to take awhile for spinach-growers, regardless of location, to regain public trust.

[daisy]

I'm not aware of the current situation, but I do know that it wasn't only bagged spinach that was affected. It was also fresh spinach, and several other green vegetables as well, including lettuce. AND some beef.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15188708/

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/07/bee....ap/index.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=2442943

[amber]

I havent touched spinach either, and it's not offered in the salad bar at my grocery store, however lettuce is offered (which I've eaten and am fine). In all situations that I've noticed on the news, it was to do with bagged spinach and lettuce. Lawchick, you live in a cool environment, so do I. What we could do is grow lettuce and spinach from seed indoors for now, and then grow it outdoors in the spring. I know these are best grown directly in the ground, but it cant hurt to try. I miss spinach!

[BreezyCooking]

Amber - I know you're in a much colder zone than me, but you could try to grow spinach, kale, mache, & other cold-hardy greens in a south-facing cold frame.

My husband bought me a commercially-made one as a gift, & it's been terrific. It's made of a corrugated plastic that traps air for insulation in the corrugated tunnels, & while I've mostly used it for hardening off seedlings started indoors, & started some flats of seeds in early spring, I'm hoping to try some winter greens in it this year.

Elliot Coleman - the organic gardening guru from your neck of the woods - has also recommended impromptu cold frames made from a few bales of straw topped with old windows from a salvage yard.

You might want to try it if you have the space.