Support for LAist comes from
We Explain L.A.
Stay Connected

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

Brace Yourselves: A Kale Shortage Could Be Coming

We need to hear from you.
Today during our spring member drive, put a dollar value on the trustworthy reporting you rely on all year long. The local news you read here every day is crafted for you, but right now, we need your help to keep it going. In these uncertain times, your support is even more important. We can't hold those in power accountable and uplift voices from the community without your partnership. Thank you.

Savor that green juice while you've got it. America's favorite cruciferous greenknown as kale might be a bit harder to procure in the coming months due to a shortage of seeds.

ABC News reports that the Netherlands-based company Bejo Seeds, who provide seeds to farmers across the globe, have run out of supplies for their Australian farms, who have seen robust profits from the kale market.

Says Modern Farmer:

Just southeast of Melbourne, the fields at Brunyen Farms in Pearcedale, once reserved for red cabbages and leeks, have been entirely turned over to kale. “We probably only planted probably 3,000 or 4,000 plants a season,” said Steve Brunyen, the farm’s proprietor, to The Daily Mail. “Now we’re up to about 25,000 plants. I still haven’t had enough.” Over in Clyde, another Melbourne suburb, Deborah and Darren Corrigan plant 150,000 seedlings every week, and are one of the country’s main kale growers.
Support for LAist comes from

Though kale has recently seen a resurgence in popularity both in the U.S. and Down Under, the fibrous green has historically been widely grown and eaten in cooler European countries like the Netherlands and Germany because of its ability to handle frosty winters.

So savor your superfood while you've got it, because you might soon have to have to find another source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Related:

Recipe: The Kale Salad That Will Right Your Weekend Wrongs
Recipe: Massaged Kale With Fresh Ginger, Ponzu, And Sesame
Are Kale Cocktails A Growing Trend?

Most Read