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MIXT Makers: Pete’s Butter Lettuce

Butter lettuce is a staple on our menu with its soft, slightly sweet taste we love. But what we love even more is our sourcing partner, Pete’s. Pete’s is an employee owned and operated farm located in Carpinteria, CA – and there is a real ‘Pete’. In fact, Pete’s family has been in the farming business for three generations; his grandparents were greenhouse growers in the 1920s and his parents started their farm in 1970, where he has been working his entire life.

Pete’s is as passionate about sustainability as we are and with their hydroponic greenhouse growing method, they use 75-85% less water than traditional field-grown crops and utilize only a quarter of the space. As a result, Pete’s achieves a smaller environmental footprint while yielding just as much produce as field-grown crops.

In addition to saving space and water, Pete’s hydroponic greenhouse-growing method creates the ideal environment for greens to grow. The greenhouse protects the greens from pests and wind, while computers are used to monitor the weather, the watering and the amount of sunlight the greens receive. That means they have more control over producing healthy, organic plants, even in unpredictable weather.

Pete’s strives for quality, freshness, and sustainability. In addition to living butter lettuce, they grow organic watercress and living spring mix.
Visit www.eatpetes.com to learn more.