Lettuce Farm Near the Salton Sea
That lettuce looked and tasted incredible.
I visited Lawrence Cox Ranches in Brawley, California, located near the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley.
The ranch produces lettuce, onions, watermelon and other field-grown crops that supply grocery stores and restaurants across the country.
Water Management for Desert Farms
Imperial Valley farms operate in a hot, arid climate, so careful water management is essential.
California’s water districts have built a complex delivery system to move water where and when it is needed, and local growers adapt planting schedules and methods to make the most of available resources.
Farmers shift crops, employ efficient irrigation techniques and continually adjust practices to keep operations viable during dry periods.
While drought conditions affect much of California and the nation that depends on its produce, Imperial Valley water availability has, at times, been less strained than in Central California. Still, the drought remains a serious challenge for growers everywhere.
Harvesting Lettuce at Lawrence Cox Ranch
Lettuce production is labor intensive and requires attention to soil health and crop condition.
Fields are regularly tested to monitor nutrients and ensure crops remain healthy. When heads reach harvest size, crews harvest by hand.
Experienced workers cut lettuce with knives or machetes, pack it into field boxes, and transport it to packing houses where it is loaded onto trucks bound for grocery stores and restaurants.
Alongside familiar romaine and green leaf varieties, Lawrence Cox Ranches is growing some newer red and burgundy lettuces that are beginning to appear in markets.
These darker lettuces aren’t just visually striking — their deeper color correlates with higher antioxidant levels, comparable in some cases to fruits like blueberries.
For someone who eats salad almost every day, it’s great to enjoy a pretty head of lettuce that also delivers an extra nutritional boost.
My trip to Brawley reinforced how farming continues to evolve. Growers must innovate and adapt to changing conditions while stewarding limited resources to feed the rest of us.
More from Mama Likes To Cook
Explore the vegetarian recipes and farm tours featured on Mama Likes To Cook for more inspiration on cooking, baking, blending and juicing at home.
California Farm Tours
- Sweet Potato Joe Farm Tour – Livingston, CA
- Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese and Dairy Farm Tour – Modesto, CA
- Walnut Farm – Modesto, California
- Charles Ahelm Dairy Ranch – Hilmar, CA
- Avocado Orchard – Irvine, CA
- Urban Produce Indoor Organic Microgreens – Irvine, CA
- Brokaw Avocado Nursery Tour – Ventura, CA
- Rancho Rodoro Avocado Grove – Santa Paula, CA
- Shield’s Date Garden – Indio, CA
- SeaView Ranch – Calipatria, CA
- Lawrence Cox Ranches – Brawley, CA
- Lester Farms Tour – Winters, CA
- Lucero Olive Oil Tour – Corning, CA
- Wil-Ker-Son Kiwi Farm Tour – Gridley, CA
- Lundberg Family Farms Tour – Richvale, CA
Breweries in California
- Dust Bowl Brewing in Turlock
- Peter B’s in Monterey
- Refuge Brewery in Temecula
- Kinetic Brewing in Lancaster
- Coachella Valley Brewing Company in Thousand Palms
- Karl Strauss in Anaheim
- Sierra Nevada in Chico
Wineries in California
- Guglielmo Winery – Santa Clara Wine Trail
- Fortino Winery – Santa Clara Wine Trail
- Longoria Winery – Lompoc, CA
- Acquiesce Winery and Vineyards – Acampo, CA
- Bokisch Vineyards – Lodi, CA
- Bernardus Vineyards and Winery – Carmel Valley, CA
- Holman Ranch Vineyards – Carmel Valley, CA
- Jarman – Carmel Valley, CA
- Herzog Winery – Oxnard, CA
- Akash Winery – Temecula
- Wilson Creek – Temecula
- Cambria Winery and Vineyards – Santa Maria
- Foxen Vineyard and Winery – Santa Maria
- Nagy Wines – Orcutt
- Adobe Road – Petaluma, CA
Ready to have some delicious fun in the kitchen?
