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EthnicGinger : and Hispanic CherylMatt Ernst Kaiser1 and1 and Kristi Matt Durbin Ernst22 IntroductionIntroduction GingerThe term (Zingiber ‘Hispanic’ officinale (or ‘Latino’) Roscoe is generally) and turmeric used in (theCurcuma United longaStates) asboth a designationhave a long for history Spanish of speakuse in- Asian,ing peoples African originating and from ,. CentralFresh Ameri is- availableca, South year-round America, Puerto in the U.S.Rico, and and . fromThis procul-- duceturally wholesalers diverse group sourcing now fromrepresents global the suppliers, largest andand bothfastest are growing widely minorityavailable population in their dried, in the ground U.S. form that is produced from their underground rhizomes. The Hispanic influence on American is - par Theticularly U.S. evidentginger crop in Mexican, is mainly Tex-Mex,grown in .and similar Re- cently, some styles. U.S. Mexican and remains greenhouse one of thegrowers most havepopular added ethnic ginger cuisines and turmeric in the U.S., as high-value and ingredients special in-- tytroduced crops to to meet the U.S. consumer in Mexican demands cuisine for locally are now grown used ingredients.across many Producers cuisines. inMexican the northeast entrées have and successingredi-- fullyents canproduced be found ginger in major in high grocery tunnels, chains, and experience as well as peppers withdining ginger establishments and turmeric ranging production from (through street food the 2018 and demand for ethnic produce. Growth of Kentucky’s season) indicates to fine bothdining. crops There may is be interest adaptable among to high con- Hispanic population, along with these other factors, tunnelsumers production in purchasing in Kentucky. the fresh, often unique, ingre- presents an opportunity for local growers to expand or BaBy ginger dients required for preparing ethnic dishes at home. add ethnic Hispanic vegetables to the marketing mix. MarketingSome of the more common vegetables and used at grocery stores. Turmeric producers should also pro- Kentuckyin Hispanic producers dishes, such have as focused cilantro on and selling jalapeño directly pep- videMany use Hispanics guidelines, have as fresha tradition turmeric of ispurchasing not commonly their topers, consumers, are already using grown local in market Kentucky. channels Other like traditional farmers foundfood ingredients in the . from open-air Common markets, uses includewhich would using marketsand specialty and community Hispanic supportedcrops can .be produced A fewand theseem vegetative to make farmerstops of bothmarkets an idealto make outlet teas, for and of- producersmarketed here,also sell both these to Hispanics specialty andcrops non-Hispanics. via wholesale bothfering crops ethnic are crops. used inGrowers juicing. can Both also rhizomes investigate can addalso- marketing for restaurant chefs. Some food retailers being dehydrated, traditionally pickled Hispanic or candied.vegetables to roadside stand focusedMarketing on offering and Market organic andOutlook local produce have offerings. Restaurants, particularly those specializing reportedConsumers sourcing continue ginger demanding locally. a greater quantity and Gingerin Mexican and turmericor vegetarian have dishes,received may attention be interested in the more variety of ethnic , vegetables and herbs. healthin purchasing and wellness fresh, product locally market,grown withingredients. turmeric His at-- LocalThe increase farmers in market demand customers is greater and in CSApopulations members in tractingpanic products, much recent along interest. with other The FDAspecialty regulates or ethnic how willand benefitaround metropolitanfrom recipes areas.and preparation Many ethnic suggestions groups, productsvegetables, may could be marketedbe added towith a community respect to supportedclaims of forincluding fresh ginger.Hispanics, Shelf tend life toward and storage a relatively high per potentialagriculture health (CSA) benefits. share. FarmGrowers marketers may considerationscapita consumption should of freshbe conveyed produce. toA mustalso tryunderstand direct-marketing the potential their ramificaproducts- customers,greater emphasis as the onfresh healthy “baby” ginger and tionsto ethnic of making grocers health and neighborhoodsclaims when sell in- inthe its desire immature for variety stage producedin the American in high inglarge fresh cities. produce crops, as associating tunnelsdiet, especially will have amongdifferent younger requirements con- these specific crops with health benefits thansumers, the alsomature contribute ginger thatto the is increasedavailable www.uky.edu/CCDwww.uky.edu/CCD violatesThe demand food formarketing ethnic vegetablesregulations. is of-

11MattCheryl Ernst Kaiser is an is independenta former Extension contractor Associate with the with Center the Center for Cro forp Diversification. Crop Diversification. 22KristiMatt ErnstDurbin is isan a independentsenior horticulturist contractor in the with University the Center of Kforentucky Crop Diversification. Department of Horticulture. Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic Development ten relatively small at any one time or place, so the market can easily become saturated. To guard against market saturation, growers can develop a special niche by supplying fresh, tender crops harvested at their peak, packaging them attractively, and choosing a variety of clients and markets.

Some of the challenges of marketing these vegetables to Hispanic customers include identifying the crops preferred by the target. Hispanic food preferences vary from country to country and region to region. For ex- ample, while some Latin American cultures primarily use black in their cooking, others prefer pinto beans, and still others predominantly cook with red beans. As with any new market, the best way to de- Roma Tomatoes termine what to grow is to find out what the customer ucts. Cultivating a local market for a new crop, such wants. Additionally, the same ingredient or crop may as an ethnic vegetable variety, often becomes a sort of be identified by different Spanish names, depending partnership between the producer and his or her target on the specific region or country. An example is man- consumer. dioca, which is also called manioc, yuca and . Providing signage in Spanish will be important in at- Production considerations tracting Hispanic buyers. First-hand knowledge of the Potential crops culture, customs and language will be extremely valu- Currently the most common Kentucky-produced veg- able both in producing and marketing these products etables used in Hispanic cooking include hot peppers, to this particular consumer base. corn, Roma tomatoes, winter and summer squashes, cilantro, sweet potatoes, and . , a to- Non-Hispanic customers are also a potential market, mato-like that is the key ingredient in many sal- especially consumer segments that are interested in sas and chili , has been marketed in Western and preparing ethnic cuisines at home. Farmers markets Central Kentucky. Dry beans are common in many and CSAs are great venues for introducing unusual Hispanic cultures, but it will be important to identify fresh produce and value-added products. However, the specific type in demand by the target market. consumers unfamiliar with your selections may be more comfortable making a purchase when prepara- A number of Hispanic crops belong to botanical fam- tion instructions and/or recipes are provided. Supply- ilies that are well-known to Kentucky growers, and ing educational information about the crop’s name, include cucurbits, and solanaceous plants. where and how it is grown, and other background in- Some ethnic vegetables are merely a different subspe- formation can also help promote unusual crops to peo- cies or cultivar of crops commonly grown in North ple unfamiliar with the crop. Preparation and cook- America. Cultural requirements for these closely re- ing demonstrations, including presentations with the lated crops are often very similar to traditional vegeta- farmer who grew the crop, can help generate seasonal ble crops. Nevertheless, growers may need to rely on and unusual product sales at grocery retailers. their own on-farm trials to identify the best production methods for these specialty crops. Growers interested in producing any ethnic or special- ty vegetable should always start small and test-market The crops listed in Table 1 (Pages 5-6) have been the crop before investing much time or money in pro- identified as popular ingredients in Hispanic cooking. duction. Larger plantings should not be attempted un- These particular vegetables and herbs may have po- less the grower has an established market. To discover tential for production in Kentucky based on cultiva- the market for a new crop like Hispanic vegetables, tion and hardiness information gleaned from the in- producers should first communicate with potential ternet. Talking to potential Hispanic customers about consumers to determine their preferences for prod- the crops they would like to purchase could provide 2 additional ideas. Keep in mind that crops native to will add eight to 10 hours more per acre for the post- countries south of the U.S. border may not be hardy harvest removal and disposal of the plastic. in Kentucky. Since local research data on many of the crops in Table 1 is lacking, growers should start small A producer often begins with small quantities of a to determine which crops are suitable for their area. It new crop for a niche market. A small planting of these is advisable to evaluate different cultivars and/or specialty vegetables can potentially be added to exist- sources over multiple seasons and to test market the ing plots using similar cultural techniques. This could crops before attempting larger plantings. help minimize additional labor requirements.

Site selection and planting Thinking carefully about how the specialty ethnic crop In general, choose a site that is well-drained and could fit into existing production systems can help warms up quickly in the spring. Avoid low-lying fields minimize additional production expense and reduce that are subject to late frosts and high humidity. Cold- risk. For example, specialty greens could be added at sensitive crops should not be planted in an open field the end or alongside existing beds of greens, benefit- until all danger of frost has passed and the soil has ing from similar weed and pest control methods. Start- warmed sufficiently. Transplants can be grown in a ing with a smaller production area also keeps a grower greenhouse structure or hotbed, both for direct sales from out-producing his or her market demand in the or on-farm use. first year.

Some crops require a continuous supply of moisture, Economic considerations especially during fruit-set and development. UK re- Initial investments include land preparation and pur- search has reported greater yields, increased earliness, chase of seed or transplants. Producers need to closely and a cleaner harvest when growing most vegetable manage costs of key inputs, especially seed, when crops on raised beds with black plastic mulch and drip producing specialty vegetables. Seed for some eth- irrigation. The moisture levels under the plastic must nic vegetables can be more expensive, so purchasing be carefully monitored when using this system. a variety that does not meet a customer’s preference can be a costly miscalculation. Additional costs are Pest management incurred with the installation of an irrigation system Disease and pressure for ethnic vegetables can and plastic mulch. vary depending on the crop, the cultivar, and the sea- son. Chemical control methods may be limited be- In addition to potentially higher seed costs, produc- cause few pesticides are registered for many specialty ers may incur greater labor times and prices lower crops. Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, than comparable products. For example, the returns including frequent scouting to monitor pests, may be over total costs per 100-foot by 4-foot bed of Roma needed to prevent or reduce losses. Controlling weeds, tomatoes will likely fall in the $200 range. With good sanitation, following a good rotation system, and the management and direct marketing, returns from the use of beneficial can aid in pest control. same-sized bed of an heirloom variety can ap- proach $500. This is due to greater harvest times and Harvest and storage (usually) lower prices for Roma tomatoes. Freshness is the key factor in marketing Hispanic veg- etables; therefore, they should be harvested at their Pricing a new or specialty crop is also a key consid- peak. Limiting the market radius to easy traveling dis- eration. Producers should access available wholesale tance will help ensure the freshest specialty produce. and retail market prices for Hispanic vegetables to determine what price the market can . Wholesale Labor requirements prices for many vegetables are reported daily or week- Many traditional Hispanic vegetables are produced us- ly through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service ing methods similar to comparable vegetables already (AMS) in their Fruit and Vegetable Market News. grown in Kentucky. Producers can refer to Center for Visiting Hispanic food stores or specialty retailers can Crop Diversification crop profiles to estimate labor re- also provide producers with an idea of what prices to quirements for these specific vegetables. Plasticulture ask for specialty crops. 3 An increase in Kentucky’s Hispanic population, and • Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook, 2nd edition interest in ethnic cuisine in general, offer Kentucky (University of , 1998) growers an opportunity to add production of Hispanic Information on the handbook at: http://sfp.ucdavis. vegetables to their enterprises to tap into a growing edu/pubs/publications/5/ market. Growers should start small to avoid over-satu- Available for purchase at: http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/ rating their market, and communicate with customers Details.aspx?itemNo=3346 to make sure they understand which crops they prefer. Suggested Citation: Selected Resources Kaiser, C. and M. Ernst. (2021). Ethnic Vegetables: Hispanic. • Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial CCD-CP-97. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, Growers, ID-36 (University of Kentucky) University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id36/id36.pdf Environment. Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www. • WorldCrops for Northern uky.edu.ccd/files/hispanic.pdf (University of website with comprehensive listing of ethnic crops) www.worldcrops.org • Ethnic and Specialty Vegetables Handbook ( Cooperative Extension, 2008) https://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_docs/ EthnicVegHandbook2008.pdf • Ethnic Vegetables. Cornell University Vegetable Program. http://cvp.cce.cornell.edu/crop.php?id=13

Reviewed by Rachel Rudolph, UK Extension Vegetable Specialist, and Shawn Wright, UK Horticulture Specialist Spanish translations in Table 1 provided by Rachel Rudolph Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com March 2021 For additional information, contact your local Extension agent Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

4 Table 1. Selected Vegetables and Herbs that are Used in Hispanic Cooking and May Have Potential for Kentucky Production

Common Name Botanical Name Family Name Parts Used/Eaten Spanish Name Alternate Names & Notes

Also called leafy ; cultivars Amaranth, vegetable Amaranthus gangeticus Amaranthaceae Greens amaranto grown for instead of grain Beans: Pinto, Red, and Black Phaseolus vulgaris Fabaceae Dry frijol, poroto () Beans: Yardlong Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis Fabaceae Pods, dry seeds judía Cilantro Coriandrum sativum Apiaceae Leaves cilantro Cultivated varieties have a more Common purslane Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceae Leaves verdolaga upright growth Corn (black sweet corn) Zea mays Poaceae Fruit elote Kernels are soft and starchier than Corn, Zea mays Poaceae Fruit maíz other types; includes blue corn Some Hispanic groups prefer pink Solanum melongena Solanaceae Fruit berenjena cultivars with white striations Epazote Drysphania ambrosioides Amaranthaceae Leaves epazote Highly invasive Gherkin, cornichon scabra Fruit pepinillo Also called Mexican sour pickle e.g. Chilaca, Chili, Chile de arbol, ají (very small hot Hot peppers annuum Solanaceae Fruit Guajillo, Habanero, Jalapeño, peppers only) , Serrano Huauzontle (pronounced Chenopodium nuttaliae; C. berlandieri sub Amaranthaceae Leaves; seed heads huauzontle Also called Aztec wauˈsontle) sp. nuttaliae Herb; may need to start in a Mexican Apiaceae Leaves culantro greenhouse Mexican Tagetes lucida Leaves & pericón Abelmoschus esculentus Malvales Fruit quingombó Onions Allium cepa Alliaceae Bulb cebolla Pápalo ruderale Asteraceae Leaves yerba porosa Very frost sensitive Arachis hypogena Fabaceae Seed maní flores de Squash blossoms spp. Cucurbitaceae Flowers calabacitas Also called sweet ; a sweetener Asteraceae Leaves stevia native to calabacita, Also grey squash; a Summer squash Cucurbita pepo Cucurbitaceae Fruit calabacín similar to 5 Particularly white fleshed/dry fleshed Sweet Ipomea batatas Convolvulaceae Root batata cultivars Tomatillo Physalis ixocarpa Solanaceae Fruit tomatillo Also called tomato Preferred for their meatier texture and Tomato, Roma Lycopersicum esculentum Solanaceae Fruit tomate lower water content Winter squash, Cucurbita moschata Cucurbitaceae Fruit Hard shelled winter squash

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