"avocado 2009" news and stories

When I was young, my family lived in Los Angeles. There are some not so good things about living in Southern California (smog and the distinct absence of seasons were my pet peeves), but there are a number of amazing things, including the fact that avocados often grow abundantly in backyards and sell in farmers markets for cheap. My parents' had a friend who had one those magical backyard avocado trees and during the season, he would often drop by with a grocery bag full of avocados.

These days, I pay dearly for my avocadoes, typically between $1 or $2 a piece. Come this spring, I'll be paying even higher prices as California avocado farmers are expecting one of the smallest harvests in 20 years in 2009. This shortfall is due to the fact that the weather was unusually warm last June, the very worst time of year for a hot spell when it comes to avocados.

Luckily, this shortage doesn't mean that it will be impossible to find the key ingredient in guacamole. It just means that you may need to use the creamy green fruit a bit more sparingly than in years past.

[via YumSugar]

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