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Valley Harvest: Warm Climate in Valley Nurtures Small Fennel Crop

Posted on: Saturday, 13 May 2006, 09:05 CDT

By The Fresno Bee, Calif.

May 13--While not produced on a large scale -- 4 acres were farmed in Fresno County in 2004 -- fennel is sold at regional farmers markets and used to provide a sweet, licoricelike flavor to foods.

The herb is well-suited to the central San Joaquin Valley's warm climate, having originated in the Mediterranean, where it was cultivated by the Romans for food and medicinal purposes.

California grew fennel on 813 acres in 2004, producing a $6 million crop. Mon-terey County led the state with $4million in production on 534 acres.

In the United States, several varieties of fennel are grown, including common fennel, which is harvested for its greenish-brown seeds, and Florence fennel, which is grown for its whitish bulbous base and feathery leaves.

A part of the carrot and parsley family, fennel is a perennial plant but grown as an annual by farmers.

Some varieties can grow up to 6 feet tall, while others grow only about 2 feet tall.

Fennel seed is harvested later in the summer. Processors commonly use the seed in Italian sausage, bakery items and sweet pickles.

Fennel seeds also are squeezed for their oil that is used in creams, lotions and bath products as a stress reliever. Nibbling a few seeds also works as a breath freshener.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Fresno Bee

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