Hello all,
As the growing season is under way now, I fell the inner presure to start this important thread where we can join forces and put our collective energy on beloved LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa) - one of the chosen crops of 2026 European Focus Crops project.
Our small but committed group of devoted salad growers includes the following registered members:
@stephane_rave
@mare.silba
@Hugo
@malterod
@Bore
@mtttthwww_vdp
@Saskia
@Evelyne
@jackpeppiatt
@Anita
Please note this is not a closed group. Anybody who runs any lettuce project at any stage is very welcomed to join anytime of the season, telling their story, sharing their experience and put some extra content to our collective misson.
I remind you the main goals of the European Focus Crop project:
☆ to increase seed amount
☆ to increase diversity and quality of our crops
☆ to create focus and resource for new members
☆ to create adapation gardening success stories (with a lot of beautiful pictures!)
☆ to generate data that can be used as proof of concept for adapation gardening
What are we going to do during this first year of the project?
Let it be just a free program - everyone growing their crop at their own pace and their own understanding, with methods and inputs they like to use, BUT following the goals mentioned above. Try to match as many goals as you can. If you match just one of the goals - it’s OK. If you match all of them - it’s great.
Also, I suggest everybody, depending on their time, energy and good wish, to run a crop diary, writing down notes about all things they find important and interesting from sowing to harvest, including all the challenges they faced during the season. And, of course, regularly post some content in this thread to keep it alive.
Now, I formally invite the Salad Queen @mare.silba to briefly present her lettuce project held on a desert island at the end of the world where she grows the famous Crusoe grex (see the picture below) and thus to boost motivation to all of us for a great growing season! 
Seeeeeeds!…..
