lettuce for dentistry

We work at a free dental clinic here in Samoa. One patient, Henry Betham, has a plantation a ways from town and brings in his workers to get their dental work done. He also sponsors missionaries and helps them get ready for missions. He brings them in to get their dental work done too.  About every other week he drops off a large bag of beautiful green leaf lettuce that he grows as a sort of payment for all the work we do. There's usually enough lettuce for the Layne's and us to each have 6 or so heads.

Lettuce is a rarity in Samoa. It is hard to find in the stores, and if you do it is very expensive and most likely comes from Henry's plantation. Here's 2 heads from our last drop off.

We decided to go check out Henry's plantation on one of our day's off. It was huge. It extended almost as far as you could see and ended at the jungle.

Henry only grows vegetables that you can't find in the markets. He grows things like lettuce, herbs, large tomatoes (not the grape tomatoes like other's do here), peppers, etc. Each plant is grown in a bag with a special soil mix that is sterilized and reused. The plants are carefully fed, watered and tended. The roof-like structures over the plants are to protect the plants from too much sun and too much water from the torrential rains we get here in Samoa.

One of our favorite things to make with our lettuce is taco salad. We make it by tossing together lettuce, sliced grape tomatoes, sliced olives, minced onion, grated cheese, black beans, crushed tortilla chips, ranch dressing, and a little taco seasoning mix and salsa.