When Cauliflower Was King

The book describes the birth, growth and demise of the cauliflower growing industry in the Catskills. For a good part of the 20th century, the Catskills, in particular Delaware County, grew what was widely considered the best cauliflower anywhere. Mineral-rich soil, and a moderate climate with warm days and cool nights that usually allowed slow and solid head development, made this region famous for its premium quality cauliflower. Almost every farm in the region planted some "white gold" to supplement their income. Growers established marketing cooperatives in Margaretville, Walton and Bovina to increase efficiency and maximize profit. Through the 1950s, ‘60s and ’70s, some larger cauliflower operations in the region hung on. Today, cauliflower is no longer grown commercially in the Catskills, a fact that saddens many of those who remember when.