When my household’s eating and produce-buying habits changed almost three years ago, it wasn’t because my girlfriend Susan and I had any grand agenda in mind. We weren’t making a conscious political statement about global warming or vitamin content or factory farming. We just went to the Westlake Farmer’s Market (now the Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market) one infernally sweaty afternoon in late August and fell desperately in love. How could we not? Food grown on small family farms tastes better than anything from a conventional grocery store, or from a health food store that sells produce shipped in from far away.

As delicious as eating locally is, it does require some sacrifice. It’s no longer possible to get any vegetable we crave, any time we want it, so we were faced with the possibility of having to give up salads during the summer, when lettuce is out of season in Texas.

Thank goodness we were spared serious, summer lettuce withdrawal by Rusty and Susan Staub of Amador Farms. The Staubs grow lettuce hydroponically all year-round, and since Susan and I have been eating two heads each week, no matter what season, I was curious to learn more about hydroponic growing and how the Staubs arrived at the way they make their living.

Excerpted from Edible Austin, a new magazine about Central Texas chefs, farmers, cheese makers, ranchers, wine, cooking and more, arriving in June. Pick up a copy at markets, bookstores, selected restaurants and public gathering places to read about the Staubs and hydroponic lettuce. A complete list of complimentary distribution locations will be posted on www.edibleaustin.com by June 1.

Photos by Dorsey Barger.