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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview With Bob McLendon

Aired January 26, 2002 - 08:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In Minnesota I think they've got a winter festival under way, or at least planned this weekend. The problem is winter didn't show up, right Jacqui?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That is right. Temperatures in the upper Midwest today are going to be way above average, in the mid to upper 40s, we think, for Minneapolis today. And with the St. Paul Winter Carnival going on, yes, that's going to be melting off some of those ice sculptures and temperatures in the upper Midwest are going to be feeling a little closer to what you've been seeing in the Southwest this time of the year.

And speaking of the Southwest, we are going to talk to some folks in Yuma, Arizona, down there in the salad capital of the world. Joining me now is Bob

He's the Yuma County supervisor. And you guys are giving a new thought to what you consider a big salad this morning, yes?

BOB MCLENDON, YUMA COUNTY SUPERVISOR: Hi, Jacqui.

JERAS: Good morning.

MCLENDON: It's going to be in the 70s, by the way, here today, so the rest of the nation you can eat your heart out.

JERAS: Literally.

MCLENDON: But we are celebrating Yuma lettuce days and we're building the world's largest salad here today, 3,500 head of lettuce, all kinds of tomatoes and carrots and things. And the folks are working right here now.

JERAS: They are. How many volunteers do you have there today?

MCLENDON: We have at least 50 people that are doing the lettuce and the carrots and the tomatoes and then cabbage. And we've got the salad dressing. Later on we'll have as many people here as we had in the seventh game of the World Series up in Phoenix this year down here eating salad and helping the Crossroads Mission.

But we're here to celebrate lettuce and agriculture and the important thing that they do for our community. Ninety percent of the nation's lettuce comes from Yuma during this time of the year. So we have a year round growing season. We have people from all over the country, from the cold country right now in Yuma...

JERAS: And you guys are going for a record today, right, Bob?

MCLENDON: And we're going to set a world record, you bet.

JERAS: Good luck. How many people is this going to feed?

MCLENDON: We're going to feed, 46,000 people are going to be down here today. And it's going to be the world's largest salad and we're going to have a ton of fun. So y'all come on down.

JERAS: All right, well, good luck, Bob. I hope you're all not sharing the same fork.

MCLENDON: Thanks, Jacqui.

JERAS: Thanks for being with us this morning.

MCLENDON: All right. Bye-bye.

JERAS: And like Bob said, it's going to be a beautiful day in Yuma, high temperature today about 72 degrees, and lots of sunshine is expected.

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