it's crucial to jennifer bjorklund's job here at the dolphin bay resort in pismo beach. >> yes, people definitely comment on them. they like them. the fact that they're green, 'cause they're grown locally in nipomo, about 20 minutes away from here. >> so if you haven't guessed by now, we're talking about the luffa spge. believe it or not, but folks have been growing them for more than 10,000 years now. and today you can find a fresh batch of them ready for harvest at deanne coon's unique farm in nipomo. >> right now currently we have the 2 greenhouses going. and they're like raising little children, so you never know what you're going to get. one greenhouse may average anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000. the other one 3,000 to 5,000. there's no rhyme or reason. they're like raising kids. they can be 2 inches, 6 inches, 24 inches. you never know what the luffa's gonna actually end up being at the pickable stage. >> the luffa sponge is actually a member of the gourd family and kind of looks like a small zucchini before it's harvested. deanne says they tend to like the nice warm greenhouses she