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THIS WEEKS FRUIT
Hayward Kiwi
Chieci Farm, Live Oak, CA
Originally known as the Chinese gooseberry due to its due to their sweet flavor and thin skin. Hayward Wright, a New Zealand nurseryman propagated his plants by grafting. They eventually became the preferred cultivar of growers Ready to eat when they yield to gentle pressure. Store these on the counter for4-5 days. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Fuji Apples
Cayuma Orchards, New Cayuma, CA
Fujis are a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet, an heirloom apple dating back to Thomas Jefferson. Fujis are loved by many for their crisp, sweet, and juicy character. Store on your counter out of direct light for 4-5 days. Refrigerate after to maintain crispness.
Clementine Mandarins
Olsen Organic Farm, Lindsay, CA
Clementines are very sweet, juicy, easy to peel and usually seedless, making them very popular with children and adults alike. Store out of sunlight for 2-4 days on the counter or up to two weeks in the fridge.
Navel Oranges
Olsen Organic Farm, Lindsay, CA
California Navel Oranges are considered to be the best Navels for eating out of hand. They have a thick skin that is easy to peel, are seedless, and have a meaty and sweet flesh that makes them a perfect snack. Navels are also great for juicing and cooking. Store out of sunlight for 2-4 days on the counter or up to two weeks in the fridge.
A NOTE FROM FARMER AL
Dear CSA Members,
This time of year, soon after the sun comes up, I enjoy driving through our compost area just to experience the compost. The newer piles (just recently constructed) are rough-looking. I can still see all the shapes and colors of each kind of material….shredded wood, horse manure, shredded cardboard, and fruit, straw, etc.
These new piles are hot, and in the early morning sunlight the steam can be seen rising from the long pyramid-shaped piles. The almost finished piles look very different. Dark chocolate colored fine particles, looking like earth with no trace at all of the original materials, which by now have been totally biodegraded into humic compounds, the building blocks (molecules) of healthy soil. These piles are cooler, no steam, will soon be ready to spread in the orchard and start improving the soil. It’s only been six weeks since we started these piles….the transformation in so short a time never ceases to amaze me.
It is most satisfying and fulfilling to me to be the conductor of this symphony of nature and science orchestrating residues, machines, men, and the science, to bring about this primal song of the soil.
