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THIS WEEKS FRUIT
Valencia Oranges
Pleasant Valley Ranch, Springville, 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.
Hass Avocado
Tomorrow’s Organic,Monterey, CA
Creamy in texture, nutty in flavor, with a small to medium seed. The Hass skin is easy to peel and darkens from green to purplish-black as it ripens. Store on the counter out of direct sunlight.
Ruby Grapefruit
Sundance Natural, Oceanside, CA
The Grapefruit is said to be a cross between the Jamaican sweet orange and the Indonesian pomelo, first documented in 1750. Red grapefruit was an accidental discovery of a red fruit growing on a pink grapefruit tree. They are prized for their beautiful color and sweet flesh. Store out of sunlight for 2-4 days on the counter or up to two weeks in the fridge.
Hayward Kiwi
Chieci Farm, Live Oak, CA
Originally known as the Chinese gooseberry due to its Chinese origins. Hawyward Wright, a New Zealand nurseryman propagated his plants by grafting and they eventually became the preferred cultivar of growers due to their sweet flavor and thin skin. The kiwis are ripe and ready to eat upon arrival. Consume first or store in the fridge.
Murcott Tangerines
Sundance Natural, Monterrey, CA
Murcott Tangerines are late season tangerines known for their rich flavor and deeply hued flesh and juice. Their small size and sweet juice makes them a favorite with little ones.Store out of sunlight for 2-4 days on the counter or up to two weeks in the fridge.
Fuji Apples
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.
A NOTE FROM FARMER AL
Dear CSA Members,
Every year in the spring we get to go out and survey the orchards for the “set”. This is what tells us if we have a light, average or heavy crop. Having to “thin” the crop is good news. The process of thinning isn’t complicated but must be done in order to assist the trees in producing the best fruit possible. If we left the crop as is on the trees the fruit produced would be small, scarred, and the branches wouldn’t be able to support the weight of the fruit.
Right now the fruit on the apricot trees is about the size of your thumbs. Our crews are trained to look at each piece of fruit to determine which ones should stay and which ones should be removed. This is all done by hand, one piece of fruit at a time. They look for fruit that has powder mildew, pest or wind damage or any kind of blemish that as the fruit grows will expand and cause it to be an “undesirable” piece of fruit and remove it. The clean fruit is left on the branch with a spacing of 1 piece of fruit every 4 to 6 inches. The spacing is critical for weight distribution on the branch and nutrients being delivered to each piece of fruit allowing it to be the best it can be.
Farmer Al loves this time of year. He drives through the orchards in his golf cart and the sound the tires make as he drives over the fruit-littered ground sounds like popcorn being popped. It’s a fun, happy sound and one we all look forward to hearing. The more popping sounds coming from the tires, the bigger our crop and the more fruit you’ll have in your CSA boxes! Pop, Pop, Pop!!!
Happy Spring Everyone!
