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THIS WEEK’S FRUIT
Hayward Kiwis
Chiechi 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.
Murcott Tangerine
Twin Girl, Yettem, CA
Murcott Tangerines are known for their rich flavor and deeply hued flesh and juice. Their small size and sweet juice makes them a favorite with little ones.
Hass Avocados
Las Palamitas, Carpenteria, 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
Navel Oranges
Purity, Coachella, 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.
Ruby Grapefruit
Sundance Organic, Oceanside, CA
The Grapefruit is said to cross between the Jamaican sweet orange and the In- donesian pomelo, first documented in 1750. Ruby grapefruit was an accidental discovery of a red fruit growing on a pink grapefruit tree.
Albion Strawberries
JW Farms, Watsonville, CA
The Albion is a newer variety strawberry developed at UC Davis. It is ever bearing and usually produces fruit June – October in the Bay Area. Strawberries are early this year! The sweet flavor and firm flesh makes the Albion an excellent dessert or preserving berry.
Encore Mandarins
Abounding Harvest, Los Gatos, CA
The Encore is a late variety mandarin that is a cross of the King and Willow Leaf oranges. The Encore has sweet and juicy flesh that is excellent for eating out of hand or for juice or jam.
A NOTE FROM MARLENE
Dear CSA Members,
Governor Brown’s executive order to reduce water consumption by 25% statewide comes on the heels of a growing body of evidence that the drought in California is exceptional. It could, in fact, be a harbinger of a mega-drought. Megadroughts are long periods, around 30 years, of reduced precipitation and loss of soil moisture. The last megadroughts in North America occurred in the 12th and 13th centuries and were caused by natural changing weather conditions. There is always a risk of megadroughts occurring, but the changes humans have made to the planet, resulting in climate change, have increased our odds significantly of having one within this century.
Many of us read the article stating that California has only one year of water left in its reservoirs. While residents get water from sources other than reservoirs, such as ground water from aquifers, this should still be a scary fact. So much water is being pumped up from the ground that the earth beneath our feet is actually sinking as water is displaced. And with minimal rain and snowfall, the water is not being replaced. Humans are changing the world in a way never experienced before, and the consequences will be difficult to foresee. California grows a majority of the fruits and vegetables in the United States, and I believe this drought will force people to see how precious our food really is.
At Frog Hollow Farm, we are working to increase the water holding capacity of our soil by spreading compost and using cover crops. We are all doing our part at home, too. I’ll be implementing a showering style I picked up while traveling in Asia that I call bucket showers (which is very common in many countries). You fill up a 5 gallon bucket with water, sit on a little seat in the bathtub, and use a pitcher to throw water over yourself. Many employees here catch their greywater from dishes and bathing to reuse it on their plants. Sarah and Lael have stopped watering their lawns entirely.
Everyone’s small efforts can lead to a big difference!
