THIS WEEK’S FRUIT

Emerald Beaut Plums A freestone plum, the Emerald Beaut is a delicate green that turns golden with a hint of a blush. It has a firmer texture than the Santa Rosa with a crisp almost crunchy mouthfeel. One of our most hardy fruit, the Emerald Beaut just gets sweeter and sweeter without losing texture as it ages. Nutrition Scientists call plums a superfruit. Plums contain an antioxidant called chlorogenic acid, which may help reduce anxiety. Shinseiki Asian Pears Asian pears are also known as “apple pears” as they’re often described as having the texture and shape of the apple but with the smooth sweetness of a pear. Botanically, they’re true pears and are native to China and Japan. The Shinseiki is a medium-sized pear with smooth yellow skin. They’re nicely crisp with a sweet white flesh that’s refreshingly juicy. Pears are great sources of Vitamin C which, fights free radicals. They are also an excellent source of fiber. Eat the skins! Research shows that the skins contain three to four times as many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids as the flesh. Doctors also recommend pears for introducing babies to solid foods because they are low in acid and will be easier on babies tummies. Warren Pears The Warren is to our pears as the Cal Red is to our peaches and the Flavor King to our pluots. This is Frog Hollow Farm’s signature pear and for good reason. Too difficult to grow for most farmers to consider it’s never caught on commercially but Farmer Al has never shied away from putting the time and effort into a fruit that tastes so good. It has a classic European texture, very soft and juicy with a silky sweetness that avoids the typical grittiness found in most pears. Pears are great sources of Vitamin C which, fights free radicals. They are also an excellent source of fiber. Eat the skins! Research shows that the skins contain three to four times as many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids as the flesh. Doctors also recommend pears for introducing babies to solid foods because they are low in acid and will be easier on babies tummies. Pink Lady Apples A cross between the Golden Delicious and Lady Williams, the Pink Lady is a crisp and juicy apple with a tart finish. A creamy white colored flesh that resists browning makes this an excellent apple for salads and slicing. Also a modern day favorite for eating out of hand. The apple a day adage may be spot on. Recent research has shown that apples are associated with lower risk of heart diseases and strokes. They are also an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin C. Flame Seedless Grapes Firm, large, and sweet the Flame Seedless are one of the most popular varieties in North America. Enjoy these out of hand or try them in green salads, chicken salads, or fruit salads. Another superfruit. Grapes are packed with a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol, which promotes a healthy heart.

A Note from Farmer Al

Dear CSA Members, Apple Pie and Pumkins… And a good time was had by all at the Fall Harvest Festival! Weather was great, apple picking was easy, hay rides went well (until the hay wagon got a flat tire) and all the while Chef Becky was in the kitchen baking amazing pies (pumpkin and apple- YUM!). Families were free to go on long walks with their children in the orchards or recline in the shade of a tree to enjoy picnic lunches and visiting time.. Everyone on the farm tours was surprised and delighted to see this year’s olive crop, still ripening on the trees. This year will be a record harvest for olives, which are true-to-form in being alternate-year bearing (which is what all the books about olives say is true. Last year was an unusually light crop!). As we walked along the trees, the children could not believe how many olives they were seeing on each branch. “Wow, how many olives are each tree!!?” Well, let’s do the math – 400 trees will yield (my estimate) 40,000 pounds, and 40,000 pounds divided by 400 = 100 lb/tree. If it takes 30 olives to make a pound that would be 3,000 olives per tree. And at harvest time, which this year will start November 19 and last about two weeks, we here at Frog Hollow Farm pick every one of them by hand. It is definitely the most labor-intensive crop to pick, of all the crops we grow here at Frog Hollow Farm. But oh! It is worth it when you taste that olive oil! Deliciously,