THIS WEEK’S FRUIT

Suncrest Peaches A Slow Food Ark heritage variety, the Suncrest has all the old-fashioned taste of days gone by. Its a truly memorable peach whose firm but juicy flesh provides a real eat-over-the-sink experience. Gently tapered, the Suncrest has hardly any blush to speak of on its rich yellow skin. A more fragile variety, the Suncrest bruises easily when picked, but as many of our farmers market customers know, a picking bruise means the fruit is extra delicious. Dapple Dandy Pluots Playfully called the “dinosaur egg” pluot, the Dapple Dandy has marbled pink and green skin over delicate white flesh threaded with rose. Kids especially love this pluot for its distinctive coloration and the lack of tartness in the skin. Santa Rosa Plums Famed California horticulturist Luther Burbank bred this plum in his Santa Rosa plant research center. Red-skinned with a purple bloom, its amber flesh gets flushed with red. It’s plump perfection with tender flesh that’s extremely sweet and juicy. A bit of tartness in the skin balances out the sweetness. Ruby Grand Nectarines Ruby Grand is a naturally large and fragrant nectarine with an intense flavor. It’s firm flesh has a melting mouthful quality and it is a very versatile fruit, excellent for eating fresh, canning, freezing, and for drying.

Tomato Variety Preview

Our tomato harvest will begin sometime in late July or Early August. Tomatoes previewed here will be available as Add-Ons for your boxes at harvest time. True Black Brandywine Tomato The True Black Brandwine was bred sometime in the 1920’s by dentist turned plant breeder Dr. Martin. He did not share his seeds often, so we are lucky we have these tomatoes today. They are a cross between the Brandywine and the original brown Beefsteak tomato, which is most likely extinct now. The True Black Brandywine is extra large in size and has a deep earthy sweet flavor that black tomatoes are known for. Excellent for cooking, salsa, and slicing!

A Note From Farmer Al

Dear CSA Members, The Ruby Grande nectarine is one of those older heirloom varieties that you will never see in any store. In fact, you may never even see it in farmers’ markets! It has gone out of favor for most growers because it is so difficult to grow, resulting in fruit which is unacceptable in most retail situations. The first of these shortcomings is color: New nectarine varieties are developed and selected for color by plant breeders. Another important criteria is size: bigger is better. So, red color and large size are what make attractive displays in retail settings. Flavor is low on the list. Yet another difficulty which produces another cosmetic effect is an insect called thrips. These tiny insects are so small that one needs a magnifying glass to see them. They graze on the smooth surface of the nectarine skin just after the tiny fruit is formed inside the blossom (way back in March). So, they are producing very thin little scratches which heal up, but become scars. As the fruit increases in size, so do the scars on the skins. This defect does not affect the flavor or texture of the fruit, but none the less, makes it visually unappealing. There are also the earwigs, which I’ve already told you about. All in all, nectarines are challenging for organic growers. But this one, the Ruby Grande makes it all worthwhile. The eating qualities are extraordinary; a brix ranging well above 20, and a texture which is dense and meaty. I hope you love eating them as much as I do! Enjoy,