Tomatero Farm has been certified organic since the beginning when Adriana and Chris started farming in 2004. Located in Watsonville just south of Santa Cruz and only 5 miles from the California coast, they wanted to grow produce that was affordable for everyone, especially their friends and family.

A new crop of California Hass avocados is starting. As we eagerly await the California season to get going, we must be patient. Buyers should be aware of the avocado growing cycles and know that they can be disappointed with an early crop. Each year the timing is different, and the weather can have a major impact on how it ripens and availability. 

Bartlett Pears from Argentina, also known as the Williams Bartlett, are the delicious piece of fruit we all recognize and love with its sweet flavor and smooth texture.

It's that time of year.... Equal Exchange Banana Month. You will find the freshest 🍌 materials here to support your retail displays. POS cards, Posters, Hanging Mobiles and more! Earl’s is a Banana House! Check out Earl’s Banana Ripening Guide and Banana Handling and Receiving Guide and ask your Earl’s Sales Rep how we can help build your banana program.

During the winter months many growers move their operations from the Salinas and San Joaquin Valley down to Yuma, Arizona and the California desert. As the weather warms up historically in March, the growing areas move north from Mexico and the California desert to the Salinas Valley.

The Peruvian Mango season is finished, and Mexico isn’t producing enough fruit to keep up with demand.  It can't be understated how much the conventional market effects the organic market, as the organic market share of mangos is incredibly minimal. Once we get into peak season we will see supply, quality, and price issues disappear.

High temperatures and humidity for an extended period of time create the perfect conditions for aphids and mildew quality issues. This week temperatures in the California desert regions moved into the low 80’s and all desert vendors are seeing increasing mildew and aphid pressure on warm veg items.

Artichokes from California's central coast have a beautiful frost kiss. The frost causes the outer layer of the artichoke to turn brown, flake and peel when the temperature reaches below 32 degrees. Although the brownish color may not look pretty, frost kissed artichokes have a more intense nutty flavor. Once cooked, the brown disappears, leaving a delicious green artichoke!

Apples and pears are enjoyed long after being harvested in October/November by keeping them in storage. Storage delays the normal ripening and aging process. As we move into the New Year most of the fresh storage supply has run out and we can expect most apples and pears from the Pacific Northwest to be coming out of controlled atmosphere storage (CA Storage). Think of sleeping beauty under a spell and how she never aged a day until she woke up.