GOODBYE SUMMER HELLO FALL
Late summer produce is starting to wind down and it is the time of year to start making room for the wonderful bounty of Fall.
California Stone Fruit is all but done and the Pacific Northwest continues for another week or two with late season peaches, plums and pluots. There is a chill in the morning air and new crop California red Gala apples and fragrant Bartlett Pears are the stars of the show. Download POS cards to highlight your display or ask your Earl’s Sales rep for hard copies to be mailed with your delivery this week. Local Sebastopol grower Johnny Apple Seed had a surprise harvest of California sweet and crunchy Honeycrisp and Jonathan apples with beautiful color. Join us in celebrating California apples and pears!
Maywood Figs are peaking with outstanding flavor and volume on Black Mission, Brown Turkey and Kadota varieties into October.
PNW Blueberries are done and import fruit out of Peru and Chile is on the horizon. Forbidden Fruit is out walking the fields and the cooler nights are slowing down the fruit. California Strawberries from Tomatero and Sun Valley have great flavor and barring any rain they will continue through October. We will see some Baja strawberries come on as we get into the winter months. We will continue to see Tomatero Blackberries for a while longer. Pomegranates, Persimmons and Kiwi Berries harvesting by the first week of October. Jujubes are crisp and refreshing, with a delicate fig-and-caramel flavor. Fresh jujubes provide more vitamin C than your average citrus fruit. Read more about Rock Front Ranch in Santa Barbara County.
Thomcord and Concord grapes will be done soon. The Fresno area didn’t get hit with the rain as hard as the Delano and Bakersfield area where growers are still assessing the damage. Demand is high with limited grapes being harvested and everyone is keeping an eye on quality.
Traceland Avocados (Morro Bay) historically end the California season with mature fruit, high in oil content and great flavor. At the same time avocados have started up out of Mexico with less maturity, lower oil content and flavor.
Hot weather brings seasonal worm pressure and Dwelley will reassess their corn fields early this week. We will have some corn from the PNW but look for corn to be finishing up soon.
Mixed Heirlooms coming in from a variety of growers. JAS (Prunedale), Tutti Frutti (Buellton) will be steady through Thanksgiving, weather dependent. Cooler weather coming from the coast ripens the fruit up nice and slow with fantastic flavor and long legs.
Tutti Frutti Mixed Hard Squash bins are available on your next delivery, as well as cases of all your favorites- Buttercup, Honeynut, Delicata, Carnival and more! New from Dwelley, Orangetti hard squash.
Follow Earl's Buyer's Notes each week for seasonal updates and follow the flavor. Ask your Earl's Sales Rep how we can help with Fall produce display.
