BUYER’S NOTES
Updated July 3, 2022
july 4th holiday schedule
OPEN SUNDAY, July 3rd for delivery MONDAY, July 4th
Sales CLOSED MONDAY, JULY 4TH
Sales OPEN TUESDAY, JULY 5TH
NO Delivery/NO Pick-up TUESDAY, July 5th
Please contact your Earl’s Sales Rep with any questions.
Enjoy the Holiday! -Earl’s Organic Sales Department
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NEW!
• California Cherry Tomatoes from Anna’s, Comanche Creek, Terra Firma and Durst
• Calo Rainbow Shredded Carrots 12/10oz
• Comanche Chinese Eggplant
• Golden Cape Gooseberry (learn more under Vegucation)
• Crespo Thai Mango (learn more under Vegucation)
• Purple Snap Peas
• Tomatillos -
COMING SOON
• New crop California Bartletts
• Cranberry Beans
• Tomatero Blackberries
• Comanche Green and Burgundy Okra -
BACK IN STOCK
• California Garlic
• Russet Potato Counts
• Sunrise Red, Green and Mixed Salanova
• Magenta Dragonfruit -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Utility Apples
• Avocados (larger sizes 40/48)
• Eggplant
• Green Butter Lettuce
• Hot Peppers
• Sweet Potatoes all varieties -
GAPPING
• Burdock
• Rutabaga
• Shallots
• Sunchokes -
WINDING DOWN
• English, Snap and Snow Peas
• Domestic Apple Season
• Jicama -
FINISHED
• Rhubarb
• Tutti Frutti Beets and Peas
FRUIT
The 4th of July holiday weekend is here! Summer Mango Mania is in full swing with promotable volumes of Ataulfos and Tommy Atkins. Sweet green Thai Mangos (eat firm) are here for a limited time. If you haven’t received a Mango Mania poster to highlight your mango display ask your Earl’s Sales Rep for one with your next delivery. California Melons are transitioning from Coachella to the Central Valley with plenty of sweet and juicy California Mini Seedless Watermelons, Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Bins, Cantaloupe, Galia, Hami, Honeydew and Cantaloupe Melons. Bing Cherries out of the Pacific Northwest are wonderful for snacking or making pies. Summer sweet California Peaches, Nectarines, Plums and Pluots are available in promotional volumes. Don’t forget the small and large sized fruit are a great value. Download Earl’s Stone Fruit Calendars. California Grapes are transitioning from Coachella to Bakersfield. Black, Green and Red Seedless Grapes make a fantastic snack fresh or frozen. Luscious California Strawberries from Tomatero are in promotable volume. The heat wave ended the Black Mission Breba Fig crop early. They will return in August for the second and more flavorful crop. In the meantime, we will see some Brown Turkey Figs by the end of the week. La Pierre Blueberries from the Pacific Northwest were pushed to after the 4th of July holiday. Look for volume to gain momentum in the next few weeks.
APPLES
Last standing domestic apples: Fuji, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady. Imports include Braeburn, Gala, Granny, Honeycrisp with the Fuji being the last one to arrive. No utility apples to be found.
BANANAS
Good supply from Coliman out of Mexico as weather improves.
BERRIES
Blackberries continue to gap due to quality issues out of Mexico. Cooler weather on the central coast has slowed down production. Tomatero may start in the next few weeks.
Blueberries: The Pacific Northwest is delayed due to the heat events earlier in the year. Homegrown and La Pierre expected to arrive mid-week. Fruit will ramp up quick with 6oz, 18oz and pints.
Strawberries: Tomatero strawberry fields are heavy with sweet fruit! Available in 1# and 2# clamshells.
Raspberries: Fresh Kampo Raspberries (Mexico) continues to be our main supplier. The heat wave a week ago stalled out local berries in non-coastal areas without the fog to cool down the weather. We will see some fruit from Arroyo Grande and Sun Valley as it becomes available.
CITRUS
California Valencias going strong through the Fall. Mexican Valencias will start up at the end of August/beginning of September. California Lemons will go through early August. Mexican Lemons from Covilli arriving this week. Wonderful value option. Variegated Pink Lemons are easy to spot by their vibrant green streaks against a bright yellow background. The pretty pink flesh gives a nice burst of tartness and has less seeds than a Eureka lemon.
figs
Brown Turkey by the end of the week. Black Mission will start up again in August.
GRAPES
Anthony is transitioning from Coachella to Bakersfield with Green, Red and Black Seedless Grapes. Air Chief Grapes starting in the next week.
KIWIs
California Kiwis storage crop is on the smaller size. Waiting for New Zealand to start up.
melons
Riverbend is on the last of the Seeded Watermelon Bins. Fun Fact: Seeded watermelons are pollinators for the seedless watermelon.
Galia Melons have a golden, netted rind and juicy green flesh with a tropical flavor and intense fragrance.
Hami Melons are oblong in shape with juicy orange flesh. They taste similar to a Cantaloupe with a more intense flavor and firmer texture.
Honeydew and Cantaloupe Melons are members of the same species, Cucumis melo but they are two very different fruits. Honeydew has a smooth light-colored rind with firm green flesh while Cantaloupe has a darker netted rind and softer orange flesh. They are both sweet and juicy and can be interchanged in recipes.
Tuscan Cantaloupes have a sensuous flavor. As the dark green stripes fade the melon develops a full rich flavor and fragrant aroma. Add to a melon salad for the 4th of July or make a refreshing aqua fresca.
Darker green stripes: firm and sweet
Lighter green stripes: extra sweet
Golden stripes: rich aroma and full flavor
PEARS
California Bartletts in the next week or two. Fruit will be green and hard for a few weeks as the season starts up.
STONE FRUIT
Dapple varieties starting post-holiday. California Apricots are finishing and moving straight into the Pacific Northwest. Pacific Northwest Cherry prices are softening a bit. Smaller sizes are a good value with aggressive pricing. Download Earl’s Stone Fruit Calendars.
STONE FRUIT, continued
Apricots: Brittany Gold
Cherries: Pacific Northwest Bing
Yellow Nectarines: Summer Flare, Honey Rich
White Nectarines: Candy Pearl
Yellow Peaches: Sierra Rich
White Peaches: Ice Princess
Plums: Black Amber, Hiromi
Pluots: Crimson Glo, Crimson Beauty
Peterson Family Fruit: Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) - Vista and Sierra Rich Yellow Peach, Yellow Nectarine Honey Blaze
TROPICALS
Dole Pineapples had some issues with the rainy season moving through Costa Rica and Mexico. Quality is looking much better. Magenta Dragon Fruit is back.
Mango Mania is here!
Now is the time to get excited, build displays and promote mangos! Promotional opportunities exist for all sizing including 12cts! Educate, engage, excite and entice customers with this unique mango. We have all the tools and the pricing you need for sales success! Ask your Earl’s Sales Rep for more information or a Mango Mania POS Packet and download digital materials to highlight your display. Learn more about how you can participate!
VEGETABLES
California Coastal View Produce Asparagus is not done yet! Look for one more land this week. Mexico is also starting up with Asparagus and there may be a bit of an overlap before fully transitioning to Mexico for the rest of the summer. Tutti Frutti Peas are done. They are a springtime crop and they do not like the hot weather. We will see a few Purple Snow Peas from Coke sporadically. Dwelley Bi-color and White Corn out of Brentwood is simply outstanding. Learn how to choose corn without peeling back the husk under the corn update. Dwelley Cranberry Beans are arriving just after the holiday. Local vibrant bunches of Greens from Tomatero and Sun Valley in the Salinas Valley are abundant. California new crop Harris Garlic is here! Wonderful for that BBQ marinade or a homemade salad dressing. California Cherry Tomatoes are picking up with wonderful sweet varieties from Comanche (Chico), Ambrosio (Gilroy), Durst (Capay Valley), Terra Firma (Winters) and Anna’s Organics (Chowchilla). Tutti Frutti straight pack Cherokee Heirlooms are full of flavor, and arriving this week… Tutti Mixed Heirlooms! Comanche is back this year with their colorful Caprese Mix, now available in 8/1.5#.
asparagus
California Coastal View Produce Asparagus is coming to an end. Mexican summer crop will go through mid-August with a possible gap of a few weeks until the Mexican fall crop starts.
ARTICHOKES
Ocean Mist will have artichokes all summer.
BABY BOK CHOY
Promotable prices!
BEETS
Sun Valley has a solid program and quality across the board on red bunched and loose.
beans
Dwelley strong going on Green Beans, Romano, French and Yellow Wax Beans as well as Corn. Cranberry Beans are a bit late this year. Look for them mid-week!
BROCCOLI
Continues to be tight. Some pest pressure along with the heat.
sweet baby broccoli
Higher temps in Salinas the last few weeks have tightened up supply.
brussels sprouts
Moving into better volumes of bagged and loose.
carrots
Sun Valley (Watsonville) and Sunrise (Buellton) Nantes are sweet and gorgeous! New from Calo - Rainbow Shredded 12/10oz packs.
cauliflower
Josie’s coming into some really nice fields. Tomatero Cauliflower coming soon. Colored Cauliflower in the next 2 weeks.
romanesco
Tomatero looking beautiful. Lakeside is gapping.
celery
Prices continue to fall.
corn
Dwelley Corn is sweet and crunchy!
How to choose corn without peeling back the husk:
Feel for plump kernels through the husk.
Look for brown and sticky tassels sticking out of the top of the ear. Black or dry tassels mean the corn is old.
A bright green husk is a sign of fresh corn.
cucumbers
Persian bulk and bagged good supply. Now is the time of year for Varietal Cucumbers including Painted Serpent, Pickling and Lemon. Comanche Creek Painted Serpent Cucumbers have a mild flavor with no bitterness .
eggplant
Eggplant is now all domestic. Don’t miss specialty varieties. New from Comanche Creek - Chinese Eggplant.
garlic
Fresh crop California Garlic is here! California Garlic solid through February.
ginger
The first of the Ginger new crop arriving by air freight from Peru with hearty, robust, full sized hands.
greens
Sunrise is finished with Dandelion Greens. Look to Lakeside. Local growers Sun Valley and Tomatero have gorgeous bunches of Chards and Kales!
herbs
Sunrise gorgeous Dill, perfect for that summer potato salad. Tomatero large bunches of fragrant Basil is a must for those easy summer meals! A few of our favorite summer salads include: Mix torn pieces of basil and feta crumbles with chunks of watermelon for a refreshing salad; Grill corn on the cob (slice off with a knife) and add squeezed lime to taste, basil, and cherry tomatoes.
lettuce
Tomatero is back with gorgeous Red and Green Little Gem Lettuce. Red Butter from Tomatero is really pretty. Calo back this week.
leeks
Tomatero finishing up in the next few weeks with a transition to Lakeside.
onions
Peri & Sons tightening up and map gap for a few weeks. Country Sweet will help fill that gap with mediums and jumbos.
bell peppers
California Red Peppers are tight, however Red Bells out of Mexico are plentiful. All other colors in good supply. NEW! Comanche Creek sweet Yellow Gypsy Peppers are great for dips or salads.
hot peppers
Looking up with Anaheim, Jalapeno, Padron, Poblano and Shishito varieties.
potatoes
Creamer Potatoes are gapping from the heat for about a week. Lots of Bakers and A sized Potatoes available. Fresh Crop Russets are still super limited. We should see that open up this week. Calo is starting soon with Fingerlings.
peas
All things peas are wrapping up.
spinach
Lakeside has plenty. Ocean Mist is gapping.
summer squash
Tomatero Zucchini is in a fog bank in Watsonville and the plants have slowed down a bit with less availability this week.
summer squash, continued
Mixed Squash from Comanche Creek Farms in Chico offers your customers a little of everything! Download Earl’s Summer Squash Guide.
sweet potatoes
July is the tail end of the storage crop and we have historically seen the new crop in August.
tomatoes
Tutti Frutti (Buellton) Cherokee Heirloom Tomatoes have excellent flavor, Mixed Heirlooms arriving later this week! Early Girls Terra Firma (Winters) and dry farmed Ambrosio (Gilroy) are the first of the season. Winding down on Mexican hothouse grown varietal Cherry Tomatoes as the open pint local season gets going.
local cherry tomatoes
Anna’s: Gold Nugget, Sungold and Mixed Medley
Ambrosio: Mixed Medley
Durst: Mixed Medley; Red Cherry, Red Grape and Sweet 100
Terra Firma: Sweet 100
Comanche Creek: ½ pint Mixed Medley (will transition to pints as volume increases) and Caprese Mix in 8/1.5#
tomatillos
Delicate paper husks cover vibrant green Tomatillos from Sunrise and Comanche.
winter squash
Slowing down and limited availability on all varieties.
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