-
NEW!
• Candyland Candy Snap Grapes - Walk through the vineyard with us - see below!
• California Gravenstein Apples
• Comanche Red Noodle Beans
• Specialty Eggplant - Filipino, Orient Express
• Mexican Lemons
• Crespo Mallika Indian Mangos
• California Melons: Snow Leopard Honeydew, Piel de Sapo, Canary and Orange Crush Cantaloupe
• Hosui and Niitaka Asian Pears
• New Crop Golden Bosc Pears
• Wild River Honey Punch Pluots -
COMING SOON
• Starkrimson Pears (Washington) a month away
• New Crop Sweet Potatoes mid to late August
• Maywood Main Crop Black Mission and Brown Turkey by end of week -
BACK IN STOCK
• Fava Beans
• California Shallots
• Coke Snow Peas
• Date Paste (Monday) -
TIGHT INVENTORY
• Brussels Sprouts
• Domestic Apples
• Avocados (larger sizes 40/48)
• Eggplant
• Green and Red Butter Lettuce
• Sweet Potatoes all varieties
• Winter Squash -
GAPPING
• Colored Cauliflower 1-2 weeks
• Utility Apples -
WINDING DOWN
• Domestic Apples
-
FINISHED
• Country Sweet Yellow Onions
• California Burdock
• Cal-O Bulk Fingerlings discontinued
• Import Pears
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated July 31, 2022
FRUIT
Candy Grapes are back! Candy Snap Grapes have a wonderful tropical, fruity and sweet taste. High sugar and low acidity with firm, crisp berries make this a favorite. Wash and freeze grapes on a cookie sheet for a healthy fun snack this summer! Walk through the Candy Snap Vineyard with us.
The Avocado market is becoming more volatile with both domestic and import fruit on the market. California remains strong with supply, and with Peruvian and Mexico fruit ramping up California prices are dropping quickly. While Californian fruit cannot keep up with import pricing, the California fruit is eating at its best right now and cannot be beat in flavor! Mexican and Peruvian Hass Avocados are young in maturity which equals lower flavor, lower oil and the possibility of inconsistent ripening.
California Melons are at the peak of flavor! California melon season begins around Memorial Day in El Centro at the southern end of the Imperial Valley in the desert. As the weather continues to get warmer, melon production moves north to the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley to Bakersfield and Coalinga. By July melons are coming out of the northern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Firebaugh and Los Banos and by mid-July melons will move up through the San Joaquin Valley into Yolo County near Sacramento. Picking a ripe melon is very difficult and is not an exact science. Melons ripen on the vine and do not get any sweeter once picked although texture and flavor can improve. Read the full blog on our vegucation and download Earl’s Summer Melon Guide here.
California Stone Fruit - Peaches, Nectarines, Plums and Pluots are sweet and juicy. Fortune and Simka Red Plums have outstanding flavor. Catch all the varieties this week under the Stone Fruit category. Peaches and Apricots have started out of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) in small volumes. Rainier and Dark Sweet Cherries (PNW) have great flavor. Watsonville Strawberries are slowing down a bit as they are passing their peak season for volume. Lots of production coming out of warmer growing regions. The second and sweeter main crop of Black Mission and Brown Turkey Figs is here. Maywood starting up later this week.
Refreshing Dragon Fruit is a delicious superfood. The flesh has edible seeds, and the flavor is slightly sweet and tastes like a cross between a kiwi and a pear. Don’t miss the Weekly Special. Watch Earl’s video how to cut and eat Dragon Fruit.
Magenta Dragon Fruit
Candy Snap Grapes
Orange Crush Cantaloupe
APPLES
California apple season starts with local Gravenstein Apples from Sebastopol. The Gravenstein Apple Fair is August 13th-14th.
California Gala new crop is starting up slowly. Domestic storage apples out of the PNW are holding on - think Fuji and Honeycrisp. It is an import market. New Zealand Envy Club Apples will join the Jazz Apple in a few weeks.
AVOCADOS
The Avocado market is becoming more volatile with both domestic and import fruit on the market. California remains strong with supply, and with Peruvian and Mexico fruit ramping up California prices are dropping quickly. While Californian fruit cannot keep up with import pricing, the California fruit is eating at its best right now and cannot be beat in flavor! Mexican and Peruvian Hass Avocados are young in maturity which equals lower flavor, lower oil and the possibility of inconsistent ripening.
BANANAS
Download Earl’s Banana Handling & Receiving Guide for more helpful tips.
Proper Handling Procedures
Bananas are susceptible to scarring and bruising if roughly handled
Never drop, roll or tip boxes - do not stand on side
The product must be taken from the crown to not mistreat the fruit
Do not stack on wet, cold or concrete floors
Leave on a pallet for protection from damp floors and for even air circulation
Do not place heavy objects on top of cartons
BERRIES
Blackberries: Tomatero excellent supply and flavor through August.
Blueberries: LaPierre (Washington) large, flavorful Draper and Homegrown (Oregon) 6oz and pints for a few more weeks.
Strawberries: Tomatero 2# and 1# clamshells. Sun Valley is winding down from their recent peak with cooler weather last week. Weather dependent, fruit will go through September out of Watsonville.
Raspberries: California AG Berry and Sun Valley have great flavor and color.
CITRUS
Valencias are the summer citrus - excellent for juicing. Will go well into the Fall before transitioning to Mexican fruit. California Lemon market remains tight, prices have leveled out. Mexico is starting up with favorable pricing. Hyde Grapefruit has a few more weeks of Star Ruby followed by Marsh to take us into the Fall.
melons
Specialty Melons are starting up in a bigger way with Ambrosia (hybrid muskmelon with juicy, tender, pale orange flesh and sweet flavor with floral nuances), Orange Crush Cantaloupe (incredibly sweet with deep orange flesh), Snow Leopard Honeydew (white with splashes of dark green and refreshing light green flesh) and Canary (bright yellow skin and a crisp, super-sweet creamy colored flesh). Don’t miss our colorful Melon Guide and follow the flavor through the melon season. Good supply on Durst Seedless Watermelon Bins and Dwelley Seeded Watermelon Bins.
pears
California Pear season has more varieties this week! The delicious Bartlett grown along the Sacramento Delta will be very green and take a few weeks to ripen. Golden Bosc has a buttery soft and juicy texture. Hosui and Niitaka Asian Pears combine the flavor and sweetness of Pears with the crunchiness of crisp Apples. Their mild flavor is sweet and slightly tart.
tropicals
Ataulfos and Dragon Fruit on Earl’s Weekly Specials! Ataulfo Mangos have a few more weeks. Stock up now. NEW! Crespo Mallika Mangos - A sweet and creamy fiberless Indian varietal. Summer Mango Mania continues!
Dragon Fruit is a refreshing superfood. Rainbow Valley beautiful Magenta and Covilli Pink, Fuschia and Mixed Cases offer your customers a wealth of health benefits. Read Earl’s blog. Thai Coconuts supply continues to fluctuate.
stone fruit
Cherries going strong from Pacific Northwest, into Columbia Gorge with prices starting to drop. Smaller sizes offer a great value. Wild River Honey Punch Pluots are new this week. With their beautiful punch color and sweet flavor and light acidity, they are an employee favorite. The Fortune Plum is a Japanese plum variety which is well grown in California and produces aromatic, beautiful bright red fruit. In fact, it is one of the cultivars developed as mutations from the famous Santa Rosa plum tree. You’ll love the pretty heart-shaped Simka Plum for its contrasting deep purple skin, golden flesh and delightful sweetness. A splendid, large fresh-eating freestone plum that retains its firmness even when ripe. Makes wonderful jam/preserves, too. Stays firm when ripe for a snappy mouthfeel. California Yellow Peaches and Nectarines and White Peaches in promotable volumes. Pacific Northwest Apricots are juicy, large, and in good supply for the next few weeks.
STONE FRUIT, CONTINUED
Apricots - Rival (PNW)
Cherries - Rainier and Dark Sweet Chelean Beauty (PNW)
Yellow Nectarines - Fire Sweet, August Bright, Beach Baby
White Nectarines - Fire Pearl, Majestic Pearl
Yellow Peaches - Lady Erin, Rich Lady, Zee Lady
White Peaches - Glacier White, Snow King
Plums - Black Owen T, Fortune, Simka
Pluots – Honey Punch, Dapple Fire, Dapple Dandy, Crimson Glo
Peterson Family Fruit - Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) - Beach Baby Yellow Peach and Honey Royal Yellow Nectarine
VEGETABLES
Growers continue to fight aphids brought on by hot and humid summer weather. Sun Valley Purple and Orange Cauliflower will gap for another few weeks. Lakeside and Braga are experiencing quality issues on Green Cabbage from the heat. Calo continues to deal with aphids on Butter Lettuce and Josie’s continues experiencing quality issues on Iceberg. Dwelley Bi-Color Corn is in good supply. White remains limited. The Broccoli market is beginning to stabilize, with better supply from Josie’s. Baby Broccoli from Tomatero is back. Lakeside and Sun Valley Romanesco returns. Calo continues to see heavy aphid pressure in Red Butter Lettuce and will gap until they start up out of a new field. Lakeside Butter Lettuce has great quality. The Greens category is experiencing aphids as well – especially Lacinato Kale, so be sure to give them a good wash with tepid water. Sunrise Purple Bells return this week as well as California Shallots new crop from Coke. Local Cherry Tomatoes are picking up steam and have excellent flavor as well as Early Girl and Heirloom Tomatoes. Tutti Frutti Mixed Heirlooms have great flavor. Tutti Winter Squash program has started with Kabocha. More to follow!
Shishito Peppers
Early Girl Tomatoes
Sunrise Yellow Carrots
asparagus
Mexico supply is healthy, with a more robust production cycle in the Fall.
ARTICHOKES
Ocean Mist steady.
beets
Loose Gold Beets are tight, will see a small gap from Calo.
bunched beets
Really nice quality from Ocean Mist.
SPECIALTY beans
Dwelley Cranberry Beans are back along with Blue Lake Beans, French Beans, Romano Beans and Yellow Wax Beans. Comanche Creek Red Noodle Beans can grow up to 18 inches in length and are related to the black-eyed peas but taste more like a string bean. Steam, sauté or toss them on the grill!
BROCCOLI & broccoli crowns
Josie’s has really nice quality.
sweet baby bROCCOLI
Lakeside and Tomatero looking sharp.
brussels sprouts
Covilli is winding down fast and Brussels are sizing up small. Look for other growers to come on.
cabbage
Growers continue to see quality issues on Green Cabbage. Look to Calo this week. Napa Cabbage Oceanside for another two weeks. Tomatero Savoy is beautiful!
carrots
Beautiful Yellow Bunched Carrots from Sunrise Organic Farm are in season! Sunrise’s yellow carrots are a sweet Nantes variety, which have rounded shoulders and blunt non-tapered tips. Sunrise grows four varieties of carrots that make it into their gorgeous rainbow carrot bunches. When the farm has a bumper crop, they are able to offer them as a single variety bunch. Yellow bunched carrots make a great addition to a retail set, adding color pop to your existing varieties!
cauliflower
Lakeside and Josie’s going strong. Colored Cauliflower gapping from Sun Valley for a few weeks.
romanesco
Lakeside and Sun Valley with stellar quality.
celery
Calling all Juicers! Juice Celery price is dropping.
corn
Dwelley has moved into a new field and is back with Bi-color. White Corn remains tight this week.
cucumbers
Tight on Persian Clamshells. Summer is the time for Specialty Cucumbers. Picking Cucumbers now available in 10# and 22#. Comanche Armenian (also known as Painted Serpent) and Lemon Cucumbers are refreshing and crunchy.
eggplant
Local Globe from Coke. New specialty varieties include Filipino (long, slender with smooth violet skin and creamy white flesh with few seeds); Orient Express (long and slender with thin purple skin and light flavor it is a favorite for Asian dishes).
ginger
First of the boat fruit arrives this week.
Tumeric
Secret Beach (Hawaii) is done with a smooth transition to River Road (Peru).
greens
Sun Valley production is slowing down a bit. They are at the peak of summer aphids pressure. Tomatero will have plenty of Kales and Chards.
herbs
Really great quality on Tomatero and Sunrise Italian Parsley. Sunrise and Calo gapping on Dill. Tomatero Bunched Basil by the case is the essence of summer. It’s time to make pesto!
lettuce
Red and Green Little Gems from Tomatero are really nice. Good fill in for Butter Lettuce. Calo out on Butter Lettuce for 2-3 weeks due to pest pressure from aphids. Lakeside Butter Lettuce has limited availability as the plants continue to size up.
bell peppers
Choice Red has been difficult to find due to pest pressure. Lots of choice on all other colors. Origin O (Canada), Mexico and California Bells all in the mix. More local supply coming on from Wilgenburg.
hot/sweet peppers
Banana Peppers from Sunrise (Buellton) are a mild, tangy pepper often used for pickling or stuffing. Sweet Gypsy Peppers are a light yellow. Wonderful in summer salads. Rounding out the category are Anaheim, Jalapeno, Serrano, Padron, Poblano and Shishito. Moving into solid supply of Local Hot Peppers and Shishitos – look for Clamshell Shishitos from Tomatero, with Padrons coming soon. Sunrise Shishito Peppers in pints.
onions
Country Sweet Yellow Onions are finished. There is a short on the market and prices are up. Peri & Sons volume will increase when they transition from Firebaugh to Nevada. California Shallots from Coke are back. Christopher Ranch still a month out.
potatoes
Availability opening up on Russets of all sizes, with no expected gaps.
snow peas
Limited volume from Coke.
summer squash
Beautiful Zucchini from Tomatero! Yellow Bar and Straight Neck Summer Squash from JAS, Sunrise Sunburst and gorgeous Mixed Squash from Comanche. Download Earl’s Squash Guide.
sweet potatoes
End of the season, keeping inventory tight. New crop coming mid to late August.
tomatoes
Steady supply of Mixed Heirlooms. Tutti Frutti will be ramping up with promotable volumes in 7-10 days. Joining this week: Mixed Heirlooms from Comanche Creek, Durst, Fresh Valley and Tomatero. Early Girls from Comanche and Dry Farmed Early Girls from Ambrosio and Tutti. A bounty of Cherry Tomato Varietals from local growers. Look for new Black and Pink Cherry tomatoes from Durst and Caprese Mix from Comanche. Each week the flavor continues to develop and get sweeter!
winter squash
NEW California Squash: Tutti Frutti Kabocha, Anna’s Organics Spaghetti and Acorn and Orange Kabocha from Sunrise.
FOLLOW THE FLAVOR @EARLSORGANIC ON INSTAGRAM
VEGUCATION CORNER
