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NEW!
• California Granny Smith (Courtland)
• Concord Grapes
• California Keitt Mango -
COMING SOON
• Pomegranates and Persimmons first week of October
• Anna’s Organic Watermelon Gherkins
• Ralph’s (Vernon, WA) Leeks and Bunched and loose Red and Gold Beets (Tuesday) -
BACK IN STOCK
• Turnips
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TIGHT INVENTORY
• Domestic Apples
• Avocados (larger sizes 40/48)
• Brussels Sprouts
• Bi-Color Corn
• Butter Lettuce
• Bunched Spinach
• Sweet Potatoes -
GAPPING
• Utility Apples
• Colored Cauliflower 1-2 weeks
• Rutabaga
• Lakeside Watermelon Radish for the next month
• Covilli Pineapples -
WINDING DOWN
• Last shot of Dark Sweet Cherries
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FINISHED
• Apricots (PNW)
• HGO Pluots and White Nectarines (California)
• Gravenstein Apples
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated August 21, 2022
FRUIT
California Peaches are winding down and late harvest fruit is eating firmer. They are lower in moisture and less juicy than early varieties but they are full of flavor. The peaches have been on the tree longer, resulting in a more solid piece of fruit. Don’t wait until they get too soft though - this could result in a mealy peach. We will have plenty of late seasonal varietals through August.
It’s time to say goodbye to the Pacific Northwest Cherries and Apricots. They were sure delicious! Forbidden Fruit Orchards is back with their Fall crop out of Santa Maria and will go through December, weather dependent. California Black, Green and Red Grapes are oh so sweet. Heinke Concord Grapes arrive this week! Candy Hearts soon.
The California Keitt Mango season is finally here! California Keitt mangos are super juicy and sweet with almost no stringy fibers and a small pit which means more fruit to eat. Deemed as one of the best tasting mangos by many people, this domestic tropical fruit is impressive in both its strikingly large size and beautiful green color. One bite of the delicious smooth flesh and you will be back for more! Don’t shy away from these green mangos because Keitts stay green even when ripe. Download Earl’s Keitt POS card on our marketing resource page.
California Keitt Mangos
Black Mission Figs
Concord Grapes
APPLES
Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) is becoming scarce and will disappear in the next week. PNW starts up mid-late September. Import Galas are done, and we are fully into California fruit.
AVOCADOS
Starting the transition from California down to Mexico. Peruvian fruit on the market is keeping overall prices low. Equal Exchange will start in a bigger way early September. Rincon is the last California grower standing until Traceland (Morro Bay) end of August/beginning of September.
BANANAS
Download Earl’s Banana Handling & Receiving Guide for more helpful tips.
bananas are extremely susceptible to heat
Do not expose them to extremes of cold or heat
• Avoid setting containers in drafts, near heating vents, windows, or motors
• Ideal temperature to store in a well-ventilated space: 56-58 F, 13.3-14.4 C
• Temperature for ripening: 60-65 F, 15.6-18.3 C
BANANAS, continued
• Relative humidity: 90 - 95%
• Mist: No
• Typical shelf life: 3 to 7 days (ripened, depending on conditions)
• Do not store or transport with commodities that produce ethylene i.e., apples, pears, etc.
• Highly sensitive to freezing injury for a sustained amount of time (+12 hours)
• Susceptible to chilling injury if kept below 55 F, 13.3 C
• Damage sometimes is not apparent until the produce is returned to a higher temperature
BERRIES
Blackberries: Tomatero more volume with occasional product from Sunrise.
Blueberries: Starting to see the beginning of Forbidden (Santa Maria Cypress Ranch) with more consistent volume in September. Blueberries will continue out of the Pacific Northwest through mid-September, weather dependent.
Strawberries: California sweet strawberries in good supply! Tomatero will have plenty of #1 and #2 clamshells. Coastal West Produce (CWP), Sun Valley and Martinez will supplement when available.
Raspberries: AG Berry (California) have fantastic flavor and excellent color!
citrus
Grapefruits are starting the transition out of the Star Ruby (high sugar and acid balance with an intense fragrance and flavor) and moving into Marsh (cuts a pearly white with good flavor) and other varieties before the California desert starts up in mid-September. Mexico Choice Lemons are smaller due to the hurricane earlier this year. New crop California Lemons from Docs 2-3 weeks out of the desert.
figs
Maywood (Corning) is in full swing with heavy volume on Black Mission and Kadota with plenty of product available through October. Picked and packed firm with excellent flavor! We may see some Adriatics this week!
grapes
Thomcords are finishing up. More delicious varieties continue to come on – Concord Grapes this week! Candy Hearts soon, Red Seedless Ruby Rush and Krissy, Green Seedless Ivory and Black Seedless Sable. Grape season matures into late September/early October when the fruit develops high sugars.
kiwi
Cello Gold Kiwi a bit tight. Waiting for New Zealand Green Kiwis to start up. California Green Kiwis steady from Sunrise and Family Farms.
melons
Specialty Melons are coming on in a bigger way with Piel de Sapo (has pale green to white inner flesh with a sweet flavor similar to Honeydew), Orange Crush Cantaloupe (incredibly sweet with deep orange flesh), Canary (bright yellow skin and a crisp, super-sweet creamy colored flesh), Sharyln (pale orange flesh has both floral and fruity aromas) and more! Don’t miss our colorful Melon Guide and follow the flavor through the melon season. You can also find all of Earl’s downloadable guides here.
pears
California Bartletts are great for eating out of hand but they also hold up well when baked or poached. Golden Bosc has a buttery soft and juicy texture.
Pears are picked green but not ripe. They ripen from the inside out and have a fragrant aroma, but how do you know when your pear is ripe? One way is to check the color. The deep green skin will soften to a golden hue. Touch is another way. Apply gentle pressure to the neck or stem area of the pear and it will give slightly when it is ready to eat.
Asian Pears combine the flavor and sweetness of Pears with the crunchiness of crisp Apples. Their mild flavor is sweet and slightly tart. Starkrimson red pears from the PNW by the middle of September.
stone fruit
California Pluots are done. We may see a few more weeks of late season pluots from the PNW. Rain in the valley slowed down the pack out of Nectarines and Peaches last week. California Peaches are winding down and late harvest fruit is eating firmer. They are lower in moisture and less juicy than early varieties, but they are full of flavor. The peaches have been on the tree longer resulting in a more solid piece of fruit. Don’t wait until they get too soft though, this could result in a mealy peach.
We will have plenty of late seasonal varietals through August. It’s time to say goodbye to the Pacific Northwest Cherries and Apricots. They were sure delicious!
Apricots: Finished
Cherries: Last shot of Dark Sweet
Yellow Nectarines: August Bright
White Nectarines: California is finished
Yellow Peaches: August Flame
White Peaches: Snow Gem and Yukon King
Plums: TBD
Pluots: California is finished
Peterson Family Fruit: Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) - August Flame Yellow Peach
tropicals
California Keitts are here! They are super juicy and sweet with almost no stringy fibers and a small pit which means more fruit to eat. They are not subjected to the stress of a hot water bath, as most imported mangos are, contributing to a delicious eating experience. Don’t shy away from these green mangos because Keitts stay green even when ripe. (More under vegucation.)
California Esquires are a low water variety meaning non-tropical regions and regions more susceptible to drought can grow this tasty piece of fruit. They start out on the greener side but will ripen up often with little to no change in skin color, later in the season they will land with more yellow and red on them as they ripen.
Ataulfo Mangos are finished. Three to four more weeks on Kents. Mallika Indian Mangos are winding down fast. They have silky and creamy fiberless sweet flesh. Sunrise Passion Fruit is on Earl’s Weekly Special! Thai Coconuts are gapping for a few weeks.
VEGETABLES
Dwelley is seeing heavy pest pressure which is limiting production. We will see White Corn return the beginning of the week. Ralph’s Leeks and Bunched and loose Red and Gold Beets are back Tuesday! Tomatero is into a flush of Sweet Baby Broccoli. Broccoli is headed into the late summertime when we see decreased production and higher pest pressure. We are keeping an eye on quality; expect prices to increase and volume to tighten up on bunches as well as crowns. Romanesco is in promotable volumes from Lakeside. Butter Lettuce continues to be challenging due to aphids. Look for Calo to start up in a small way this week. Artichokes are starting to get into a rising market as volumes tighten up going into late summer. We will see the Fall flush at the end of September. Sun Valley continues to have beautiful Chards and Kales. Orange and Purple Cauliflower returning in a few weeks.
Padrons
Jimmy Nardello
Fresno
asparagus
Steady Asparagus out of Mexico through September. Supplies will tighten up in October.
ARTICHOKES
Steady supply.
beets
Calo is back with more consistent sizing. Ralph’s (WA) loose and bunched Red and Gold Beets arrive Tuesday!
VARIETAL BEANS
It’s summertime! Dwelley has pristine Cranberry, Blue Lake Beans, French Beans, Romano Beans and Yellow Wax Beans.
bROCCOLI
Headed into the late summertime when we see decreased production and higher pest pressure. We are keeping an eye on quality, expect prices to increase and volume to tighten up on bunches as well as crowns.
sweet baby bROCCOLI
Tomatero gorgeous bunches!
Brussels Sprouts
Good supply from Coke.
cabbage
Calo Green and Red good quality.
carrots
Sunrise gorgeous array of carrots - Rainbow, Nantes, Purple and Yellow.
Cauliflower
Tomatero’s block is finished. We will be into Josie’s product mid-week. Colored Cauliflower gapping
Romanesco
Promotable volume from Lakeside.
CORN
Dwelley is seeing heavy pest pressure which is limiting production. We will see White Corn return the beginning of the week.
CUCUMBERS
Anna’s Organic Watermelon Gherkins coming soon! Summer is the time for Specialty Cucumbers. Pickling Cucumbers now available in 10# and 22#. Comanche Armenian and Lemon Cucumbers are refreshing and crunchy.
eggplant
Anna’s starting up with Globe Eggplant. Specialty varieties include Chinese (long, narrow with a light purple color), 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
New crop!
tumeric
River Road (Hawaii).
greens
We will see a little less from Sun Valley and Tomatero this week and more from Lakeside.
herbs
Cilantro market is going up. Look to Lakeside this week and possibly some from Coke.
lettuce
Tomatero waiting for Little Gems to size up. Sunrise gapping on Little Gems for at least a week. Iceberg continues to be tight. Butter Lettuce continues to be challenging due to aphids. Look for Calo to start up in a small way this week.
leeks
Ralph’s (WA) returns this Tuesday! Lakeside and Tomatero will continue to have California Leeks.
bell peppers
Steady flow on all colors out of Canada.
sweet/hot peppers
Summer is heating up and so are the varieties. Jimmy Nardellos are a sweet frying pepper, Gypsy peppers are a cross between sweet Italian bull horn peppers and bell peppers and we love them in a Panzanella salad. Anaheim, Jalapeno, Serrano, Padron, Poblano and Shishito are in good supply. Lots of Local Hot Peppers, Padrons and Shishitos. New from Sunrise, Shishito cello bags! Download our Hot Pepper Guide.
onions
Local product coming from Terra Firma (Winters). Onions will soon start the seasonal transition to the Pacific Northwest and Nevada.
potatoes
Rolling with Calo (California) Red and Gold. Fraserland (Canada, just outside of Washington) Bouchey Russets (PNW) are in a good spot through the end of the year.
roots
Montecucco Root Program (Oregon) will start up in October. Look for some loose Gold Beets to trickle in from them during September. Lakeside Turnips continue. Rutabaga is gapping for now.
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
Smooth transition into fresh new crop and we are seeing volumes improve. Fresh crop sweet potatoes will not be as sweet as the storage crop, as the starches have not yet turned to sugar.
tomatoes
August is the time when Local Tomatoes hit their peak flavor. Tutti has moved into field grown tomatoes with larger sized fruit. Early Girls from Comanche and Dry Farmed Early Girls from Ambrosio and Tutti. A bounty of Cherry Tomato Varietals from local growers.
winter squash
September is less than two weeks away and we are stocked on gorgeous hard squash varieties! Tutti Frutti leads the way with Acorn, Buttercup, Butternut, Carnival, Delicata, Kabocha, Red Kuri and Spaghetti! Hard Squash Bins coming soon! Anna’s Organics (Chowchilla) now harvesting Acorn and Delicata and don’t miss the stunning orange Kabocha from Sunrise Farms (Lompoc).
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VEGUCATION CORNER
