-
NEW!
• Buddha Hand
• Mexican Keitts
• Anna’s Watermelon Gherkins
• Jujubes (Monday)
• Quince -
COMING SOON
• Cuyama Honeycrisp first week of September
• Club Apples SugarBee and Rockit mid-October
• Kiwi Berries end of September/Beginning October
• Traceland (Morro Bay) Late Season California Avocados
• Pomegranates and Persimmons first week in October -
BACK IN STOCK
• California Keitt Mangos
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TIGHT INVENTORY
• Sweet Potatoes
-
GAPPING
• Utility Apples
• Josie’s Lemon Herb Salad Kit until mid-month
• Colored Cauliflower
• Covilli Pineapples
• Thai Coconut -
WINDING DOWN
• Dwelley Corn
• California White Peaches and Plums -
FINISHED
• California White Nectarines
BUYER’S NOTES
Updated September 11, 2022
FRUIT
GOODBYE SUMMER HELLO FALL
The intense heat wave will begin to subside over the weekend, bringing much relief throughout California. 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.
As Stone Fruit slows down, Apple and Pear varieties are ramping up, evoking the scents of Fall baking. Maywood Figs are peaking with outstanding flavor and volume into October. California Berry season is wrapping up and will transition down to Baja and Mexico in the coming weeks. 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. We can look forward to the first harvest by Rock Front Ranch in Santa Barbara County by mid-September. Download our Jujube flyer!
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. Equal Exchange Fair Trade Avocados are grown by small farmer coops. October is Fair Trade Month - stay tuned for marketing information to help promote your display.
Tutti Frutti Heirloom Tomatoes have outstanding flavor. Weather dependent, the season may continue into November. 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! Montecucco Parsnips, Rutabaga, Red and Gold Beets will be rolling full steam by mid-October!
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.
Jujubes
Warren Pears
Quince
APPLES
Cuyama Sweetie Apples are highlighted by a sweet taste and firm texture and their beautiful red color is accented by golden cheeks. With an international heritage, these apples were discovered in France and are considered a cross between a Braeburn and Royal Gala apple which accounts for their great flavor. Transitioning to new crop California along with apples and pears out of Washington. Domestic Fujis by the middle of September.
AVOCADOS
Mexico is overlapping with the end of the California season. Rincon (California) going through September with excellent flavor. Traceland (Morro Bay) harvest date pushed to the middle of September with high oil and great flavor. Traceland will have plenty of #2 fruit that is great for delis and kitchens! Look for Fair Trade fruit from Equal Exchange (Michoacán, Mexico) grown by small coop farmers. Fruit will be lower in maturity, oil content and flavor than California.
October is Fair Trade month. Stay tuned for more information on how you can highlight your Fair Trade display.
BANANAS
Take care to store your bananas properly. Here are some helpful tips.
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
• 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 Blackberries have excellent flavor.
Blueberries: PNW is wrapping up. Small volumes from Forbidden Cyprus Ranch in Santa Maria with volume picking up the first week of October.
Strawberries: Many growers picked before the heat, cleaning up their fields. Product may be tight on the front side of the week.
Raspberries: Fully into sweet California fruit with AG Berry and Sun Valley.
citrus
Grapefruit tight for 2 weeks and then moving into desert fruit. Now transitioning from Star Ruby to Ruby and Rio Red.
California Lemons still tight. DOC starting up out of the desert soon. Mexican fruit will provide some relief. Early Navels the beginning of October.
figs
Maywood peaking on volume: Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Kadota and Adriatic when available.
grapes
Grape season matures into late September/early October when the fruit develops high sugars.
kiwi
New Zealand Green and Gold Kiwis have excellent flavor.
melons
The recent heat wave slowed down Specialty Melon production. We may see some Riverdog this week. Durst Watermelon Bins will continue through September.
pears
Starting to see the shift from California to the Pacific Northwest - Golden Bosc and Bartlett (California). Starkrimson Red Pears (Washington) have beautiful red skin and add a pop of color to a cheese platter. D’Anjou middle of September (PNW). Hosui Asian Pears are crisp like an apple and juicy like a pear. Warren Pears from Frog Hollow Farm are gorgeous and russetted, soft and juicy, with a melting mouth feel.
stone fruit
On the tail end of the Stone Fruit season. Homegrown Yellow Peaches through the month. Yellow Nectarines for a few more weeks. Maybe one more hit on White Nectarines. White Peaches are done.
tropicals
Mexican Keitts out of Mochis are not hot watered treated. We will see some RVO Magenta Dragon Fruit out of Fallbrook. Thai Coconuts are gapping for a few weeks. California Esquires are done along with Mexican Kents. California Keitt Mangos return this week.
VEGETABLES
Romanesco
Tutti Frutti Heirloom Tomatoes
Rincon Hass Avocados
asparagus
Supply is steady out of Mexico with standard sizes prevalent.
ARTICHOKES
Steady production, weather dependent. We may see production decrease with the Labor Day heat wave. Flush in a few weeks with more availability.
bunched beets
Transitioned almost all beets to Ralph’s (WA). Waiting for Calo to start out of Lamont with Gold Beets. Sun Valley starting up with their fall crops, Bunched Red Beets and Nantes Carrots.
VARIETAL BEANS
Dwelley Specialty Beans-Cranberry is back! Blue Lake, French, Romano and Yellow Wax good supply.
bROCCOLI
Pin rot issues caused by the heat is tightening up the category.
sweet baby bROCCOLI
Tomatero coming into a nice flush.
bROCCOLI crowns
Tomatero decent volume.
Brussels Sprouts
Plenty of bulk from multiple labels. Bags are still gapping.
carrots
Stunning Purple, Sweet Yellow and Nantes Carrots from Sunrise. Sunrise is gapping on Rainbow Carrots. Ralph’s Rainbow Carrots will help bridge the gap.
cauliflower
Tomatero has started back up along with Romanesco. Josie’s is seeing limited harvest. Lakeside has some volume.
celery
Steady and promotable.
corn
Dwelley Bi-Color will end before white corn. Pest pressure continues to be an issue and White Corn will be trimmed until the season wraps up. PNW Corn starts up this week.
cucumbers
Wilgenburg Euro Cukes will improve this week. There is a possibility of Mexican Euro Cukes this week. Look to bulk, clam shells and bagged Persians and Slicers to be in good supply.
eggplant
Globe still tight with higher pricing. Limited on Specialty Varietals.
garlic
Christopher Ranch and Harris Ranch California Bulk Garlic is pristine.
greens
Chard Rainbow and Green in good supply. Red Chard in a tough spot.
herbs
Tomatero Basil season is slowing down and easily affected by the heat.
lettuce
Iceberg prices starting to drop. Small shot of Tomatero Leaf Lettuce. Calo has good quality. Cooler nights have helped cool the lettuce.
bell peppers
California Red and Green are peaking. Orange and Yellow continue out of Mexico. Origin O (Canada) returns this week.
sweet/hot peppers
Sweet Corno di Toro (Bull Horn) peppers are perfect for grilling, roasting and stuffing. 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
Nature’s Bounty will be it for California and then transitioning to PNW Anderson product. Green Onion demand has shot up translating to higher prices.
potatoes
Still rolling with Calo California Gold. Bouchey Russets (PNW) are in a good spot through the end of the year. Bouchey Fingerlings are available in bagged and bulk - Medley, Purple, Amarosa and Red French.
spinach
Bunched Spinach back in good supply.
summer squash
Tomatero has moved into a flush of Zucchini with aggressive pricing.
sweet potatoes
All varieties are new crop aside from Hannah’s. Fresh crop sweet potatoes will not be as sweet as the storage crop, as the starches have not yet turned to sugar.
tomatoes
With the heat expect prices to increase on local tomatoes. Look for Mixed Heirlooms from Tutti, Fresh Valley and Ambrosio. Early Girls are tight. Cherry Tomatoes are plentiful!
winter squash
Local growers are coming on with all varietals. Look for Jack O’ Lanterns by the end of the month. Sugar Pie Pumpkins now available. Tutti Frutti Winter Squash Bins are here! Dwelley Hard Squash in 1-2 weeks. Download our Hard Squash Guide.
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