NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON'T

Peaches are playing an elusive game this year.  Yesterday we had peaches.  Now the supply is diminished to very few, again.  Red Haven and Regina made very short appearances.  We are selling Frost peaches now.  This variety was selected for its resistance to peach leaf curl.  While it is not as rosy colored as most of our peaches, it is still juicy and sweet.  Problem is, I find it more enjoyable when it has a green cast to it.  So it looks like it is not ready, but that is the best time to eat it.

We are getting some help in the peach department from our neighbor, Sunnyslope Farm and our other neighbor, WoodRose Country Garden.

Plums are also giving us a small crop.  Santa Rosa plums are in short supply and may be gone by the end of this week.  Now and then we get a handful of Tulare Giant, Duarte, or Eldorado plums to add to our table. Sad to say, just not much stone fruit.

Amazingly, citrus are still hanging on the trees.  Lemons are big and beautiful, Valencia oranges are sweet and juicy.  And there is still a supply of yellow grapefruit.

Now is the time to eat your vegetables. The green and yellow squash are fresh and tender.  The supply of Japanese cucumbers is not always predictable since they are in such high demand.  We are getting small Japanese eggplants that are thin skinned and tender. Few seeds to contend with!

WoodRose Country Garden and Kijani Farm are adding to our vegetable offerings.  A few real tomatoes have gone home with a few lucky customers.  More to come.

Our supply of hoshigaki is getting very low.  At this time of year we warn people to keep their hoshigaki cold and out of the sun.  If you don't see hoshigaki on display in the farm stand, please ask.  It is chilling in the frig. 

Don't forget the figs.  The Breba crop will not last very long.  The next crop won't start till next month.

HOURS:

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00am to 5:00 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard

Hoshigaki:  These are whole dried persimmons.  They were hand massaged while they dried over a period of four to eight weeks.  Some are firm, others are soft and moist.  All are coated with naturally formed white persimmon sugar.  No sugar added and no preservatives used.  They should be stored in the  freezer if not consumed within a day and definitely kept cool at all times.  You may purchase these at our farm stand.

Plums:  Santa Rosa:  Heirloom variety. Sweet tart and extremely flavorful and fragrant. This variety has stood the test of time and is very popular for good reasons.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Frost peaches are best when a little green.

Valencia Oranges:   Juicy, sweet with some tartness.  These are juicing oranges and also good for eating fresh

Yellow Grapefruit:   Sweet, tart, and flavorful with a wonderfully bitter background.

Eureka Lemons:  These are the tart lemons.  Great for lemonade or Lemon Meringue Pie.

Figs:  Panache, Black Mission.  Limited supply        

Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard.

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemons

Summer Squash: zucchini and yellow squash

Cucumbers:  Japanese cucumbers are thin skinned, crisp, seedless and sweet. 

Japanese Eggplant:  Thin skinned, tender and few seeds.  Subtle flavor.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  lettuce, summer squash, onions, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, bell peppers, potatoes, beans, carrots, snow peas, and cherry tomatoes.  Limited supply of tomatoes, nectarines, and Kim Alberta peaches.

Double Delight Nectarine

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay: Honey🍯. Top of the Hill Apiary also has bees wax 🐝.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.

Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay:  Japanese Ume plums:  These small very tart apricots are pickled for Japanese  cuisine.  They are commonly pickled in salt, sugar, honey, or alcohol.  

Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay:  June Pride are yellow fleshed, freestone peaches.  Limited supply.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Red Russian Kale, Dino Kale, Swiss Chard, Beets.

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay, no spray.  Black Mission figs

WAITING FOR PEACHES

 Still waiting for peaches.  There are green peaches on the trees.  Just waiting for the right time to ripen.  We love the cooler weather we have been getting but it has not signaled the summer fruits to ripen.  Maturity is delayed about 2 weeks.  Production is about 10% of normal due to the wet blossom season we had.  Unfortunately we had to limit customers to 2 or 3 early peaches  😢.   In the next week we will be starting Flavorcrest, Regina and Red Haven varieties.  Again, not a big crop but hopefully enough to increase the limit.

Santa Rosa plums have started to show good color.  Their fragrance is beginning to fill the farm stand.  This is one of the all time favorite plums.  It is full of flavor and fragrance.  It  has just the right balance of sweet and tart to excite the palate.

The loquat harvest is in full swing.  Loquat are small yellow tropical fruit with a downy skin.  The flesh between the skin and large seed is sweet,  juicy and fleshy.  

A little surprise.  The worker brought in Brown Turkey figs!  I'm glad he found them before the birds did.  It's time for the fig breba crop, so these are large.  I'm hoping the Black Mission and Penache will soon follow.

There are still boxes of conventionally grown ume in storage.   I am trying my hand at ume syrup this year.  My brother is getting more confident pickling umeboshi.  This year he is making his first attempt at making umeshu.

Vegetables are happy. We are currently harvesting armloads of zucchini and yellow squash. They are so fresh, tender and easy to cook.  Japanese cucumbers are also coming into the farm stand.  As good as ever with their thin skin, crispness, sweet taste and seedless flesh.   Time to dig out the Soy sauce sesame dressing recipe.  Every other day I look forward to picking a few deep orange sungold cherry tomatoes.  Each time I get a little more than the last picking.  Standard tomatoes are on the vines but still green.  Their time will come. 

Helping us out are WoodRose Country Garden and Kijani Farm.  

WoodRose brings us lettuce, beans, peppers,  carrots,onions, snow peas, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, basil, and herbs.  Standard tomatoes are starting to color.  We have been enjoying cherries from WoodRose and also small ornamental plums. 

Kijani Farm is bringing us 2 varieties of kale and red chard.

Sadly we announce the last delivery of honey from Top O' The Hill Apiary.  Health issues are causing George to shut down his bee operation.  He has cared for bees for many years and is a wealth of knowledge on beekeeping and bee products. He  is a living treasure.

Many of you pursued us during the spring road construction project.  Thank you for your fortitude.  It has been quiet on Eureka for a week.  I think the construction is finished for now. 

HOURS:

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00am to 5:00 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard

Hoshigaki:  These are whole dried persimmons.  They were hand massaged while they dried over a period of four to eight weeks.  Some are firm, others are soft and moist.  All are coated with naturally formed white persimmon sugar.  No sugar added and no preservatives used.  They should be stored in the  freezer if not consumed within a day and definitely kept cool at all times.  You may purchase these at our farm stand. 

Loquat:  Small orange tropical fruit. sweet and fleshy. Contains a large seed.

Lemons and Santa Rosa plums

Plums:  Santa Rosa:  Heirloom variety. Sweet tart and extremely flavorful and fragrant. This variety has stood the test of time and is very popular for good reasons.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Valencia Oranges:   Juicy, sweet with some tartness.  These are juicing oranges and also good for eating fresh

Yellow Grapefruit:   Flavorful and juicy.  Sweet tart with a wonderfully bitter background.

 

Eureka Lemons:  These are the tart lemons.  Great for lemonade or Lemon Meringue Pie.

Figs:  Brown Turkey, Black Mission.  Limited supply        

Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard.

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm 

 

Look what's blooming. Chestnuts.

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemons

Summer Squash: zucchini and yellow squash

Cucumbers:  Japanese cucumbers are thin skinned, crisp, seedless and sweet.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  lettuce, spinach, summer squash, onions, basil, Italian parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, bell peppers, beans. carrots, snow peas, and cherry tomatoes.

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay: Honey🍯. Top of the Hill Apiary also has bees wax 🐝.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.

Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay:  Japanese Ume plums:  These small very tart apricots are pickled for Japanese  cuisine.  They are commonly pickled in salt, sugar, honey, or alcohol.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Red Russian Kale, Dino Kale, Swiss Chard

Sunnyslope Farm Eventually they will bring us some peaches.  

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay, no spray.  Black Mission figs

RETURN TO REGULAR HOURS

 It has not happened for a few years.  The timing was just right.  We actually have a few cherries to offer some lucky customers.  Although we are delighted to have cherries from our orchard we recognize this as a bright beginning of a new summer season that will be less productive than usual.  Seems that all that rain we are so thankful for, did not allow the peaches, plums, apricots, or nectarines get a chance to pollinate.  Their production will be very limited this year. 😢

The gardens are mostly planted.  Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, beans, eggplant, peppers and okra are starting to grow.  I am battling bugs in my cucumber, long bean, and okra rows.  I've had to reseed and try to get past the tender stage.  Meanwhile the weeds don't seem to have any trouble with bugs.  Weeding keeps me busy in addition to trying to trap a hungry gopher.  The tomato vines are quickly filling their cages and I am starting to harvest squash.

WoodRose Country Garden made their first delivery this week.  They offer lettuce, spinach, spring onions, fresh garlic, and several herbs.

We are about finished harvesting ume, Japanese sour plums.  There is one old tree with small fruit left to pick.  We are also getting ume from the neighbor.   Red shiso, often used in ume processing, is available as plants at the farm stand. 

WEEKDAY ROAD CONSTRUCTION:  The water line is being replaced on Eureka Road in front of the orchard.  Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, you may have to enter Eureka Road past the barricade at either Barton Road or Auburn Folsom Road depending on where the crew is working on that day.   Please drive carefully.

Please note that we have now returned to regular season hours:

 

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00am to 5:00 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard

Hoshigaki:  These are whole dried persimmons.  They were hand massaged while they dried over a period of four to eight weeks.  Some are firm, others are soft and moist.  All are coated with naturally formed white persimmon sugar.  No sugar added and no preservatives used.  They should be stored in the  freezer if not consumed within a day and definitely kept cool at all times.  You may purchase these at our farm stand or order them using our mail order form.

Cherries: Very limited supply. 

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Valencia Oranges:   Juicy, sweet with some tartness.  These are juicing oranges and also good for eating fresh

Yellow Grapefruit:   Flavorful and juicy.  Sweet tart with a wonderfully bitter background.

Eureka Lemons:  These are the tart lemons.  Great for lemonade or Lemon Meringue Pie.

Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard.

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm 

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemons

Summer Squash: zucchini and yellow squash

 Plants:  We have a few plants available.  Red tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, paste tomatoes, shiso, flowering quince and California Fuchsia.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  lettuce, spinach, spring onions, basil, Italian parsley, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, thyme and fresh garlic.

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay: Honey🍯. Top of the Hill Apiary also has bees wax 🐝.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.

Stoney Point Orchard  in Loomis, certified organic: pink grapefruit.

Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay:  Japanese Ume plums:  These small very tart apricots are pickled for Japanese  cuisine.  They are commonly pickled in salt, sugar, honey, or alcohol.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Red beets, Red Russian Kale.

TOO MUCH HEAT

      Last time I complained about the heat affecting peaches.  Little did I know the heat that would be presented to us this week would be so much more intense. Peaches are still being harvested.  We have been cautioning customers to eat these end-of-season peaches before they are soft and juicy.  They have a tendency to get mushy. We are currently harvesting Late Alamar, Summerset, and Fairtime freestone peaches.

     We have Mutsu apples from Sunnyslope farm, (conventional practices).  The Mutsu are also  called Crispin.  They are good for fresh eating, salads, baking and making sauce.  They are juicy, sweet,  and crisp.

     Soon we will be having jujube.  These little gems are mostly  still green.  We are starting to see a few brown ones on the trees.  This ancient fruit is sweet and crisp like an apple but not as juicy.  Many people seek them for their health benefits.  Most of us just enjoy snacking on them.

    The heat had a profound effect on our tomatoes.  Production slowed down. Many were damaged by the intense sun we have been having. WoodRose Garden continues to bring us a few tomatoes every day.  She has many green tomatoes on her vines and just a few red ones. Be patient.

  

REGULAR  SEASON HOURS:

TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY  10:00  TO  6:00

                            SUNDAY      11:00 TO 5:00

CLOSED ON MONDAYS

 Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard

Casselman plums:  Yellow fleshed, crisp,sweet and juicy.  Great flavor.

Yellow freestone peaches: 🍑

              Summerset:  Best tasting late season peach.  Sweet, juicy and great flavor.

             Fairtime:  Sweet and juicy with a little tang.  Good flavor.

             Late Alamar:  Good flavor, sweet tart

Asian Pears:

           Hosui:  early season brown Asian pear.  Very sweet.

           20th Century:  Yellow skinned fresh crisp and juicy.  Very refreshing.

           New Century:  This yellow pear is very sweet, juicy and crisp.  

           Yoi:   Sweet brown Asian pear.  Caramal flavor.

           Shinko:  Sweet brown Asian pear.  Good crunch and juicy.

Bartlett pear:  🍐This European pear is soft and juicy when turning yellow.

Figs:  

            Brown Turkey:  brown skin with sweet pink flesh.

            Panache:   Often called Tiger Stripe.  Large fruit has green skin and pink flesh.  Very sweet.

            Black Mission :  Most common variety and well loved for its sweetness and texture.

Hachiya:  frozen persimmon pulp.

Grapes 🍇:

           Thompson seedless:  Small yellow seedless grapes. Sweet and juicy.

           Red Purlett:  Lavendar red skin and sweet seedless berries.

Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard 

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm 

Japanese Eggplant:  small tender eggplant. Great for stir-fry or making pickles.  (limited supply)

Tomatoes : 🍅Slicing, Salad, and cherry (limited supply).

Asian cucumbers:  🥒Crisp and flavorful. Seedless and burpless.  Many people are enjoying eating them out of hand.  Just wash and take a bite (limited supply).

Long beans:  long green beans, use like regular green beans. These are tender and cook quickly.

Winter squash:

         Red Kuri:  Deep orange shell with thick, sweet, dry flesh. great for baking, stews, roasting, side dish, or dessert.

         Kabocha:  Green shell with thick, sweet, nutty, dry flesh. Traditional Japanese pumpkin. Often steamed with soy sauce, broth and mirin.

         Delicata:  Yellow and green striped shell.   Unlike other winter squash, delicata have thin skin.  Sweet, delicate flavor, easy to prepare.

         Black Futsu:  The black bumpy shell turns orange when mature.  Sweet flesh with fruity background.  Can be roasted, steamed, baked, fried and even made into pie.

         Butternut:  Pinkish beige shell yields a neck of solid flesh and a small seed cavity. Smooth, sweet flesh can be baked, steamed, or roasted.  Can be added to soup, stir fry, stews.

Hot peppers:

         Buena Mulata hot peppers.

         Jalapenos

         Aji Amarillos:  Peruvian chili peppers

         Shishito:  Japanese chili peppers that may or may not be hot.

Tomatillos:  green tomato like vegetable often used in green salsa.

Okra:  Little green slimy vegetable. Great when fried with cornmeal.

 

Here is what we have from other producers:

 Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay,Conventionally Grown:  Trazee peaches: Sweet/tart, juicy yellow freestone. (limited supply).

WoodRose Country Gardens in Granite Bay: (organic practices) Red, white and purple potatoes, 🧅,  garlic, summer squash, cucumbers, Armenian cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, eggplant, bell peppers, sweet cherry peppers, 🌶Jalapenos, Serrano, Slicing tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes (Roma type), cherry tomatoes, Greek oregano 🌿🌿, rosemary, thyme, and basil.  Winter squash:  Spaghetti squash, Butternut squash, Delicata squash.  If you are lucky you might snag one of her melons: Ambrosia or watermelon.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay:(organic practices)  Fresh Swiss chard, kale, cherry tomatoes on the vine, and large zucchini.

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay:  No spray production. Black Mission figs.

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay: Honey🍯. Top of the Hill Apiary also has bees wax 🐝.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens (limited supply).

PEACHES AND PEARS

       Sadly, peach trees are nearly empty.  There are a few varieties still hanging on but the load is light.  With the hot temperatures some of the peaches are likely to bake on the tree. Their texture becomes a little like peach pie. Hope you were fortunate to get some peaches this summer.  Now it is time for the peach trees to prepare for their 2023 crop and get some rest.    

       We would also like to get some rest but we can't tell the fruit to stop maturing.  So, as peach season fades away, fall crops are starting to come in.  A few bartlett pears are fading green and changing from their hard crunch to a soft smooth sweet texture. European pears are out numbered by the Asian pears.  We are now harvesting 5 varieties: Hosui, 20th Century, Yoi, Shinko and New Century.  Normally we would be starting to have apples but it looks like the crop is light this year.  Apples were intentionally planted in colder parts of the orchard since they can withstand colder temperatures. Unfortunately the freeze we had in April was too cold for them. A few apple trees planted in other parts of the orchard did survive.  That same freeze damaged peaches, plums and persimmons.  We are harvesting 3 varieties of figs:  Brown turkey, Black Mission, and Panache and two varieties of grapes:  Red Purlett and Thompson seedless.

      Summer vegetables are pushing on with cucumbers, squash, okra, tomatoes, beans, tomatillos, and chilis. WoodRose Country Garden is bringing  ambrosia melons, watermelon and lettuce.  Kijani Farm has several varieties of fresh kale and Rainbow chard.

REGULAR  SEASON HOURS:

TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY  10:00  TO  6:00

                            SUNDAY      11:00 TO 5:00

CLOSED ON MONDAYS

 Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard

Casselman plums:  Yellow fleshed, crisp,sweet and juicy.  Great flavor.

Yellow freestone peaches: 🍑

               Summerset:  Best tasting late season peach.  Sweet, juicy and great flavor.

                Fairtime:  Sweet and juicy with a little tang.  Good flavor.

Cling peaches:

           Bowen:  This is a cling peach with firm sweet texture.  The firm flesh clings to the seed.  You must carve the flesh off the seed or just eat it out of hand.

Asian Pears:

           Hosui:  early season brown Asian pear.  Very sweet.

           20th Century:  Yellow skinned fresh crisp and juicy.  Very refreshing.

           New Century:  This yellow pear is very sweet, juicy and crisp.  

           Yoi:   Sweet brown Asian pear.  Caramal flavor.

           Shinko:  Sweet brown Asian pear.  Good crunch and juicy.

Bartlett pear:  This European pear is soft and juicy when turning yellow.

Figs:  

            Brown Turkey:  brown skin with sweet pink flesh.

            Panache:   Often called Tiger Stripe.  Large fruit has green skin and pink flesh.  Very sweet.

            Black Mission :  Most common variety and well loved for its sweetness and texture.

Hachiya:  frozen persimmon pulp.

Grapes:

           Thompson seedless:  Small yellow seedless grapes. Sweet and juicy.

           Red Purlett:  Lavendar red skin and sweet seedless berries.

Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard 

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm 

Summer Squash:  Zucchini, Yellow squash   

Japanese Eggplant:  small tender eggplant. Great for stir-fry or making pickles.  (limited supply)

Tomatoes : 🍅Slicing, Salad, and cherry

Asian cucumbers:  🥒Crisp and flavorful. Seedless and burpless.  Many people are enjoying eating them out of hand.  Just wash and take a bite.

Long beans:  long green beans, use like regular green beans. These are tender and cook quickly.

Hot peppers:

         Buena Mulata hot peppers.

         Jalapenos

         Aji Amarillos:  Peruvian chili peppers

         Shishito:  Japanese chili peppers that may or may not be hot.

Tomatillos:  green tomato like vegetable often used in green salsa.

Okra:  Little green slimy vegetable.

 

Here is what we have from other producers:

 Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay,Conventionally Grown:  O'Henry peaches: Sweet juicy yellow freestone. (limited supply).

WoodRose Country Gardens in Granite Bay: (organic practices) Red, white and purple potatoes, 🧅, Shallots, garlic, summer squash, lemon cucumbers, cucumbers, Armenian cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, eggplant, bell peppers, 🌶Jalapenos, Serrano, Slicing tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes (Roma type), cherry tomatoes, Greek oregano, rosemary, thyme, and basil.  If you are lucky you might snag one of her melons: Ambrosia or watermelon.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay:(organic practices)  Fresh Swiss chard, kale, and cherry tomatoes on the vine.

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay:  No spray production. Black Mission figs.

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay: Honey🍯. Top of the Hill Apiary also has bees wax 🐝.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.

STARTING OUT SLOWLY

        Starting in June we will return to our regular hours. Please keep checking our hours as they may fluctuate depending on the availability of personnel.  By the way, we are still looking for someone to work in and around the farm stand.  If interested in this position, please contact us.

        The Ume, Japanese sour plum, harvest is starting to wind down.  Please let us know if you need any this year. The ume look cleaner and larger this year but the crop is not so big.  We also have smaller speckled ume from a no spray farm in Loomis and small conventional ume from a Granite Bay farm.

        It is just a tease. We have a few peaches.  They may be gone before you know it.  Spring Rose, an early white peach, had a very short harvest.  Sold out quickly.  We are harvesting Springcrest and Maycrest now  Both are yellow fleshed early peaches. We should have a limited supply for about a week.  I am hoping we have a small but decent crop of Junecrest. Then we will have to wait till the Flavorcrest, Regina and Red Haven start to mature about mid June.

        We are waiting patiently for  Loquat to ripen adequately.  Loquat are a subtopical fruit that ripens in late spring.  It is only about an inch in diameter  and orange in color.  Between the downy skin and the large seeds is juicy sweet sour flesh.  So refreshing after a winter absent of fleshy fruit.  Their season is starting and so far we have only picked a few.

        On the horizon are apricots, figs and summer squash.

        WoodRose Country Garden in Granite Bay is supplying us with vegetables. Lately it has been lettuce, spinach, beans, peas, onions, potatoes, and herbs. There is a rumor that their tomatoes will be early.

        Our own gardens are off to a slow start. Please be patient. They are just getting their roots established.  This summer we should be feeding you squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, okra and peppers.

REGULAR  SEASON HOURS:

TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY  10:00  TO6:00

SATURDAY                              10:00 TO 6:00

SUNDAY                           11:00 TO 5:00

CLOSED ON MONDAYS

  Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard

Valencia oranges (limited supply) for juicing or just eating.

Yellow grapefruit :  sweet tart and very flavorful

Eureka lemons 🍋 these are sour

Peaches:  Junecrest, Springcrest and Maycrest:  yellow freestone

Loquat:  one inch orange, subtropical fruit. Sweet sour flesh between downy skin and large seed. (limited supply)

Red Beaut plums: yellow fleshed early plum. (limited supply)

Robada apricots: Large firm apricot with a red blush and aromatic (limited supply)

Hachiya:  frozen pulp 

Ume:  Japanese sour plums. These need to be processed with sugar, salt, honey or alcohol.       

Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard

⚘ Calendula Salve and Lip Balm 

 

Here is what we have from other producers:

Stoney Point Orchard in Loomis (organic certified): Pink grapefruit.

WoodRose Country Gardens in Granite Bay: (organic practices) Red, white and purple potatoes, beans, snow peas, 🥬lettuce, arugula, spinach, white bulb onions 🧅, green onions, Greek oregano, rosemary, thyme. 

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay: Honey🍯. Top of the Hill Apiary also has bees wax 🐝.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.

GIVE US ANOTHER MONTH

Immature ume

 

Immature Loquat

       Customers are coming to the orchard asking for peaches, plums, loquat and mulberries.  I tell them "Give us another month."  These future crops look good for now but are still very green and small.  We are still in danger of damage from a a hail storm or a late freeze.  Rain however would still be welcome.

 I am taking orders for ume, Japanese sour plums. Please see the April 7, 2021 entry below for ume details. Looks like the harvest will be from mid May through June.  Please call (916)791-1656 or email: otoworchard@yahoo.com  if you will be picking up your order at the orchard. 

For mail orders, please use page 2 of the 2020 Mail Order form to send us your order information and check.  We ship 8 pounds of ume in a USPS priority mail box.  The cost is $111 per box.  This includes shipping and handling.

       Hoshigaki is available at the farm stand.   With the temperature rising, we are keeping it in the refrigerator or freezer.   The time is coming when temperatures will affect the quality of hoshigaki sent by mail.  At this time we can still send them. Please use our mail order form if you want to order hoshigaki through the mail.

SLOW SEASON HOURS:

Tues, Wed, and Thurs      11:30  am to 1:30 pm

 

Friday and Saturday        10 am to 6 pm           

 

          Sunday         11 am to 5 pm

Closed on Mondays

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard:

Hoshigaki:  Tender and moist dried persimmons with naturally formed dusting of fruit sugars on the surface.  These were hand massaged and  dried slowly for 4 to 8 weeks.

Eureka Lemons: deep yellow skin and tart juicy flesh.  🍋 Best  lemons to bring out the brightness desired in  lemonade and lemon meringue pie.

Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard

Calendula Salve and Lip Balm

Dehydrated peaches

Herbs: fresh mint, rosemary, thyme, and sage

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden in Granite Bay: Fresh 🥗 Romaine Lettuce, Red Romaine. Red Leaf Lettuce, Butter Crunch Lettuce, cauliflower and green onions.

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay:  Comb honey  can be used in tea, coffee, yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, fruit salads and on toast or bagels.  Top of the Hill Apiary also has Bees wax. 🐝

Nastase Honey Farm in Lincoln:  This Honey 🍯 is unfiltered and raw.

Two Feather Farm in Granite Bay:  🐔🥚  Eggs.  Egg production is up.  The hens are well rested and are happy with warmer weather and longer days. 🌞

Jams 🍑 from the Good Stuff. We currently have Plum (Santa Rosa), Peach Cardamon, Chili Apricot, Pepper Pomegranate, Fig Orange Brandy, and Chili Blackberry.

UME, GRAPEFRUIT, LEMONS AND HOSHIGAKI

        We are still in our slow season with modified hours. The farm stand is offering grapefruit, lemons, hoshigaki, eggs, jams and honey.  As the pandemic restrictions relax we are allowing a few small groups to walk in the orchard.

    It's time to think about ume, Japanese sour plums, which look more like apricots.  Whether processing with salt, sugar, alcohol or honey, it is a challenge.  If you are interested in ordering ume, please read carefully.  There is quite a bit of fruit hanging on the trees but there is also a lot of damaged fruit.  Wind, rain and hail blemished most of the fruit.  I will not be highly grading the ume this year. We will sell a modified field run grade (what we pick off the tree will be sold with

minimal sorting).  I have used blemished ume for my own purposes in the past.  The spots are mostly superficial with no effect on the taste. At this time the ume is still immature.  We will possibly harvest from the end of April through mid-June.  If you will be picking up your order at the farm please call ahead so we can put your name on the list and prepare your order as the harvest proceeds.  For Mail orders, please use page 2 of the 2020 Mail Order form to send us your order information and check.  We ship 8 pounds of ume in a USPS priority mail box.  The cost is $111 per box.  This includes shipping and handling.

       Please keep checking this page on our web site for updates on ume.  We will let you know if we get conventional ume from other local producers. Give us a call or send an email if you have any questions.

       This has once again been a dry winter.  We are checking the irrigation system for maintenance and leaks.  All too soon we will have to start watering the trees.  Fruit thinning is just around the corner.  I can already see very small peaches and plums on the trees.

        We continue to process and sell hoshigaki, dried persimmons. These can be purchased at the farm or by sending us a mail order form.

Slow Season Hours started March 2, 2021.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday hours remain the same.  But Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday hours are changed to 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. If you need to stop by outside of these hours you are welcome to contact us since we are often at the farm somewhere.   If we are near the farm stand we will answer the land line: (916) 791-1656. If we are out in the orchard or garden it is best to text or leave a message on my cell phone since I do not answer unrecognized calls.  (916) 300-0720.

SLOW SEASON HOURS:

Tues, Wed, and Thurs      11:30  am to 1:30 pm

 

Friday and Saturday        10 am to 6 pm           

 

          Sunday         11 am to 5 pm

Closed on Mondays

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard:

Hachiya persimmon pulp:   Frozen.  Used for  fresh eating and baking.  These are the persimmons that are often referred to as "food of the gods".  Great in smoothies and on cereal or yogurt.

Hoshigaki:  Tender and moist dried persimmons with naturally formed dusting of fruit sugars on the surface.  These were hand massaged and  dried slowly for 4 to 8 weeks.

Grapefruit:  These are the yellow fleshed, very flavorful grapefruit. 

Eureka Lemons: deep yellow skin and tart juicy flesh.  🍋 Best  lemons to bring out the brightness desired in  lemonade and lemon meringue pie.

Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard

Calendula Salve and Lip Balm

Dehydrated peaches

Herbs: fresh mint, rosemary, thyme, and sage

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden in Granite Bay: Fresh 🥗 Romaine Lettuce, Red Romaine. Red Leaf Lettuce, Butter Crunch Lettuce and green onions.

Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay:  Comb honey  can be used in tea, coffee, yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, fruit salads and on toast or bagels.  Top of the Hill Apiary also has Bees wax. 🐝

Nastase Honey Farm in Lincoln:  This Honey 🍯 is unfiltered and raw.

Two Feather Farm in Granite Bay:  🐔🥚  Eggs.  Egg production is up.  The hens are well rested and are happy with warmer weather and longer days. 🌞

Jams 🍑 from the Good Stuff. We currently have Plum (Santa Rosa), Peach Cardamon, Chili Apricot, Pepper Pomegranate, Fig Orange Brandy, and Chili Blackberry.

PEACH SEASON IS HERE

       For two months people have been asking, "When will you have peaches?"  The answer is, "Now".  It is the time for both yellow and white freestone peaches.   Red Haven are sweet and juicy and they will be followed by Suncrest, Gene Elbert, and Delight in a week.  White peaches are slowly coming in. Nonetheless we are getting a few Silver Logan, Babcock, and Sugar Lady. So if you have been waiting for sweet juicy tree ripened peaches all year be sure to show up at the farm stand in July and August.

      Plums are also in the height of their season.  We continue to sell fragrant and flavorful Santa Rosa plums.  Laroda is a sweet tart tasty plum with yellow flesh.  We have three red fleshed plums:  Satsuma, Frontier, and Burgundy.  These tend to be less acidic and get sweeter and juicier as they ripen.

      I guess you can say it is cucumber season.  The thin skinned, seedless Asian cucumbers are tender, tasty, crisp and juicy. I serve them daily as sticks or rounds.  Some people like to pull them out of the frig and eat them whole for a refreshing and healthy summer snack.  Armenian cucumbers are very crisp and usually on the large side.  I enjoy making overnight pickles with these cucumbers.  And for fun, we have lemon cucumbers. Named after their shape, we find  them more enjoyable when they are light green and not mature yellow.

     Along with peaches, plums and cucumbers are glorious vine ripened tomatoes. Right now we have large juicy red and heirloom tomatoes.  As the season progresses expect the size to shrink. Time to think about those tomato sandwiches or a simple salad of  salted cucumbers with tomatoes and mayo or your favorite dressing.

       Wild blackberries are now in season.  These baskets are carefully hand harvested and selected for taste and sweetness.  Blackberries are usually available only in July.  Hope you don't miss out on this short season. 

      We are selling hoshigaki from last season.  It is available at the farm stand as strips or whole pieces.  We are curtailing mail orders till the weather cools, probably September or October if we still have a supply.

      There are several local honey choices at this time. Nastase Honey Farm has a cute honey bear with raw, unfiltered honey.  Our own beekeeper has honey from Otow Orchard as well as orange blossom honey from a valley citrus grove.  Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay has honey, bee pollen and boxes of beautiful comb honey.

HOURS:

Tues through Sat   10 am to 6 pm

Sun.                       11 am to 5 pm

Closed on Mondays

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard:
Santa Rosa Plums: Dark skin with yellow flesh. Sweet-tart taste with intense flavor and fragrance
Red Flesh Plums:
     Frontier
     Satsuma
     Burgundy
Yellow Freestone Peaches:
      Red Haven
      Suncrest
      Gene Elberta
      Delight
      Frost
White Freestone Peaches:
      Sugar Lady
      Silver Logan
      Babcock
Wild Blackberries
Eureka Lemons:  Tart
Hoshigaki:  whole and strips
Honey from bees at Otow Orchard
Calendula Salve and Lip Balm
Tomatoes:  red, yellow, heirloom, Roma, cherry
Summer Squash
Cucumbers:
      Asian
      Lemon
      Armenian
Asian eggplant
Okra (limited supply)
Long Beans (limited supply)
Sweet Peppers (limited supply)
Honey
Persimmon Pulp


Here is what we have from other producers:
Yellow Peaches from Sunnyslope Farm (conventionally grown): June Pride and Suncrest
Lani's Garden:  Lettuce, American eggplant, Jalapeno peppers and Anaheim peppers.
Honey from Nastase Honey Farm in Lincoln
Orange Blossom Honey from our bee keeper
Top O' the Hill Apiary:  Honey, comb honey, and bee pollen.
Eggs from Two Feather Farm in Granite Bay
Jams from the Good Stuff. We currently have Plum (Santa Rosa), Peach Cardamon, Chili Apricot, Pepper Pomegranate, Fig Orange Brandy, Chili Blackberry, and Quince Marmalade


      

PEACHES, TOMATOES AND THE 4TH OF JULY

        Plans or no plans for the 4th of July, we have peaches and tomatoes.  The tomatoes are just starting to come in.  Red slicing tomatoes, Roma tomatoes and a few cherry tomatoes. We also have crisp, tender, and tasty Asian cucumbers for salads or a relish plate.   Eggplants and peppers are also getting ready for harvest.
       New this year are vegetables from Lani's Garden.  Lani gardens around the corner from us in Granite Bay.  So far she has brought us leaf lettuce, American eggplants, Jalapeno peppers and Anaheim peppers.   Keep watching to see what else she grows.
       Also ready for the celebration are several yellow freestone peach varieties.  Red Haven and June Pride are our favorites and we also have Regina, PF-11 and Flavorcrest.  Sunnyslope Farm is bringing us Flavorcrest, June Pride and maybe a few White Lady peaches.  Time to start making peach pie, peach cobbler and peach crisp.  You can ask us for a recipe.
     Red Beaut plums are about finished but we have a great supply of Santa Rosa plums with their memorable flavor.  There are also some sweet plums with pinkish red flesh called Frontier.
       For now we are getting about a box of black mission figs every two days.  It is a nice looking burber crop, but it might not last long.

      We are selling hoshigaki from last season.  It is available at the farm stand as strips or whole pieces.   Give us a call if you want to order by mail so we can discuss the possibilities.  We are hesitant to ship mail orders due to the heat. (916) 791-1656


      
      There are several local honey choices at this time. Nastase Honey Farm has a cute honey bear with raw, unfiltered honey.  Our own beekeeper has honey from Otow Orchard as well as orange blossom honey from a valley citrus grove.  Top O' the Hill Apiary in Granite Bay has honey, bee pollen and boxes of beautiful comb honey.

HOURS:

Tues through Sat   10 am to 6 pm

Sun.                       11 am to 5 pm

Closed on Mondays

Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard:
Santa Rosa Plums: Dark skin with yellow flesh. Sweet-tart taste with intense flavor and fragrance
Frontier Plums: Dark skin, sweet, red flesh.
Flavorcrest Peach:  Yellow freestone
Regina Peach:  Yellow freestone
June Pride:  Yellow freestone peach
Red Haven peach: Yellow freestone with a distinct flavor 
PF-11: Yellow freestone peach
Sugar Lady: White freestone peach (limited supply)
Figs: Black Mission
Eureka Lemons:  Tart
Hoshigaki:  whole and strips
Honey from bees at Otow Orchard
Calendula Salve and Lip Balm
Tomatoes
Summer Squash
Cucumbers:  Asian and Lemon
Asian eggplant


Here is what we have from other producers:
Yellow Peaches from Sunnyslope Farm (conventionally grown)
Lani's Garden:  Lettuce, American eggplant, Jalapeno peppers and Anaheim peppers.
Honey from Nastase Honey Farm in Lincoln 
Orange Blossom Honey from our bee keeper
Top O' the Hill Apiary:  Honey, comb honey, and bee pollen.
Eggs from Two Feather Farm in Granite Bay
Jams from the Good Stuff. We currently have Plum (Santa Rosa), Peach Cardamon, Chili Apricot, Pepper Pomegranate, Fig Orange Brandy, Chili Blackberry, and Quince Marmalade