SUMMERTIME FADING

         Nature is transitioning to the next season.  Not quite persimmon season.  Many have been asking about persimmons.  Looks like we will  have a better crop than last year.  The fruit are beginning to change from green to a hint of orange.  Normally the brown fleshed persimmons are the first to mature.  A few may show up at the farm stand by the end of September.     

    Fig trees are happily producing brown, black and green skinned figs.  We have many coming from our trees as well as from Lupi Farm in Granite Bay.  All are grown without sprays.

 

    While many wineries are preparing to crush grapes, we are harvesting table grapes.  We have sweet yellow Thompson seedless grapes, sweet seedless Red Perlett, and the ever popular dark seeded Kyoho grapes. WoodRose Country Garden brings us the sweet traditional Red Flame grapes.

    There seems to be olives this year.  We are currently selling green Manzanella olives.  These are raw and need to be processed by your traditional method.  We harvest a bit early to avoid the olive fruit fly hatch.  So don't delay if you want to process some olives.

    Apple season is officially here with Gala apples.  These are yellow apples with a red blush. They are sweet, juicy and crisp.  The Red delicious are starting to come off the trees.  Ours are fresh, sweet, crisp, and juicy.

    In the area of pears, we are harvesting both European and Asian varieties.  The Bartlett pears are loosing their green color and turning a delicious yellow with smooth texture and sweetness.  The Asian pears we have are 20th Century, New Century, and Yoi.

    People are asking about Jujube.  They are getting some color now.  They should be available by the last week of September.

    Summer gardens are slowing down. I definitely see a decrease in the size and quality of tomatoes.  This happens near the end of the growing season.  Tomatoes may be smaller and uglier but they still possess that standout flavor that we crave.  The summer squash plants are tired.  Now and then we still get a few zucchini or yellow squash. Beans, cucumbers, and eggplant are still giving us a good production.

    The winter squashes are showing their colors.  They are ready for your roasting, steaming  and stewing along with seasoning of your choice.  We currently have Butternut, Kabocha,  Delicata and Spaghetti squashes.  WooddRose Garden has added  a new variety called Shark Fin.  It is a green Asian Spaghetti squash.  The noodles inside are clear and resemble the Shark Fin used in Asian soups.

HOURS:

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00 am to 5:00 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

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

Hoshigaki:  Currently sold out. 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.  Hoshigaki processed in 2022 have sold out.  We normally begin peeling persimmons in October.  The early hoshigaki may be available in November. You may contact us for on-farm pick-up orders.  Look for the mail order form online in October. Mail order shipments do not usually begin until December.

Plums:  Empress :  A freestone, yellow-fleshed European plum with blue/purple skin.   They are sweet and meaty. Used for cooking, baking preserving and eating fresh.

Apples:  

        Gala: Sweet, crisp and juicy with a floral aroma.

        Red Delicious:  mild sweet, firm-crisp with a pleasant flavor and texture.

Grapes:  

    Kyoho:  Very sweet large purple grapes with concord-like flavor. Seeded.  

     Red Purlett :  seedless, sweet, red grapes. 

    Thompson Seedless:  yellow green grapes that are tart or intensely sweet.

Asian Pears:  

    20th Century:  Yellow, round pear known for being sweet, tender, crisp, and juicy. Great for snacking or adding to salads.

    New Century:  Large, round, sweet pear with sturdy texture. Great for snacking or adding to salads.  It has yellow skin and white flesh.

    Yoi:   This is a brown-skinned, fine-textured, crisp, sweet and juicy pear. The flavor has a hint of butterscotch.

Figs:  

    Black Misson:  Very popular variety with mild sweetness. When ripe it is moist yet chewy with rich flavor.

    Panache:  Green striped fig often referred to as Tiger Stripe.  Sweet, fragrant fig with a hint of raspberry.

    Brown Turkey:  Brown fig with shades of green and yellow.  When ripe, this fig is soft, sweet and jammy.

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

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm:   Supply is low for the moment.

Tomatoes:   Slicing, salad and colorful tomatoes.  All vine ripened and full of flavor.  This late in the season, sizes and quality are declining but the flavor is still there.

Cherry Tomatoes:

    Sungold, Sweet 100,  Black Cherry, Napa Rose, Rosalita, Yellow Pear.  Limited supply.

Chili Peppers:   Aji Amareto, Buena Mulata, Jalapenos, and Shishito---All limited supply.

Cucumbers:  

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

    Armenian cucumbers are firm, and crisp.

Japanese Eggplant:  These have a long shape with thin skin.  It has tender flesh with delicate flavor and few seeds.

Sweet Peppers: Green, yellow and purple varieties.

Okra: When we pay attention, we harvest tender pods.

Long Beans:  Similar in taste to green beans.   Texture is more tender.

Winter Squash:   Delicata:  This is a cylindrical green or orange striped squash.  It  has sweet, creamy flesh and edible skin.  It can be roasted, steamed, baked, microwaved, sauteed or stuffed.  The seeds are edible when toasted.

Olives: Manzanilla olives are meaty with a slight nutty flavor when processed. These are raw green olives and must be processed by your traditional method.  We harvest a bit early to avoid the olive fruit fly hatch.  So don't delay if you want to process these olives.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:

    Summer squash, eggplant, okra, carrots, beans, colorful bell peppers, potatoes, and colorful Bell peppers.

    Seasoning:  basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic

    Tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Sun-dried San Marzano tomatoes.

    Winter squash:  Butternut, Spaghetti, and Shark Fin (Asian spaghetti squash)

    Grapes:  Red Flame grapes are a crisp, grape with skin color from deep red to dark purple.  It is sweet and seedless.

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

Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay, Conventional practices:  Tra Zee peaches.  These are large, tree ripened, juicy, sweet peaches. They are a yellow freestone peach with dark red skin and a firm texture. They are the last variety of the season. We have a limited supply.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens. Production is low.  As days get shorter the chickens go through molting. This is the process of loosing old feathers and regrowing new feathers.  During this period, egg laying decreases and chickens concentrate on storing nutrients for the next season.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay, organic practices:

    Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes

     Red Russian Kale, Dino Kale, Curly Kale, and Swiss Chard.

     Kaboch, Japanese winter squash (pumpkin).  Butternut winter squash

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay, no spray:    Black Mission Figs :  Black skinned, sweet, chewy flesh.

Mihara Farm  conventional farming in Newcastle, CA:  Kiwi from Mihara Farm.

GREEN OLIVES

 Short Post:  We have started to harvest green olives.  Please call or email to make an order.  (916) 791-1656 or otoworchard@yahoo.com

A FULL FARM STAND

For months our farm stand has been lean, few peaches, few plums, almost no apricots or nectarines.  Then tomatoes arrived and filled most of the tables.  Now fall fruits are arriving and varieties are expanding.  While we still have summer fruits and vegetables there are some newer arrivals.

 

    Figs are back on the scene. Our orchard is producing Black Mission, Brown Turkey, and Panache figs.  Lupi Farm is bringing us Black Mission.  This second crop produces smaller fruit, but the flavor and texture are very good.

 

    We are beginning to harvest pears.  A few early season Asian  pears are now ready. We are now starting to harvest 20th Century, Kikusui, New Century, Shinko and Yoi.  The Bartlett pears have been in cold storage for a couple weeks.  We are now starting to bring them out as they take on a more yellow glow.

    Currently we can offer Gala apples. Beautiful red and yellow skin covers sweet crisp flesh.  Recently harvested, they do not taste like stored apples. Still hanging on the tree and taking their time to mature are Red Delicious and Fuji apples. Later.

Grapes, grapes, grapes.  Now is the season.  There are seeded and seedless grapes. We have  green, black, red, and purple grapes.  Some are small and some are big. There are mild to intense flavored grapes as well as tart and sweet grapes. 

 

    Stone fruit should not be entirely left out yet.  There are still peaches from Sunnyslope Farm.   Our orchard is producing a few plums.  Stoney Point Orchard in Loomis brought us Kelsey plums a very popular sweet green plum.

    Garden vegetables are still producing tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, okra, beans, peppers, chillies, and eggplants. Winter squash are starting to arrive.  We have Delicata squash and Kijani Farm brought us some Kabocha squash.

HOURS:

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00 am to 5:00 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

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

Hoshigaki:  Currently sold out. 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.  Hoshigaki processed in 2022 have sold out.  We normally begin peeling persimmons in October.  The early hoshigaki may be available in November. You may contact us for on-farm pick-up orders.  Look for the mail order form online in October. Mail order shipments do not usually begin until December.

Plums:  Limited supply of Kelsey, Casselman and Empress.  You may have to ask.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Apples:  Gala: Sweet, crisp with a floral aroma.

Grapes:  

    Kyoho:  Very sweet purple grapes with concord-like flavor. Seeded.  

     Red Purlett :  seedless, sweet red grapes. 

    Thompson Seedless:  yellow green grapes that are tart or intensely sweet.

Asian Pears:   

    Kikusui: early yellow skinned, sweet, crisp pear. (In past years I referred to this pear as         Kosui. The internet tells me Kosui is a brown skinned pear.  So for now, I will refer to it as Kikusui. Only my Dad could tell me but he has been gone for a long time.)

    20th Century:  Yellow, round pear known for being sweet, tender, crisp, and juicy. Great for snacking or adding to salads.

    New Century:  Large round pear with a sturdy, sweet texture. Great for snacking or adding to salads.  It has yellow skin and white flesh.

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

Figs:  

    Black Misson:  Very popular variety. Mild  sweetness. When ripe it is moist yet chewy with rich flavor.

    Panache:  Green striped fig often referred to as Tiger Stripe.  Sweet fragrant fig with a hint of raspberry.

    Brown Turkey:  Brown fig with shades of green and yellow.  When ripe, this fig is soft, sweet and jammy.

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

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm:   Supply is low for the moment.

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemon slices

Tomatoes:   Slicing, salad and colorful tomatoes.  All vine ripened and full of flavor.

Cherry Tomatoes:    Sungold, Sweet 100,  Black Cherry, Napa Rose, Rosalita, Yellow Pear.

Chili Peppers:   Aji Amareto, Buena Mulata, Jalapenos, and Shishito---All limited supply.

Summer Squash: Patty Pan Scalloped squash, Crook neck,  yellow, green and striped zucchini.  Extra large hard skinned zucchini are also available.

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

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

Sweet Peppers:

Okra: When we pay attention, we harvest tender pods.

Long Beans:  Similar in taste to green beans.   Texture is more tender.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Summer squash, eggplant, okra, carrots, beans, onions, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, colorful bell peppers, potatoes, slicing tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, San Marzano paste tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Sun-dried San Marzano tomatoes.

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

Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay, Conventional practices:  Elberta peaches. These are prized for their sweet juicy flavor. They are luscious and smooth to eat.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens. Production is a little slow during the high heat.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Red Russian Kale, Dino Kale, Swiss Chard. Kijani Farm brought us our first offering of Kaboch, Japanese winter squash (pumpkin).

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay, no spray: 

     D'Anjou Pears:  These pears need to ripen at room temperature for about 2 weeks. They become sweet with mild flavor and a firm texture.  Eat out of hand or add to salad.

    Black Mission Figs :  Black skinned, sweet, chewy flesh.

Mihara Farm  conventional farming in Newcastle, CA:  Elephant Heart 💖 Plums:  Sweet red fleshed plums.  We also have Kiwi from Mihara Farm.

Stoney Point Orchard a Certified Organic farm in Loomis, CA:  Kelsey Plums: A sweet green plum enjoyed firm and crisp or with a little give and sweeter.

YES WE HAVE PEACHES

     Yes we have peaches.  At this time we have a limited amount of peaches available.  The peaches are coming from Sunnyslope Farm, a conventional farm in Granite Bay.  They are big and beautiful and full of sugar, juice, and flavor.  The current variety is Fay Elberta, a favorite for many old timers.  

    Our own orchard continues to give us only a few peaches at a time.  

    For a listing of current offerings, and hours, please see the entry below.   

DO YOU HAVE PEACHES?

 We have been getting one question lately.  "Do you have peaches?"  Sometimes the answer is "yes" and often the answer is "just a little".  Yesterday the answer was "no".  But now it is today and the answer is "just a little".  So, well... it just depends.  The crop has been very small for  peaches, plums, pluots and apricots.  And the fruit that did grow was not of high quality yet customers have told us that they still taste better than most. On the bright side are local supportive farmers.  Sunnyslope Farm will be bringing in 3 more varieties of peaches.  Mihara Farm brought us Elephant Heart plums.

 

If you were to ask us for tomatoes, the answer would be "yes".  For the time, tomatoes are big and juicy and plentiful.   There are big beautiful juicy slicers, luscious heirlooms, and a multitude of colorful tomatoes to add interest to your plate.  If you need San Marzano paste tomatoes for your special sauce recipe, there is a good supply.  Now is a good time to sun dry some San Marzano tomatoes for winter use.  My daughter and I will be busy making stewed tomatoes and sauce.  We used to can tomatoes but now the freezer is more convenient.

 

Gardens are still producing boxes of squash, cucumbers and beans.  The Okra is just getting started, and is so popular with customers. WoodRose Country Garden brings us beautiful slicing, heirloom and San Marzano tomatoes. Also herbs, beans, carrots, peppers, okra, squash, basil, potatoes, and onions.  Kale,chard and kabocha are coming from Kijani Farm.

What's next. grapes, Asian pears, pears and apples. The start of our Kyoho (purple seeded) grape harvest was delayed because the earliest ones were shriveled by the last heat spell.  They are now ready for sale.  Kikusui, an early yellow Asian pear, is also being harvested. Graventein apples are finished but the Gala apples are now ready. Lupi Farm  brought us an early harvest of D'Anjou pears. 

HOURS:

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00 am 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:  Limited supply.  You may have to ask.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Apples:  Gala: Sweet, crisp with a floral aroma.

Grapes:  Kyoho:  Very sweet purple grapes with concord-like flavor. Seeded.                                Red Purlett :  seedless, sweet red grapes.

Asian Pears:   Kikusui: early yellow skinned, sweet, crisp pear. (In past years I referred to this pear as Kosui. The internet tells me Kosui is a brown skinned pear.  So for now, I will refer to it as Kikusui. Only my Dad could tell me but he has been gone for a long time.)

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

Pluots:  Flavor Granade-Limited supply

Figs:  Gone for now.  Waiting for the next crop, probably late August .   

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

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm:   Supply is low for the moment.

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemon slices

Tomatoes:   Slicing, salad and colorful tomatoes.  All vine ripened and full of flavor.

Cherry Tomatoes:    Sungold, Sweet 100,  Black Cherry, Napa Rose, Rosalita, Yellow Pear.

Chili Peppers:   Aji Amareto, Buena Mulata, Jalapenos, and Shishito---All limited supply.

Summer Squash: Patty Pan Scalloped squash, Crook neck,  yellow, green and striped zucchini.  Extra large hard skinned zucchini are also available.

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

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

Sweet Peppers:

Okra: When we pay attention, we harvest tender pods.

Long Beans:  Similar in taste to green beans.   Texture is more tender.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Summer squash, eggplant, okra, carrots, beans, onions, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, Armenian cucumbers, colorful bell peppers, potatoes, slicing tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, San Marzano paste tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Sun-dried San Marzano 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. Production is a little slow during the high heat.

Kijani Farm in Granite Bay, organic practices:  Red Russian Kale, Dino Kale, Swiss Chard. Kijani Farm brought us our first offering of Kaboch, Japanese winter squash (pumpkin).

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay, no spray:  D'Anjou pears.  These pears need to ripen at room temperature for about 2 weeks. They become sweet with mild flavor and a firm texture.  Eat out of hand or add to salad.

Mihara Farm  conventional farming in Newcastle, CA:  Elephant Heart 💖 Plums:  Sweet red fleshed plums.  We also have Kiwi from Mihara Farm.

SUN KISSED TOMATOES

 Tomatoes were just waiting for the warm weather.  Tomatoes are now at the peak of the harvest.  That is to say we have a large selection: slicers, salad size, heirloom, cherry, colorful, and sauce tomatoes.  They are so tasty and juicy with just the right texture.  It is a good time to freeze, can or dry these summer time gems for enjoyment in winter soups and stews. At this time we are letting quantities ago for discounted prices.

The Japanese cucumbers are starting to get a little smaller.  The Armenian cucumbers are  enjoying this season.  A few are short but many are very long.  When the Japanese Uri is not available, Armenian cucumbers are often substituted for them in America.  These make firm, crisp Japanese pickles.  Armenian cucumbers can be used in salads, in stir fries, for dipping and just for munching.

Don't wait too long or you may miss out on the Suncrest peaches.  These beautiful juicy peaches are coming from Sunnyslope Farm, a conventional farm in Granite Bay.  They will be gone in a week.  After that, there will be a few other varieties of peaches from Sunnyslope Farm.

Otow Orchard peaches continue to struggle. Very few are left.  We should be transitioning into fall fruit in a couple weeks with apples, Asian pears and figs.  Winter squashes are starting to take shape.

The gardens are finally producing fresh, tender long beans. A  great addition to stir fries.  They also make a good summer salad. I like to boil and cool them off before adding salad dressing.  Slowly we are getting a few tender Okra.  These plants struggled for a long time, and may have a discouraging production this year.  Japanese Eggplant, however, are quite happily producing a tasty, tender, thin skinned vegetable.

HOURS:

Tues through Sat  10:00 am to 6 pm 

Sunday  11:00am to 5:00 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

Armenian Cucumbers

Slicing Tomatoes

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:  Limited supply.  You may have to ask.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Apples:  Gravenstein are sweet tart with aromatic fragrance. Wonderful flavor and is often used for baking and sauces.

Wild Blackberries:  With the heat, these will have a short season. Flavorful, sweet, and juicy.

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:  Gone for now.  Waiting for the next crop, probably mid to late August .   

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

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemons

Tomatoes:   Slicing, salad, colorful, and cherry tomatoes.  All vine ripened and full of flavor.

Summer Squash: zucchini and yellow squash.  Extra large hard skinned zucchini are also available.

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

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

Okra: When we pay attention, we try to  harvest tender pods.

Long Beans :  Similar in taste to green beans.   Texture is more tender.

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  melons, summer squash, eggplant, okra, onions, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, Armenian cucumbers, bell peppers, potatoes, beans , snow peas, slicing tomatoes, San Marzano paste tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Ambrosia melons and watermelons.

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:  Suncrest peaches: Yellow freestone peaches with red flesh, juicy and sweet.  Great flavor.

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

An immature Red Kuri Squash

SUNCREST PEACHES

    Often considered the best peach, Suncrest peaches have arrived.  The Suncrest are coming from our neighbor, Sunnyslope Farm, in Granite Bay.  This is a conventional farm.  Its growing practices are like those of the  produce you see at the super market except the peaches are left on the tree long enough to fully mature. Tree ripened fruit has the right texture and flavor.  These Suncrest peaches are juicy and sweet.  The flesh is soft to sturdy and has a give to it that releases the juice. The inside is streaked with red flesh.

 

We anticipate having Suncrest peaches for 7 to 10 days.  Then the peach sales will once again be limited unless the neighbors find some hidden gems.

WoodRose  Country Garden is bringing us Ambrosia melons and yellow fleshed watermelons.  Ambrosia melons look like a cantalope. They are sweet, tender and juicy.

 

Wild blackberries from our farm are still available.  These are small and mighty. Sweet, juicy, and flavorful.   The temperature has been so high that many of the blossoms are drying up before they can form fruit.  It may be a short season for blackberries this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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:  Limited supply.  You may have to ask.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Apples:  Gravenstein are sweet tart with aromatic fragrance. Wonderful flavor and is often used for baking and sauces.

Wild Blackberries:  With the heat, these will have a short season. Flavorful, sweet, and juicy.

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:  Gone for now.  Waiting for the next crop, probably in August.   

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

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm

Dehydrated grapefruit and lemons

Tomatoes:   Slicing, salad, colorful, and cherry tomatoes

Summer Squash: zucchini and yellow squash

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

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

Okra

Long Beans 

Here is what we have from other producers:

WoodRose Country Garden  in Granite Bay, organic practices:  melons, summer squash, eggplant, okra, onions, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, Armenian cucumbers, bell peppers, potatoes, beans , snow peas, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.  Limited supply of nectarines.

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:  Suncrest peaches: Yellow freestone peaches with red flesh, juicy and sweet.  Great flavor.

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

Suncrest peaches

Long beans

TOMATOES AND MELONS

For eons we have enjoyed a climate conducive to growing food.  Now we deal with  extremes of wind and rain in the off season and extremely hot summers.  Plants are struggling, food is more challenging to produce. 

Tomatoes are starting to come into the farm stand.  We are getting slicing, heirloom, and paste  tomatoes from WoodRose Country Gardens.  These are vine ripened juicy tomatoes.  There are also sweet Sungold, Sweet 100's, and yellow pear cherry tomatoes.

 

WoodRose is also  bringing us  melons. Ambrosia look like cantaloupe with sweet, tender, pale orange flesh. They have a wonderful melon flavor. There are also a few watermelons.

 

The peach crop continues to be small and sporadic.  Quickly, Gene Elberta, Delight, and Suncrest  will be finished. We are also getting a few white peaches: Sugar Lady and Silver Logan.

 

For the moment, we have Double Delight nectarines from WoodRose.  Very sweet and juicy.

 

Although the fruit crop is diminished, the vegetable gardens are producing.  They are struggling with the heat but continuing to produce.  We have a good supply of green and yellow summer squash. and a good supply of Japaneses cucumbers and Armenian cucumbers.  The Japanese eggplants are also starting to produce.

 

It may seem early, but we are starting to harvest Gravenstein apples.  These apples are sweet tart with aromatic fragrance. Wonderful flavor and is often used for baking and sauces.  

 

For the moment, we are getting wild blackberries from our farm.  These are small and mighty. Sweet, juicy, and flavorful.   The temperature has been so high that many of the blossoms are drying up before they can form fruit.  It may be a short season for blackberries this year.

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:  Limited supply.  You may have to ask.

Peaches: Very limited supply. 

Apples:  Gravenstein are sweet tart with aromatic fragrance. Wonderful flavor and is often used for baking and sauces.

Wild Blackberries:  With the heat, these will have a short season. Flavorful, sweet, and juicy.

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:  Gone for now.  Waiting for the next crop, probably in August.   

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

Bread and Butter pickles from Japanese cucumbers

⚘ 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.   Armenian cucumbers are firm, and crisp.

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:   summer squash, eggplant, okra, onions, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, fresh garlic, Armenian cucumbers, bell peppers, potatoes, beans , snow peas, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.  Limited supply of nectarines.

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. 

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

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