Special Valentine Hoshigaki Sale

Greetings,
It's Valentine season and we have a sweet deal for our great customers.  Write the SWEETHEART DISCOUNT CODE in the comment box on the mail order form to receive a discount on your order of multiple pounds of hoshigaki to a single address.  This code is good until Feb. 28th, 2014, while supplies last.  Orders will be shipped out no later than March 20, 2014. Progressive discounts apply to a single order. 

SWEETHEART DISCOUNT CODE:  022014

1 lb. of hoshigaki ordered is $43.50 
2 lbs. of hoshigaki ordered is $85.50 
3 lbs. of hoshigaki ordered is $125.50 
4 lbs. of hoshigaki ordered is $163.50*
*Add $38.00 for each pound over the 4 lb. price

We are also offering hoshigaki with a firmer texture yet still soft and moist at $35.00 per pound.  This is item DKA on the order form. There is no discount on this item at this time.

Please note:  No shipments will be made Feb. 11 to 20, 2014 (shipping clerk vacation), but keep sending in your orders.  They will be filled when we get back.  Call the orchard (916) 791-1656 if you need special arrangement for Feb. 11 to 20.

Go to our website's hoshigaki/persimmon tab for the order form.  Please double check your math to avoid delays.

We have hoshigaki for sale with special prices for multiple pounds at our fruit stand, too.  If you are able to pick up hoshigaki at our fruit stand, the price is a lot less since we don't have to pack it and ship it out to you.  The fruit stand is open Tues. through Sat. from 9-6, Sun. from 10-5, and closed on Monday. 

Happy Valentines,

Tosh and Chris

Drought in the Orchard

This week in the local Roseville Press Tribune newspaper there is an article about the drought in our area and how it might affect the orchard.  You can read the article here.  Tosh and farmer Eric Hanson of Pine Hill Orchard are interviewed.  

The orchard is very dry and dusty like it's in the middle of the summer. When the dog runs from the garden through the trees she stirs up clouds of dust.  Usually this time of year the orchard floor is green with grass and other plants sprouting up from the rain, but this winter there's very little new plants growing, including weeds even.  It's been difficult to find new spots to move the chicken dome to because there's hardly any new vegetation for the chickens to eat.  

In the orchard lately Tosh has been pulling out any unproductive trees, and trees that haven't shown any new growth. The current plan is to plug up irrigation in those areas and not plant any new trees this year.  Although normally this would be the time of year to be planting new trees, we don't yet know if there will be enough water and how much we'll be able to use. 

In planning the vegetable gardens we are trying to find ways to conserve water, too.  We are thinking of starting certain crops that need more water later than usual, using more garden space for less thirsty crops, using more mulch and planting varieties that are supposed to be more drought tolerant.  We don't start planting the gardens until sometime in March though, and we'll have to wait and see what's happening with water at that time.  Hopefully it will rain. 

Blood Oranges

Blood oranges are now at the fruit stand.  We also have satsuma mandarins, navel oranges, soft and ripe hachiya persimmons, kiwi, quince, hoshigaki, (Japanese hand-dried persimmons), local free-range chicken eggs, homemade jam, cookbooks, the 2014 Master Gardeners calender, propolis and bee pollen from bees at the orchard and firewood.