STARTING SLOWLY

Many people have discovered the wonderfully sweet loquat.  The trees are empty now and what we have in storage will probably be gone in a few days.  Look for them next May.  We are surprised to have an apricot crop this year.  We are harvesting Blenheim apricots.  They are sweet, juicy, aromatic and have that traditional apricot flavor.  Since we do not spray, many of them are freckled but the flavor is not affected.  In addition to Blenheim we are also harvesting Patterson apricots.  The Patterson are larger, firmer and have a smoother skin than the Blenheims.
     Peaches and plums are the mainstay of our summer production. Santa Rosa plums are just getting started. These are sweet tart plums with a fabulous flavor.  Many people have this heirloom variety as a back yard tree because it has a distinct, unforgettable and yummy flavor. As we get more of these into the farm stand its fragrance will greet you as you enter.  This week we have almost no Otow Orchard peaches.  By the end of June we should have Flavorcrest and Red Haven peaches to sell. Both of these are yellow freestone peaches.  To hold us over till we get our own peaches, we have yellow freestone peaches from Sunnyslope farm.  These are attractive sweet, juicy and tasty peaches grown right next door to us.
       The vegetable gardens are enjoying the summer heat more than I am.  Sungold cherry tomatoes are starting to glow.  We are harvesting a few Asian cucumbers and summer squash daily.  For those of you wanting to plant late season tomatoes we have some tomato plant starts waiting for a summer home. Planted now they should produce for Sept. and Oct.
     In the orchard persimmon thinning has begun.  We are also harvesting stone fruits as crops get ripe.  We are netting some trees to exclude hungry birds.   Tosh is cutting out dead branches and trees and trying to keep up on the grass mowing.  There will be a little delay while he does repair on the mower.

Official Statement: We have NO pick-your-own activities.

  HOURS

Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm 

Sun: 11 am to 5 pm

 Closed on Mondays

Here's what we have in the farm stand from Otow Orchard:
Peaches (limited supply)
Plums:  Santa Rosa (limited supply)
Apricots:   Blenheim, Patterson 
Nectarines: Jade white nectarines (limited supply)
Loquat
Hoshigaki strips. Hand dried persimmons
Eureka Lemons
Valencia oranges
Asian cucumbers
Zucchini
Calendula Salve and Lip Balm
Herbs: mint, rosemary, oregano
Honey from our orchard
Plant starts:  Tomato

This is what we have from other producers: 
Peaches: Bonjour from Sunnyslope Farm
Ume from Sunnyslope Farm 
Jams from The Good Stuff
Bee pollen from Top O' The Hill Apiary
Eggs from Two Feather Farm

SUMMER IS COMING

       Several small fruits are starting the summer season.  We have mulberries, loquat, cherries and ume. Cherry crop is light and the mulberries are past their peak. But we will have  some for a while.
       That very sour Japanese plum that is more accurately an apricot is now in season.  We have a small but respectable crop of ume.  Sunnyslope farm and Pleasant Hill farm have added to our supply.  The most popular ways of preparing ume is with salt to make umeboshi or with shochu, a strong Japanese alcohol, to make umeshu often called "plum wine".  I have heard that people prepare ume in honey or sugar to extract its unique floral flavor.
     We will also have loquat for the next couple of weeks.  These are small fruit with sweet flesh between its large seeds and fuzzy skin.
      Our earliest peach and apricot have come and gone.  A few lucky customers got them.  Now we are checking the Springcrest and Maycrest peaches.
       Red Beaut plum are almost non existent this year.  Plum season may not start till Santa Rosas are ready sometime around  the end of June. 
     In the next 3 months, if the weather cooperates we hope to have a good variety of fruit. Don't miss out on peaches, plums, apricots, Asian pears, European pears, grapes, pluots and figs. These products are on the trees now but are still very green and immature.
     Vegetables will be changing from winter to summer.  BarleyOats winter vegetables are  finding it too warm to produce very much. We may not get tomatoes and cucumbers till July but it looks like zucchini are starting to produce.  Other summer vegetables like peppers, eggplant and okra are also taking their time.
     In the orchard we are still trying to keep up with the weeds.  Thinning of apples and pears is in progress as well as the beginning of the fruit harvest.
     Now that  we have more to offer than citrus our hours are back to normal.

Official Statement: We have NO pick-your-own activities.

  HOURS

Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm 

Sun: 11 am to 5 pm

 Closed on Mondays

Here's what we have in the farm stand from Otow Orchard:
Rainier cherries (limited supply)
Loquat
Yellow peaches: Maycrest, Springcrest (both in limited supply)
Hoshigaki, hand dried persimmons
Eureka Lemons
Marsh white grapefruit (yellow flesh) 
Valencia oranges
Pakistani Mulberries (limited supply)
Zucchini (limited supply)
Calendula Salve and Lip Balm
Herbs: mint, rosemary, oregano
Honey from our orchard

This is what we have from other producers:
Ume from Sunnyslope Farm 
Jams from The Good Stuff
Winter vegetables from BarlyOats Farm (limited supply)
Bee pollen from Top O' The Hill Apiary
Eggs from Two Feather Farm