PERSIMMONS AND MANDARINS

     For the moment, it is persimmon and mandarin season.  Hoshigaki is quickly coming along.

      During dry periods and as the leaves fall off, we are beginning winter pruning.  We are hoping for more of the wet stuff, as in rain.  

      Preparing hoshigaki for the season has dominated our time and minds.  It is coming along slowly as always.  Hoshigaki seems a little stubborn this year, perhaps due to the heat of the summer or the dry fall days.  Every year is different and we try our best to figure out the best way forward  for changing circumstances.   We are currently selling whole and strips of hoshigaki at the farm stand.   We are accepting mail orders to be added to the waiting list.  For mail orders please click on mail order form.  If you will be picking up your hoshigaki at the farm, please call (916) 791-1656 or email us at otoworchard@yahoo.com to make a preorder.

     

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:

Asian Pears:  Okusankichi:  Generally large mildly sweet winter Asian pear. Crisp, juicy and refreshing.

Apples:  Granny Smith: green skin apples, great for fresh eating and baking. Arkansas Black: dense sweet apple. Enticing deep red color (limited supply).  Pink Lady:  Crisp, sweet/tart (limited supply). Fresh eating and baking.

Pomegranates: White, Pink, and Red

Fuyu persimmons: Eaten like an apple, it is always sweet.  Usually eaten when firm. It gets sweeter and softer as it changes from yellow to orange.

Maru, Nagamaru, Hyakume persimmons:  these are brown fleshed persimmons.  The pollenated seeds infuence the flesh to turn brown and sweet. If not fully pollenated there will be portions of the fruit that are puckery. 
       Earlier, when customers asked for Maru persimmons, we told them we did not have much.  Maru are finally being harvested.  We waited a long time for these to get sweet.  Now the challenge is to harvest before all the birds in the county discover them.  "Sweet Tweet".

Hachiya and Gyombo persimmons: Must be soft to be sweet.  Used for fresh eating and baking.  These are the persimmons that are often referred to as "food of the gods".

Vodka persimmon: This is the astringent Hyakume persimmon that has been treated with vodka to make it sweet. It may be eaten hard or soft.

Quince: Usually only eaten when cooked and sweetener added.  Quince contain pectin and is used for jams, jellies, candy, and paste. Fragrant and flavorful.

Hoshigaki:  Dried persimmons with naturally formed dusting of fruit sugars on the surface.
Bee pollen from bees at Otow Orchard
Calendula Salve and Lip Balm

Winter squash:  Delicata, Kabocha, Black Futsu, Red Kuri, Butternut

Persimmon Pulp

Walnuts:  whole and shelled


Here is what we have from other producers:

Pleasant Hill Farm in Newcastle:  Red and yellow Satsuma mandarins. Conventionally grown.

Top O' the Hill Apiary:  Comb honey,  Bees wax

Nastase Honey Farm, Lincoln:  Honey

Eggs from Two Feather Farm in Granite Bay (limited supply).

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

 

Maru persimmons on the tree

Persimmons drying in the hot house