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.

UME SEASON

         Mid April freeze defined the outcome for many crops this year.  We see damage in some of the apples, grapes, plums and  persimmons.  There are no mulberries and no early apricots. With cool early morning temperatures we are just now getting our summer vegetable crops in the ground.  It's a slow start but maybe the production will last longer  into the fall.

         However little, recent rains 🌧 have been welcome.  The moisture has allowed us to reduce hours of irrigation and the cooler  temperature has reduced moisture loss due to evaporation.   Some areas received hail damage.  We managed to dodge a severe hail storm so far.

        The workers are now thinning Asian pears.  They are also busy weed eating around the base of trees.  Weeds are happy with the rain we have been getting.  We would like to get out and mow the row middles but that will have to wait till the tractor gets repaired. If you come for a walk in the orchard you will notice that we  have a healthy crop of weeds. 🙁

        We are now watching the loquat slowly coloring.  They are a pale yellow, not quite ready for harvest.

         Ume (sour Japanese plum) is getting some size and a little less green.  The crop is lighter than last year.  Ume is used in Asian cultures to make pickles, jam, or flavorings for drinks. If you want ume, please let us know very soon so we can add you to our list.  Call us at (916) 300 0720 or send us an email at otoworchard@yahoo.com.  We may possibly get some ume from other producers.

        Vegetables have started to come in from WoodRose Country Gardens in Granite Bay.  This is a neighborhood farm that uses organic practices.   She is bringing us fresh potatoes, spinach, beans, peas, lettuce, arugula, and herbs.  Come check it out.

        Not too cold, not too hot, and just the right amount of sunlight.  This makes for happy hens that are glad to produce eggs.  If eggs have a season, it is now.  La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis has beautiful fresh brown eggs to show off.  Hope you will try a dozen.

        We are still looking for a part time worker.  If you know of a student, retired person, or someone who needs a little spending money we would love to interview him or her.  The job description is listed in the previous blog entry below. April 25. 2022.

SLOW SEASON HOURS:

TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY  11:30 TO 1:30

FRIDAY, SATURDAY                              10:00 TO 6:00

SUNDAY                           11:00 TO 5:00

CLOSED ON MONDAYS

Since we are often at the farm anyway, you may call us to arrange for other times. 

Farm Stand:      (916) 791-1656

Mobile phone:   (916) 300-0720

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

Valencia oranges (limited supply)

Yellow grapefruit

Eureka lemons 🍋

Hachiya:  frozen pulp 

Ume (pre orders only)        

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) Potatoes, beans, snow peas, 🥬lettuce, arugula, spinach, white bulb onions 🧅, green onions, cilantro, 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 is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.