We will be spending the next three weeks immersed in the process of making hoshigaki, Japanese hand dried persimmons. We are peeling 60 to 100 pounds of hachiya persimmons, 5 days a week. After drying in the sun for a few days, the persimmons are getting ripe enough to gently knead and massage. Every 3 to 5 days we try to break up the pulp and keep it smooth and supple. This is challenging when there are 1000 or more persimmons, each waiting for a nice massage. Often the drying is completed indoors after the first week. By the end of 5 to 8 weeks, depending on the weather, the hoshigaki have dried to 1/5 of their original size, and changed from yellow-orange to dark brown with persimmon sugar covering the surface. Along the way we have watched the temperature and tried to control the humidity. When we handle the drying hoshigaki we use our senses to assess if we need to turn on a fan, start up the dehumidifier, open a window or take them outside for some time in the sun. I hope we can begin to sell the early season hoshigaki before Thanksgiving. Wait and see.
Daytime temps are generally pleasant but nights are a little chilly, often in the 40's. Suddenly I see brilliant orange leaves on some of the persimmon trees. Geese regularly walk the orchard floor, helping us remove food for rodents and disease. It's always a bit breathtaking to hear and see a flock of geese take off at dusk. I don't know where they are headed, somewhere safe I assume.
REGULAR HOURS
Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 to 5:00
Closed on Mondays
Here is what we have at the Farm Stand from Otow Orchard.
Persimmon:
Hachiya: Popular persimmon. Until soft it is very astringent. Hachiya are tall and pointed like an acorn. These are often used in cookies, breads, and puddings. Many people enjoy just eating them out of hand or pairing them with ice cream, smoothies, or oatmeal. This is also the variety most commonly used to make hoshigaki (Japanese hand dried persimmons). Frozen Hachiya persimmon pulp is also available.
Gyombo, (Giombo) : Similar to Hachiya. These can not be eaten when hard. They become soft and very sweet with time. More liquid y but sweeter than Hachiya persimmons. More mild flavor.
Fuyu: Very popular persimmon. They are always sweet and usually eaten hard like an
apple. Fuyu can also be sliced or added to salads. As we go through the season they get bigger and sweeter and the skin goes from yellow to orange.
Nagamaru, Tsurunoko, Chocolate: Three names. Sweet, dark brown fleshed persimmon. It is orange skinned and a tall oblong shape. Can be enjoyed hard or more soft. Only when pollinated do they become brown and sweet. We try to display only the sweet ones 😋but may occasionally miss. 😝. Whether pollinated or not, Nagamaru will be sweet when soft.
Hyakume: This persimmon is often referred to as cinnamon due to its light coloration and speckles in the flesh. Tasty with nice sweet flavor. Only when pollinated do they become brown and sweet. We try to display only the sweet ones 😋but may occasionally miss. 😝. The Hyakume that we suspect are more astringent are treated with vodka to make them sweet. 😋
Coffee Cake: Shaped similar to Fuyu persimmons but with a different character. When pollinated they are brown fleshed, sweet and crunchy. Only when pollinated do they become brown and sweet. We try to display only the sweet ones 😋but may occasionally miss. 😝. (Limited supply.)
Pomegranates:
White Pomegranates: Light skinned with pink arils. Sweet with small core.
Red Wonderful Pomegranates: Traditional pomegranates with sweet tart, deep red arils.
Ambrosia Pomegranates: Pink skinned with pink arils. Sweet tart arils. (Limited supply.)
Apples:
Fuji: Popular apple known for being sweet and crisp. Our Fuji apples range from green and yellow to red and yellow.
Reinette Simerenko: Crisp green apple. Pleasing sweet tart flavor and fragrance.
Quince:
Firm yellow fruit, always tart, wonderfully aromatic. Used for jam,
jelly, candy, and sauce due to its high pectin content. Often added to
stews.
Asian Pears: Asian pears should be enjoyed while firm and crisp like an apple.
Shinko: Firm, sweet and crisp pear. Brown skin with outstanding
flavor and floral fragrance. Eat out of hand or slice and add to
salads. Good for storage.
Yali: Pear-shaped, firm Asian pear. Smooth-skinned with fine
sweet-tart flavor similar to anise and spice. Very juicy and fragrant.
Attractive delicate appearance. (Limited supply.)
Olympic: Large, sweet, brown pear. Flesh is dense and has a crunch.
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. We strive to make the
best hoshigaki without any shortcuts. This takes time and attention
during the drying season. The hoshigaki is currently not available.
Contact us for large on-farm
pick-up orders. (916) 791-1656 or email at otowochard@yahoo.com. For
mail orders, click on the Hoshigaki/Persimmons tab at the top of this
blog post to get the mail order form.
Winter Squash:
Kaboch: This winter squash is a popular Japanese pumpkin. It has a hard dark green skin with a thick deep yellow or orange flesh. Sweet and nutty flavor. Great for steaming, roasting, baking, stuffing and adding to soup and stews.
Butternut: One of the most popular winter squashes because of its generous flesh. The seeds are contained in the bulbous end and the neck is all flesh. It has a sweet nutty flavor. It can be roasted, steamed, baked and chopped into soups, stews, casseroles and curries. Flavor a can be savory or sweetened with syrup and butter.
Acorn: Green or orange skin with longitudinal ridges. It has sweet yellow orange flesh inside.
Red Kuri: This Kabocha variety has bright orange eatable skin. The flesh is smooth and creamy with sweet nutty flavor. Prepare as with other winter squash.
Chili peppers: Aji Amarillos, Jalapeno, Buena Mulata, and fish.
Tomatillos: Look like a green tomato in a papery husk. Often used in salsa, sauces and soups. Can be sliced into salads. (Limited supply.)
⚘ Calendula Salve and Lip Balm: Wonderfully thick salve for healing dry skin, bug bites and scrapes.
Here is what we have from other producers:
Sunnyslope Farm in Granite Bay, conventional farming:
Granny Smith Apples: Light green skin over white flesh. Sweet, tart, and crisp.
Great for cooking and baking. It retains its shape when cooked. Also enjoyed eaten
out of hand or added to salads.
WoodRose Country Garden
in Granite Bay, organic practices:
Arugula: spicy aromatic greens (Limited supply.)
Sweet peppers: Green, orange and purple skinned.
Basil: (Limited supply.)
La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens. Limited supply.
Mihara Farm in Lincoln, conventional farming:
Chestnuts
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