READY FOR 2026

🥳DEC. 31, NEW YEAR'S EVE  10AM TO 4PM

 🌞JAN. 1,   NEW YEAR'S DAY   CLOSED

 

JANUARY HOURS: 

TUES THROUGH SAT:   10AM TO 4PM 

                    SUNDAYS:    11AM TO 4PM

                    CLOSED ON MONDAYS 

 

You may request an appointment if you need a different time We will try to accommodate. Call my mobile phone and leave a message.  (916) 300-0720 

 

The end of 2025 was cold and moist.  No rain till the end.  Our persimmons and citrus hung on longer. When the cold came they responded quickly.  Luckily we had stacks of stored Fuyu persimmons that people have come by to purchase.  These are not as crisp as in November but they are still hard.  Most are getting softer and sweeter.  

 We made a quick run to the mandarin trees when we discovered that rain had promoted ripening and soft spots.  Many were damaged but there are still many good ones to enjoy.  The Navel orange crop is also quickly maturing.  We will be harvesting them soon.

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay is providing us with beautiful Meyer lemons and a mystery lemon.  The mystery lemon is sour with a bitter background.

At this time the  lower end of our farm is soaked with rain water runoff.  One farmer quickly realized how soft the earth was, and turned his tractor around and will wait for dryer times.  Too much mud.The other farmer tried to work, in spite of the risk.  That farmer spent the next day digging out his tractor with a shovel then pulling it out with anther tractor. Luckily the helping tractor did its job without getting stuck.

 

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

PERSIMMONS

FUYU:  These are low acid, firm, sweet and crisp.  People love them because they are always sweet. They can be eaten firm or softer depending on your preference.  It is late in the season for crisp Fuyu.  Many people are still enjoying the softer sweeter fruit.

Back row: Nagamaru (Chocolate,Tsurunoko), Hyakume (cinnamon), Hachiya. Front row  Maru, Coffee Cake (Nishimura Wase), Fuyu.

Hachiya:  Hachiya are tall, orange, acorn shaped persimmons that cannot be eaten till soft as pudding in a bag.  They become soft, sweet and juicy. It was suggested that you bite a little hole in the skin and suck out the contents for a sweet treat.  Watch out for the seeds.

Hyakume:   These persimmons  have speckled, cinnamon color fleshed when pollinated.  They are sweet and can be eaten hard or softer.  For the novice, our recommendation is to cut the persimmon to see the sweet brown flesh before biting into the fruit.  Often less than half of the persimmon is edible. Sold out till November 2026.

Vodka:  These are not actually a variety.  They are astringent Hyakume  persimmons that have been treated with Vodka  to make them sweet and enjoyable. They are  yellow or brown fleshed.  They can be eaten hard or soft.  When soft they are juicy and very smooth.

 

   

Hoshigaki :  These are whole dried persimmons.  They are hand massaged while they dry 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 last hoshigaki for this season were peeled  at the end of November.  These will dry slowly for the next four to six weeks.  December and January are usually the best time to get hoshigaki. We are currently selling hoshigaki at the farm stand. For on farm orders of more than 1 pound it is best to email or call us to make a pre order.  For mail orders please use our mail order form.

CITRUS

Satsuma Mandarins:  Easy to peel, sweet, juicy and few seeds.  Great for fresh eating or adding to salad. High in vitamin C.

Navel Oranges:   Sweet and juicy with traditional orange flavor.  

Blood Oranges:  This year most of our Blood Oranges are small and yellow on the outside.  But the inside is a vibrant red to orange color characteristic of this variety. They are flavorful, sweet and juicy.

 APPLES          

Reinette Simirenko, Fuji, Granny Smith, Striped Red Delicious

Fuji:   Our Fuji apples are green with light red blush.  I blame this on our warm weather compared to cooler apple growing regions in the Northwest. Nonetheless our Fuji apples are sweet, crisp and full of juice. They are mostly used for fresh eating but also good for baking, cooking, drying and adding to salads. 

Pink Lady:  (Cripps Pink) Beautiful deep pink skin.  Sweet tart flavor. Great for eating fresh, slicing into salads, and baking.  Resists browning when sliced. 

ASIAN PEARS  

Okusankichi:  Also known as Late Korean.  This is the last Asian pear we grow.  Mildly sweet, juicy and crisp.  The brown thick skin helps it to have a long shelf life.  It becomes sweeter as it is stored.  This winter treat offers a crisp refreshing treat in the middle of winter.

 

Quince:  Related to pears and apples, quince are firm, fragrant, and tart. They contain pectin which promotes gelling. Seldom eaten raw, it is usually cooked with sweetener for jam jelly, candy or added to stews. Quince sauce pairs nicely with pork. Thinly sliced raw quince can be added to tea or water.

Pecans:  Sweet and nutty and thin shelled.  Hand harvested before the crows got them!!!  I really have no idea but they look like Shawnee variety.

Local Honey  Honey 🍯 from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard. Bee pollen from bees 🐝 at Otow Orchard is also available.

⚘ Calendula  Salve and Lip Balm:  Wonderfully thick salve for healing dry skin, bug bites and scrapes.   

Here is what we have from other producers:

Lupi Farm in Granite Bay, No spray.

Meyer Lemons:   These sought after lemons are less acidic than regular lemons. They have a thin peel often used for its fragrant zest.  Meyer are rounder than regular lemons with a dark yellow skin.

Mystery Lemons: These lemons were found as part of another lemon tree.  Possibly a root stock or a sport.  Nonetheless they are edible, sour and a bit bitter.

La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis brings us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens.  Chickens are currently molting so egg production is low.  Also, production is limited by short daylight hours. Currently no supply. Production should increase in February.  Limited supply.

     Vanilla Exract:  Homemade in Loomis, CA at La Bella Vito Farm. Fragrant vanilla flavoring from Madagascar vanilla beans.

 

 

The California Persimmon:  A book published by the ANR covering history and background of persimmons. Contains many new and traditional persimmon recipes.