Early season hoshigaki are getting their last kneading before being packaged for our customers. Some white sugar has formed on the surface and most have a tender texture and moist interior. The rest of the crop is either hanging around or sitting in freezing temperatures. If you are looking to buy hoshigaki, we should have them available at the end of November and hopefully through January.
⛆⛆⛆ RAIN, RAIN. It seemed like a long dry spell for fall. We are finally getting some rain. ⛈ With wet pavements and wet fields, we have to be careful.☔ Nonetheless grateful 🌈for the downpour of water from the sky. 🌦Currently the persimmon trees are aflame with orange and yellow fall colored 🍂 leaves. Many of our visitors are enjoying a walk down the orchard road to see these vibrant colors. The fall scene may be brief especially with wind and rain playing on the leaves.
That's the intro that I wrote last week. Let me say that getting to this blog post has been difficult. Long hours at the farm have forced me to want sleep rather than inform you of "What's New" at the orchard. Up date on hoshigaki: We are now selling early season hoshigaki at the farm stand. These are the ones we peeled in October. Soon we will be into the regular season. Then we will start to notify customers on the reserve list and start the mail order process. If you are interested in purchasing one or more pounds at the farm stand, please call (916) 791-1656 or email otoworchard@yahoo.com. For mail orders please use our mail order form.
(Sorry about the blank space that follows. Not intentionally left. Below is our current products available.)
Please
note, we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New
Years Day. January will have modified hours also. Stay tuned.
Hours
Tues thru 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.
PERSIMMONS
FUYU:
These are low acid, firm, sweet and crisp. People love them because
they are always sweet and at this time very crisp.They can be eaten firm
or softer depending on your preference.
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| 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.
Gyombo: These are tall, conical shaped persimmons. Like Hachiya, they remain astringent till very soft. They are very sweet and juicy. It is suggested that you bite a little hole in the skin and suck out the
contents for a sweet treat. Watch out for the seeds.
Maru, Nagamaru, and Chocolate: These persimmons are brown 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.
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. We
usually begin processing the new season hoshigaki in October. We may have a few to
sell by Thanksgiving. December and January are usually the best time to
get hoshigaki. For orders of more than 1 pound it is best to email or
call us to make a preorder. For mail orders please use our mail order form.
APPLES
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| Reinette Simirenko, Fuji, Granny Smith, Striped Red Delicious |
Granny Smith:
Green skinned sweet tart apple. White flesh does not discolor with
exposure to air. Although often used for baking it also can be enjoyed
eaten out of hand. For pies it is recommended to add a squeeze of lemon
juice.
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.
European Pears
Comice:
This is a European pear. These gems are yellow when mature. If
properly ripened (and I am still learning) the texture becomes delicate
and creamy. They are sweet, juicy and aromatic with a background of
honey and vanilla.
ASIAN PEARS
Shinko:
A popular sweet Asian pear. Shinko are crisp and juicy with a
background of citrus and butterscotch. It has brown skin with ivory
colored flesh. A refreshing snack to be shared with others or added to
salads. They can be roasted or added to baked goods. Unwashed Shinko
pears can be stored in the produce bin of the refrigerator for one to
three months.
POMEGRANATES
White Pomegranates:
The actual name of this variety is unknown. Kichitaro Kawano, founder
of this orchard, planted it over 100 years ago. The name has been
lost. Yellow skin over pink arils. The seeds are sweet with a smaller
core than other pomegranates. Pink juice does not stain.
Wonderful Pomegranates: Very popular crimson seeded red pomegranates. Sweet-tart and so flavorful.
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:
Tudsbury Orchard in Loomis Bags of mountain grown mandarins. Sweet tart and flavorful.
La Bella Vito Farm in Loomis is bringing us fresh🥚 eggs from pastured 🐔🐔chickens. Chickens are currently molting so egg production is low. Also, production is limited by short daylight hours. 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.
Kijani Farm in Granite Bay. No spray practice:
Butternut Squash: Sweet nutty winter squash. Orange flesh is concentrated in the neck of this squash.
The California Persimmon:
A book published by the ANR covering history and background of
persimmons. Contains many new and traditional persimmon recipes.
Arugula:
Popular and tasty leafy green. Popular in salads, stir fries, and on
pizza. Young arugula is more mild. Mature leaves are often desired for
their strong spicy flavor.
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