Dale Janzen, a tree fruit industry professional, gave me a heads up that a local grower was tree-topping his trees. It is a fascinating process, and I couldn’t wait to get out there! Tree-topping is done by this grower once a year, but on average, growers do it every few years. They cut off the overgrowth at the top of the tree that the pests love to eat. The top parts of the trees are fresh, vulnerable foliage and the best option is to trim it and reduce stress that the pests can put on the trees. The machine that performs this task is a contraption that looks like a tractor at the base, but carries an upside-down blade that rotates spinning saws to cut the trees as it moves in between the aisles. It’s quite the machine, and it gets the work done! It’s a novel way to deal with pests and it’s pesticide free! It’s just another example of how California growers are always looking for new ways to grow a better peach. Take a look at the video as Dale explains the process.
Archive for the ‘Facts’ Category
Tree Topping!
Thursday, August 5th, 2010Try Something New
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010California peach grower Kristina Unruh recommends we all try something new! First if you have never had a peach before please EAT A PEACH!:) But for those who have, did you know that there is likely to be a new variety of peach in stores about every week and a half or two weeks? We almost have to try something new every time we go to the store - that’s why it so important to know what kind of peach you like. We categorize what kind of peach eater you are into 3 main categories:
The Cruncher likes their peaches a little more crispy yet sweet. The ideal peach for the cruncher is a white flesh variety. White flesh peaches are ready-to-eat even when firm. Sometimes people will buy a white flesh variety thinking it is a yellow flesh and are disappointed when they let it ripen only to find that what they thought was ripe was actually a little too ripe. White flesh have a subtle sweet that is lighter on the palette.
The Leaner likes the classic mouthwatering yellow flesh peach that is so juicy it makes you lean over just so you don’t ruin your shirt - hence the name. If you like intense sweetness paired with juicy flavor let a yellow flesh variety ripen at room temperature away from the sun until it gives to gentle palm pressure. Then have at it and worry about the mess later.
The In-Betweener just likes everything, white flesh or yellow flesh - crunchy or juicy sweet.
Know what you like but remember to try something new!
It’s Official! California Peaches are here!
Friday, May 7th, 2010Harvest has begun here in California peach country, and if you haven’t seen the fruit in your area yet, you will soon! As the season begins, here’s a quick refresher course on how to get the most out of your peaches.
When selecting, look for an even background color (golden yellow for yellow peaches, creamy yellow for white peaches) with no green around the stem and a fragrant aroma. The red blush on peaches is beautiful, but it isn’t an indicator of ripeness. Also take notice to the difference between a traditional yellow peach and increasingly popular white peaches.
Yellow peaches: These are the traditional peaches most of us are used to. They have deep yellow background color overlaid with pink or red blush color and deep yellow flesh inside. They are ready-to-eat when they give to a little bit of palm pressure and have a balance of sweet and tart flavors. These varieties are a little more tart when firm.
White peaches: These peaches have increased in popularity since the late 1980’s. They have a creamy yellow background color overlaid with pink or red blush color and creamy yellow flesh inside. They are naturally less tart and can be ready-to-eat when firm and crunchy. White peaches will ripen faster than yellow peaches and are sub-acid or less acidic. This means you can eat more of them without getting an upset stomach.
Happy 40th Anniversary Earth Day!
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010Here in the Central Valley growers are celebrating a Earth Day by trying to protect their peaches from a stormy spring.
California peach trees are at a vulnerable point in their life cycle. They have blossomed, been pollinated and are now pushing nutrients out to new developing fruit. The very very first varieties are going to be ready for harvest most likely in the next 3-4 weeks, but it’s not all smooth sailing up to that point.
Spring storms whipping up in the Pacific deliver much needed water to our aquifers, but also bring devastating hail that can destroy the fruit. Hail shreds leaves, scuffs fruit and sometimes knocks it right from the branches.
Some growers have invested in a device called a hail cannon they hope will dissipate the hail before it ever harms a tree. A few years ago NPR did a story on the use of hail cannons in the Central Valley. Click here to listen in.
It’s Blossom Season!
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010It is an exciting time of year in California’s Central Valley as stone fruit trees have emerged from winter dormancy and begun to bloom! February marks the official opening of the Blossom Trail, an official route designed to provide the most spectacular views of the orchards in bloom. The Central Valley is thee top producing stone fruit region in the United States and this period in the life of a stone fruit tree is the most celebrated in our region.
Tourists and residents celebrate the beauty of bloom with festivals, art exhibits, 10K runs, car rides and bike tours through the countryside to see (and smell) the millions of blossoms. The blossom season begins in February and runs through March and can be a great intro to a trip to the Sequoia National Forest or Yosemite.
Eat a Peach - Live Forever
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010Check out this story below from www.CaliforinaCountry.org
California Peach Orchards in Winter
Wednesday, January 6th, 2010Even though the harvest is over, the growers are still very busy in tending to their orchards. During this time, California growers are evaluating crop performance, grafting new varieties of peaches, plums and nectarines if necessary, pruning for new shoot growth, preparing the soil with fertilizers and making irrigation pipeline repairs if necessary.
Winter Pruning
Pruning adjusts a tree’s potential crop size, but also stimulates new shoot growth for the following year. Essentially, the grower is removing “tired” branches called “hangers” to provide room for new “fruitwood” growth. Strong and healthy fruitwood is desired for producing vibrant and robust growing periods in the springtime that results in better fruit quality, size, sugar development and heavier bearing mature fruit.
A pruning technique: “Topping the orchard.” The trees are “topped” to maintain the ideal height of the tree. This is done either by hand (pruning shears) of by a tree-topping machine. Topping is also beneficial for worker safety… less time on ladders reaching for fruit high off the ground.
Chill Hours
How many “Chill Hours” are necessary?
800-850 chill hours are the desired minimum amount. That said, there are always exceptions. Depending on variety, some very early varieties need only 350 chill hours and some late varieties need 900 chill hours.
What do “Chill Hours” do to the trees?
Chill hours affect many things, one being “fruit set.” Think of chill hours as “sleep.” It’s like REM sleep for humans. The more “sleep” you get, the better you’ll feel. Consequently, if there are not enough chill hours, the bloom is spread out, meaning, mature fruit will be spread out longer over the course of season. The tree is tired. The grower has to go back into the orchard to pick more times. This is costly to the grower.
California Growers Going Solar
Monday, December 7th, 2009Last week California regulators approved a utility contract for the nation’s first space based solar power plant. California-based Solaren Corporation anticipates 1,700 gigawatt-hours of energy per year throughout the 15-year contract term beginning in 2016 at a facility in Fresno County.
So what does this have to do with peaches? California growers are also finding new ways to harness the power of the sun. Growers like Casey Jones are using current solar technology to run their packing houses. A packing house is the place where a peach goes just after it was picked. It’s the place where a peach gets inspected, sorted, packed and shipped to market.
Take a look at the video below to see Casey talk about going solar.
A Refreshing Take on a Dirty List
Monday, September 14th, 2009In this article from townhall.com the author Angela Logomasini shares her thoughts about the health benefits of, amongst other things, peaches. The article starts with reference to a Good Morning America segment that aired recently that featured the E.W.G.’s “Dirty Dozen” list. While the “Dirty Dozen” list isn’t new it was refreshing to see that Angela’s response wasn’t typical. (A typical response is reposing the list and telling people that eating peaches is bad for you)
She cited research from the Harvard School of Public Health and quoted researcher Dr. Luis Cisneros Texas A&M University:
Cisneros notes: “Stone fruits are super fruits with plums as emerging stars.” In fact, studies conducted by Cisneros and Bryne find anti-oxidants in plums are as high as those found in blueberries, which are usually touted as the number one source for these cancer-fighting chemicals. Peaches and nectarines also tested quite high in for anti-oxidant value. Cisneros and Bryne are developing a red-skinned peach that could prove even more beneficial.”
Along with Angela’s research findings there is more research that puts the “Dirty Dozen” list in terms we can better understand. California peach growers along with other groups of farmers have soon to be published research balancing the argument.
Excerpt from their findings: Dr. Robert Krieger, a toxicologist with the Personal Chemical Exposure Program, University of California, states that if you consider the highest residues found from the past three years, a child, a teen or an adult would have to eat 400 to nearly 16,000 servings a day to reach the science based no effect level. The no effect level simply means that you still won´t see any negative health effects, even after consuming those extreme amounts of fruit.
California Stone Fruit Industry Book
Thursday, August 27th, 2009The book titled “The Perfect Fruit: Good Breeding, Bad Seeds, and the Hunt for the Elusive Pluot” is a look into the California stone fruit industry, its breeders, farmers, history and commerce, its controversies and intrigue.
Click here to buy the book on Amazon
