Life at a Farmer's Market

It sure has been a while!

2011-04-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. School sure does it get crazy. I thought I'd take this opportunity to share with you some of my experiences visiting San Francisco lately.

Just last weekend, while visiting my best friend in Frisco (who is also a fellow foodie), many of our expeditions involved, well, food! We ate some wonderful fare at restaurants such as Perry's in the Financial/Soma district and Mamacita's in the Marina District. We also browsed in one of my favorite places ever, the Ferry Building Plaza Marketplace, chock-full of local produce, artisan foods, and tons of gourmet goodies.

We also took a visit to Whole Foods, and I was impressed to notice their commitment to bringing fresh and local food to their customers. In fact, for many products, they provide a brief description of who the producer/farmer of the product is, where they're from, and what their practices include. Being the fruit girl aggie that I am, I couldn't help but look at all of the labels for everything to see their country of origin.

As we approached the nuts & dried fruit aisle, I was checking out their different almond flavors & mixes. In particular, I was impressed by Whole Foods' own line of products. I picked up a container of their brand of raw almonds and noticed that their appearance was just a little different than the nonpariel variety that we grow that I was used to seeing.

I was quite disappointed when I flipped to the back of the container and read "Product of Italy". WHOA. What?! A store that is so committed to providing fresh, local food has their own line of raw almonds as an imported product? There are many reasons why this is a little disheartening:

1) California produces 80% of the world's almonds, and nearly 100% of the U.S. commercial supply. That being said, there is definitely not a shortage of California almonds.

Almond orchard in bloom in Turlock, California. Almonds typically bloom between February 23rd and March 9th.

2) These particular almonds were labelled "raw". In 2007, the almond pasteurization program became mandatory for the California industry, so even though California almonds are labelled "raw", we can be sure that they have been either steam-pasteurized OR treated with propylene oxide. This law, however, does NOT apply to imported almonds. Overall, researchers have determined that pasteurization allows for an overall better product, one that was cleaner and had a potentially longer shelf life, and did not compromise other desired qualities in the nuts such as taste, texture, and chemical composition.

3) These particular almonds were also organic, so one can make the argument that perhaps there is not a large enough organic almond supply here in California to meet the demand. Although the organic almond acreage is small when compared to the overall almond production (between 1-2%), there are co-ops such as Big Tree Organic Farms located in Turlock, California that provide organic almonds to many customers. Big Tree is an example of a locally owned company that is committed to providing an excellent product that is high-quality.

Perhaps Whole Foods has an imported raw almond product because they fear that pasteurization requirements has caused consumers who demand organic to object to any kind of treatment. Because imported almonds do not need to be pasteurized, distributors such as Whole Foods may be turning to organic almonds from Spain, Uzbekistan, Iran, Italy, and other countries.

Still, I am disappointed that a store so committed to local farming does not also provide a raw, organic, California-grown option. Personally, I will plug that I think local is the single-most important factor in food choices. We should be supporting our neighbors while ALSO being knowledgeable about their growing practices. It just seems downright silly for a store such as Whole Foods that is:

a) a self-proclaimed locavore's mothership market:
(Taken directly from the Whole Foods website: "Our search for that produce begins right outside our front door in every community where we do business. We are permanently committed to buying from local producers whose fruits and vegetables meet our high quality standards, particularly those who farm organically and are themselves dedicated to environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture.")

b) located in the United States; specifically in California, and

c) less than 30 miles from almond country,

to NOT provide a local, California-grown, high-quality, raw product that is grown in abundance (literally) right down the road.

Thoughts?

Sincerely yours,
Fruitgirl :)

Doing our Part....

2010-09-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

Our fruit is wonderful, quite simply put: some of the best fruit anyone can buy. However, we sometimes have fruit at the end of the day that does not quite make the $2.50/lb. cut (that's what we typically charge per pound at the farmer's markets). What do we do with it? Well, it depends. If it's simply aesthetic damage(blemishes, bruises, excessive sun-spots, etc.), we'll most likely cut them up for samples for customers. If they are too soft, over-ripe, or excessively damaged, we'll sell them for 75 cents/lb. to customers who are interested in purchasing fruit to make cobblers, jams, jellies, and smoothies (a few of my customers have brought me their finished products -- absolutely fabulous!) You'd be surprised to find out how many customers return to our stall week after week for just the "75 fruit" (we like to call it that for short!)

And what if we still have not sold it all? At almost every market, we donate our a large amound of out unsold produce to organizations who feed the homeless and hungry. Here is some information of some of the wonderful organizations out there that are helping those in need. Please make sure to check out their websites!

Hayes Valley Farm
A Freeway Food Forest & Education Center
www.hayesvalleyfarm.com

Anna Chan, The Lemon Lady
Fruit Harvesting for the Hungry
www.thelemonlady.blogspot.com

Catholic Charities
Working to Reduce Poverty in America
www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Food Runners
Relaying Food to the Needy
www.foodrunners.org

It's Melon Time!

2010-08-16T19:40:00.001-07:00

So the melon patch is ready at Cipponeri Family Farms! Melons are a delicious treat and contrary to popular belief, they are actually a vegetable! HOWEVER; due to their sweet characteristics, they are marketed as a fruit crop. Along with their relatives cucumbers and squash, they are in the Cucurbitaceae family.

Here is a photo of some of our melons we took to market last week; from left to right: Sharlyn, Orange flesh honeydew, and Canary.

Cipponeri Family Farms specializes in growing a few main types of specialty melons. Below is some information to find the best melon for your liking!

Sharlyn Melon:
This is a round melon that has a netted outside skin, similar to a cantaloupe, and a pale orange to cream colored flesh inside that provides a flavor similar to a combination of a honeydew and a cantaloupe. As the fruit ripens, the outer flesh turns from a greenish color surrounded by the tan netted lines to an orange tone with tan lines.. The Sharlyn melon cannot be kept for more than several days, as it is very perishable when it is ripe.

Orange Flesh Honeydew:
This is my personal favorite! When ripe, these melons will turn a creamy yellow color with a slight orange tinge. They will be firm with a small amount of softness at the stem. Sometimes, the seeds of an especially juicy melon will rattle if the melon is shaken. They are a a hybrid between cantaloupes and honeydews and appropriately, look like a regular green honeydew on the outside but resemble a cantaloupe on the inside.

Canary Melon:
The Canary melon is a large, bright-yellow melon with a pale green to white inner flesh. This melon has a distinctively sweet flavor that is slightly more tangy than a honeydew melon. The flesh looks like that of a pear but is softer and tastes similar to a cantaloupe. When ripe, the rind attains a golden tint and its flesh will have a pink tinge around its seed cavity. This melon is often marketed as the Juan Canary melon and got its name after the Canary Islands where they were first popularized.

Cranshaw melon:
This is an oval-shaped summer melon with a golden-yellow rind. The rind will turn a more yellow-gold tint as it ripens. It's a blend of the Persian and Casaba melon. They have a very interesting sweet and spicy taste. It has a very aromatic and sweet flesh.

Casaba melon:
This melon is round/oval with yellow-orange skin that is green at the ends. The flesh is a creamy-white color. When ripe, it's pale-yellow. It is sweet but has a more mellow flavor than the rest of the melons. Unlike most melons, it does not have an aroma when ripe.

Selection:
Most melons will have a sweet aroma when ripe. All of our melons at CFF are picked ripe and ready to eat, so one really cannot go wrong when selecting one from our stall. All melons (except Canary) can have a little bit of give (softness) at the stem ends when ripe for optimum sweetness.

Techinical Difficulties!

2010-08-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! So my storage device that I keep all my blog info & photos on is currently broken. I am hoping to get it fixed tomorrow so hopefully everything will be salvaged and I can post them ASAP! Happy farming :)

-- Fruit Girl

Cipponeri Family Farms

2010-07-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Sorry I have not blogged for a while! I wanted to prepare an awesome post about where the magic happens - the farm of course! Enjoy these pictures of life at the ranch!

White nectarine trees!

After a day in the city, I just love coming home to the farm and seeing where it all begins: the orchards!

Rainier cherry tree.

Rainier cherries.

"So I sent her to a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree (Woo-hoo ooo, woo-hoo oo!)" - Kt Tunstall

Bing cherries.

Bing cherry tree.

My co-worker Marissa & I with the Bings.

Topping the cherry trees: this is done after the season is just about over with.

The cherry orchard post-topping.

Squash patch. Squash will be ready in our region starting in August!

Yellow peach trees.

Yellow peaches.

Yellow nectarine trees.

Yellow nectarines.

Split pit in a white nectarine. DON'T EAT THESE! Read my post titled "A Little Bit of Stone Fruit 101!" to find out more info on this!

Loading trucks.

Cultivating melons, yeah!

"Is Your Fruit Organic?"

2010-07-18T23:24:00.000-07:00

On average, I have approximately 25 customers per day ask me the pivotal question: “Is your fruit organic?” What a great question. I always thank customers for asking this because it is important for the consumer to know what they’re buying.

Cipponeri Family Farms
Even though our produce is all conventionally grown (i.e. NOT organic), we use a lot of practices that organic growers use. For example, we typically only spray when we have to (this past year, we did not have to spray at any time other than the dormant season; dormancy is when there are no fruit on the trees and for stone fruits it is the winter time), and all of the sprays we use are actually sprays used by organic farmers OR that are currently on the list to be organic-approved. The major difference between our produce and organically-grown produce? Not much. In fact, you will not find ANY spray residue on our fruit whatsoever.

What is organic?
Here in the United States, the government uses the National Organic Program (NOP) Standards to certify our growers. According to USDA’s website,
Organic production is a system that is managed in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 (PDF) and regulations in Title 7, Part 205 of the Code of Federal Regulations to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards.

Organic v. Sustainable
What the general public does not really understand is that Certified Organic is a title that is purchased. Among other requirements, a farmer must follow a set of guidelines, fill-out tedious paperwork, and of course; dish out money (on top of all of the other costs farmers have) to have their land regulated in order to be a certified organic farmer. Worth it? Perhaps. Nevertheless, in my experience, I have found that a grower can be very sustainable but NOT be organic. Sustainability not only includes growing practices, but also labor and economics. What if a grower is certified organic but does not have proper hydration stations for their workers or isn’t utilizing their water supply efficiently? So does “sustainable” always mean “organic”? No. Contrary to popular belief though, “organic” does NOT always mean “sustainable”, either.

There is More to the Story!
I think that organic produce is fabulous. If a grower has the means to be certified organic, I think he should go for it. However, I think that there is more than just a yes or no answer when the question is, “Is your fruit organic?” It absolutely baffles me when customers ask that question and immediately walk away when I say “no” – as I am thinking to myself, ‘but you didn’t let me finish!’ If customers had a better understanding of what organic actually is, I think 95% of the customers who are die-hard organic fans would feel confident in purchasing my fruit. I once had a customer ask me whether or not our fruit is organic, and after I explained our growing practices, she looked me with the most puzzled look on her face and asked, “Sooooooo…is it bad for the environment?” The key here is EDUCATION. This is evidence that the average American consumer is not well-aware about what it is that American producers of foods and fibers (which by the way; only makes of 2% of the nation’s population) actually do. This is part of the reason why I started this blog, to help others understand and to share the story of American agriculturalists!

Livin' the Fruit Life! :)

2010-07-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share various photos of the past few weeks of my customers and life at the markets as well as a video. Enjoy!

All loaded up & ready to roll out after the Concord market. Notice the giant coffee on the truck bed. Going to need that for the ride home!
Our display at Civic Center, SF.
One of my customers sampling the dried fruits & nuts.

The Civic market with City Hall in the background. They were playing the USA game on a big screen when they played Algeria in the World Cup! We could hear the roar when Donovan scored! Amazing!

The market is such a little subculture. These are my "market parents" Dave & Lori. They are from Modesto and sell organic, cage-free eggs. I met them 4 years ago when I started working. They really watch out for me (Civic is a crazy place!) and are there for whatever we need.

This is Yarone and his adorable son Cruve. They have been customers of ours for 2-3 years. It has been really neat because I have got to witness Cruve grow up throughout that time. He loves fruit and can name any fruit/vegetable you put in front of him!
Civic market.
At this point in the day when we are tying down, we have been working for 13+ hours and awake for about 16. I am so exhausted that I actually get silly. This is evidence of that! Haha
Tying down the trailer before leaving the market.
One of our customers pondering a cherry purchase. After trying a sample I am sure she bought!

Only in SF do you wear a scarf & jacket in the middle of June! Mark Twain once wrote, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” The man was right!

My co-worker Katrina handing out apricot samples to customers. She is dancing to try and keep warm! I call her "Maganda", which is Filipino for "beautiful lady".
Unloading back at the farm. Driving home from market. A truck with no AC makes things interesting! Good morning San Francisco! Driving over the bay bridge at 5am!

A video of us pulling up to Civic Center bright & early! :)

I miei cugini! My cousins came to work with me, so fun!

This is one of my loyal customers at Crocker Galleria, Kathy. She buys my overripe fruit and makes jams & jellies with them. Just last year, her jam made with our yellow peaches won 1st place at the Eat Real Festival put on by Slow Food Nation at Jack London Square in Oakland!

I need this shirt! My friend who sells eggs at Half Moon Bay got this at the Farm Aid concert!

Yo e mi amigo Santiago. I have known him for about 4 years. He is so happy & friendly and is famous at the market!

A mural at the Portuguese hall in Half Moon Bay! I am going to stop there after work from now on to get a linquica sandwich!

Saw this at Starbucks and had to take a picture!

This is my friend Larry who sells at the organic vegetable stand across the way from me at Civic Center. I found a picture of him in an agriculture publication called California Country magazine. I brought it to him and he had no idea he was in it but was so happy to receive it!

Handing out yellow peach samples at Civic Center. "Peaches SO sweet, they might make you want to SLAP somebody - so be careful!"

Time to go home from Civic Center, finally!

San Francisco is such a beautiful city!

Getting the display out is key in setting up. A pretty display catches the consumer's eye and draws them in to sample our delicious fruit!

This reminds of my the crazy aunt when she talks about her growth in My Big Fat Greek Wedding: "....it was my twin!" These pluots and yellow peach are attached to their "double" which is probably due to the abundant rain this past spring. The attached ovary does not usually develop as fully. These would never be found in the grocery store as they would be culled in processing. Since our fruit is picked and immediately taken to market, we get to see fun stuff like this!
"SWEET fruit over here!"
My friend Mike from Half Moon Bay has a dahlia farm and brings me a bunch in exchange for some fruit. These dahlias are some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen!

A Little Bit of Stone Fruit 101!

2010-06-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

My customers have many questions for me about stone fruit. I thought I would write a little bit about each fuit; how they're grown, how to select a ripe piece, etc.

Cherries:
The two main varieties that we grow are Bing and Rainier. Bing are the most popular and are have a dark red flesh. Rainiers are not as common. They have a very a pretty yellow-pink flesh. They aren't as sweet as the Bings but have a more mellow and crisp taste.
Production:
In the Central Valley of California, cherries are typically harvested starting in April through July. They have a very high chill requirement which is why they bloom in the late spring and are an early-summer crop. They are picked based on color at a firm-mature stage and are harvested by hand. They are a self-incompatible species which means they absololutely require cross-pollination. They are sensitive to high rainfall and high humidity. Cherries are a lot of work in that they are very labor-intensive from harvest time to the point at which they are sold. They are messy and require a ton of sorting. The abundance of rain we got this past spring resulted in a lot of fruit cracking; which is basically when the fruit opens up to the flesh. If the cherries aren't stored properly and/or sold quickly, the cracks can get mold imbedded in them. Not really something customers want to say the least! Despite this, our crop this year is still beautiful!
Marketing & Economics:
The U.S. is the 3rd largest producer of cherries in the world after Iran & Turkey. California is the 2nd largest producer after Washington.

Apricots:
Production:
Apricots are typically harvested here in California in the months of May through July. They are hand-picked (unless the fruit is used for drying; then a trunk shaker can be used). They are picked when firm-mature. They have a low heat requirement, but a high chill requirement. They need mild winters and low humidity. They are frost-sensitive but drought-tolerant. They are very susceptible to pathogens and diseases. They are a self-fruitful species; which means they do NOT require cross pollination. Often times though, bees are still used for pollination.
Marketing & economics:
There is currently a decrease in production for a few reasons: lower-priced imports on the market, higher processing costs, lower profit margins, and consumer habits. Additionally, Turkey owns the dried market but California is responsible for 95% of the U.S. apricot production and is the 10th largest producer in the world.
Selection:
Typically, you want to choose apricots that have an orange blush on their yellow flesh, are heavy for their size, and are soft. However, some varieties like the much sought-after Blenheim are ripe when they are still yellow on the firm side.

Peaches:
This summer novelty is divided into two categories: yellow-flesh and white-flesh peaches. In general, there is approximately 25% white peaches to 75% yellow peaches being produced & sold in California.

Generally, yellow peaches are a bit softer when ripe and have an intense tart-sweet flavor due to their acid content. They are a definite favorite among customers!

White peaches can typically be crunchy when ripe and have a more mellow, sweet flavor than the yellow peaches. They started to grow in popularity in the 80's. Early on, they were actually a novelty, but they quickly gained popularity because of their sweetness. Consumers are starting to prefer sweeter fruit so the demand for white peaches is increasing.
Production:
Yellow peaches are harvested April through October; having the largest availability of all of the stone fruits. White peaches are harvested April through August. Both are harvested when MATURE; but not RIPE. They are a self-fruitful species which means that they do not require cross-pollination; however it is often used by many farmers. Peaches are susceptible to cold temperatures and rain during bloom. These can seriously affect fruit growth. Also, increasing vegetative growth during pit hardening can result in split pit; which is not something desired. If the pit of a peach is split, this causes an opening from the stem end in which insects can enter in and lay their eggs. Also, mold can occur. What is interesting is that split pit CANNOT be determined by a quick glance. You must look from the top of the fruit (the stem end) and if there is an opening, there is a good chance that the peach has a split pit. Don't purchase and/or eat peaches with this! (Although I am sure the insects would be a good source of protein, ha!)
Marketing & Economics:
California leads the country in peach production! YEAH for the Golden State! (And who said Georgia was the peach state?!)
Selection:
When purchasing peaches, check the stem end of a peach; a good sign of ripeness is a dark uniform reddish tint all the way around the fruit right up to the stem end. If there is absolutely any green color, don't select these because this means the fruit was picked too early (picked green) and will never properly ripen.
Did you know?
Peach trees can produce commercially viable yields for up to 20 years!

Nectarines:
Did You Know?:
Did you know that a nectarine is nothing more than a fuzzless peach? The nectarine is the same exact species as a peach, but it has 1 gene that is different; the fuzz gene!

Everyone seems to love the white nectarines. They're super-sweet, like nature's candy!

Yellow nectarines: my personal favorite! They have a ton of flavor and are often tart and sweet at the same time. I have found them to be the best for making cobblers because their intense tartness compliments the sweet dessert well.
Selection:
Generally speaking, you can use the same rules of thumb for selecting nectarine as you can with peaches. Avoid very hard nectarines, but keep in mind that ripe ones won't be as soft as a ripe peach. Also, many nectarine varieties have speckled skin. If this is the case, a lot of speckles on the fruit is a great sign of ripeness and flavor. They are often called "sugar freckles" as they are a great indicator of sweetness.
Marketing & Economics:
California also leads the country in nectarine production!

1st week back!

2010-06-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Getting back into the markets is fun, exhilarating, and completely exhausting all at the same time. My first day back was Tuesday at the Concord market; a city located about 29 miles east of San Francisco. It was great getting back into the swing of things and enjoying the abundance of stone fruits; especially the cherries. Items that are also currently in season that we sell are peaches (white &yellow),
nectarines (white & yellow), and apricots.

Cipponeri Family Farms, that's us!

Arriving at the Tuesday Concord market.

Getting ready to unload and set up!

Cutting samples for customers to try.

Our beautiful bing cherries. They are in season typically in April through July.

Loading up & tying down after the market is over.

In the morning at the Wednesday Civic Center market in the tenderloin district of San Francisco. It's always a crazy day at this market!

Some photos of our happy customers!

Loading up the truck & trailer after the market is over. Driving this bad boy with the trailer attached in the city is quite interesting!

In addition to fresh fruit & vegetables, we also have a high-quality line of dried fruits & almonds.

Tying down the truck after a 14-hour market day.

This is the Thursday Crocker Galleria market in San Fran. I love this market. Our customers are very nice and laid back. I enjoy visiting with them every week.

Our display at Crocker.

Cutting samples.

Inside the Crocker Galleria farmer's market.

Packing up at the Half Moon Bay farmer's market on Saturdays. This is by far my favorite market!

I love this job. Everyday is adventure and an opportunity to learn more!

Welcome!

2010-06-20T21:46:00.001-07:00

Hello there! Thanks for reading my blog! My name is Brean and I am student at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California. I am a fruit science major with a minor in agricultural communications. For the past four years, I have worked for a Turlock farmer who grows stone fruits, nuts, and vegetables in Turlock, my hometown. My job consists of driving to the bay area of California in cities such as San Francisco to sell produce at farmer's markets. This summer will be a bit different, as I will be recording all of my experiences in this blog for an internship for my agricultural communications minor. This blog is designed for a few purposes. One is to inform others about the importance of agriculture and how California agriculture plays a key role in producing the food and fibers for the entire planet. Additionally, it is to offer those who aren't familiar with a farmer's market a glimpse into this unique subculture. I also want to offer people who are involved in the agriculture industry an idea of just what the general public's perception of agriculture is. Most importantly, I would like to simply give individuals not involved/familiar with agriculture an opportunity to learn more about an agricultural commodity is grown and sold. I am excited to share my experiences of bridging the gap between producers and consumers at the farmer’s market! Enjoy and feel free to comment (you can become a follower by signing up with blogspot!)