Fruit Newsletter for Week 4, July 10th – July 14th, 2018
Dear Angelic Organics shareholders with a fruit share, see below for the second newsletter of the 2018 season from Everett Myers of FruitShare.
July Vol. 2 2018
I hope you had a terrific Fourth of July. While many of us were enjoying the Fourth of July holiday last week, our growers were working day and night to complete the cherry, blueberry and stonefruit harvest. Enjoy the Red (cherries), White (nectarines), and Blue (blueberries), your brain will thank you!
Enjoy the fruit your brain will thank you.
Everett Myers, Founder and President of FruitShare
In Your Box: All Organic Fruit — Duke Blueberries, Lapin cherries, Vista peaches, Candy Pearl nectarines, Patterson apricots, and Red Yummy plums
Storage and Ripening
I like to place the Peaches and Nectarines on the counter until they give to thumb pressure. Once they give to thumb pressure eat them right away or place them in your refrigerator to enjoy within a couple days. Eat your Lapin (red) cherries and blueberries first and place any left-over in the refrigerator right away. They like to be cool and dry. Make sure to dry off any condensation they may have picked up during the delivery and place them in the refrigerator. Plums and Apricots are best when they give to thumb pressure too, but they are also good firm so see how you like them the best. The refrigerator will keep them longer.
What It Takes
Once again I am so thankful to Apple and George for their extra effort to make a beautiful cherry harvest happen again this year. They were working day and night to get this cherry harvest in. Thankfully with the extra effort from Apple, George and their family and crew we are able to enjoy their delicious cherries again this year. This year they had a heavy fruit set due to exceptional pollination during flowering. This resulted in fruit sizing being a little smaller this year.
Apple and George have been growing organically for over 34 years, and they believe firmly in the benefits of organic agriculture. When they bought their current orchard in 1997, the crops were already planted and pesticides were present. Over the next few years, Apple and George slowly transitioned the land back to its natural, organic state, enduring tough harvests and learning loads. They haven’t looked back. Now, George enjoys the simple pleasure of watching folks eat the cherries he and his wife grew on their central-Washington farm. Apple, the self-professed philosophical spouse, loves being part of a bigger movement and of course providing some of the healthiest, tastiest food grown today.
They employ about 40 seasonal workers, who work in an environment free of harsh chemicals alongside Apple and George, their three grown children plus their significant others. The orchard is only 3.5 acres large, but the small size allows for plenty of care.
Mike Naylor brings us the Vista yellow peaches, as well as the Black Owen plums today. Mike has been farming organically since 1990. After inheriting the orchard from his father, he converted the farm to organic practices because he was concerned about the negative effects of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers on workers and the water. Mike now allows visitors to come to his orchard and rent a house there! His fruit is so special because he picks and packs it directly in the field, so it is riper and sweeter than many other orchards. You’ll taste the difference in this week’s peaches!
Dick Kauffman finds organic farming much more satisfying than conventional methods. Dick and I share a history of having volunteered in the U.S. Peace Corps. After years of farm management in the Napa area, Dick began his own orchard and switched over to organic growing methods in 1999. Now, he has 82 acres of delicious organic stone fruit, including the Red plums in your box.
John France began producing organic tree fruit in 1989, and quickly became well known for both the quality of the fruit and the quality of his operation. John is thankful that his three children are not exposed to the pesticides and fungicides used heavily in conventional stone fruit orchards. So what’s the secret to his exceptional organic fruit? Weeds. Or so it would seem – John says that what appear to be weeds are actually valuable cover crops. John strategically plants an assortment of grains and legumes between his trees. He explains that the legumes provide nitrogen when tilled under, and the grains create plant diversity, which John has found to be a crucial part of orchard health. The cover crops also house natural predators and make it easier for water to be absorbed into the soil. John has watched the health of his soil improve, and has seen insects and birds return to the orchard. Now raising 18 different types of fruit trees and vines, John has recently noticed increases in fruit production. So whether you say “tomayto” or “tomahto,” “weeds” or “cover crops,” you’re bound to enjoy these Nectarines.
The Patterson apricots are one of the main season standards of apricots. This variety is shown so much respect it is named after the town of Patterson, CA; where they have an apricot festival every year.
Blueberries are now coming from Washington State. These Duke blueberries are our one of favorite varieties.
Health and Wellness
Cherries provide tremendous benefits to your health. They have a low glycemic index of 22 making them a great choice for diabetics. They also help you sleep better because they are a good source of melatonin. The Alzheimer’s Association includes cherries as one of the memory boosting foods because they are rich in antioxidants. Cherries provide cardiovascular benefits as well. The anthocyanins, which are the pigments giving cherries their red color, may activate PPAR which regulates genes involved in fat and glucose metabolism and thus, reduce risk factors for high cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. Eating cherries lowers risk of gout attacks by 35-50 percent. They can also help reduce muscle inflammation and pain, making them a great choice for those who suffer from osteoarthritis, as well as athletes pushing their bodies to the limit, like long-distance runners. Cherries are very high in potassium, which helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure and reduces the risk of hypertension. The phytosterols in cherries help reduce bad cholesterol levels. In other words, eat cherries – they taste great and are good for you.
Recipe
Looking for something simple for breakfast these days? Make ahead breakfast oats might be just the thing. Simply assemble ingredients, pour into mason jars, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning add any fresh organic fruit, nuts or even dark chocolate and you are set for the day. This recipe works with dairy or using dairy-free alternatives. Sweeten naturally with added fruit include local honey or maple syrup. What we love about this oats recipe is that like so many of our favorites, it can be so easily adapted to suit your dietary needs and wants and can change as fruits are in-season. To reduce sugar stick with plain yogurt, and only sweeten to taste.
Combine in a bowl (makes 2):
1/2 cup greek full-fat yogurt or dairy-free cashew alternative. Plain or vanilla preferred.
2/3 cup organic milk or milk substitute of your choice.
1 T ground flax seed
1 T hemp hearts
1 T chia seeds
1-2 T maple syrup (optional)
1/2 cup organic rolled oats (can find GF too)
Top with pitted organic cherries, blueberries slivered almonds, walnuts, or a few dark chocolate bits. If you are really in a time crunch, add toppings night before so you are ready to grab-n-go. Thank you reciperunner for the inspiration.
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