Fresh Talker

I can’t believe the 4th of July weekend is just around the corner! Before you know it we’ll be talking Hatch Chile Roasting and Labor Day… but for now let’s talk about what’s happening in produce now and on the horizon. Berry Delicious! First, let’s talk local berries. The June Northwest strawberry season is winding down. We had a couple rough spots this season with all the rain we had a week or so ago, but overall it’s been a great crop. We may have a couple more shots of berries as we finish out this week, but Hayton Farms is all but done for the year on their …
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It’s hard to believe this is the first blog entry of 2020! I sincerely apologize for the gap. Due to the pandemic, all our attention over the past few months has been on creating a safe environment for our customers and staff. As we ease into whatever the new normal will be, I feel comfortable reigniting this blog to share what’s happening in fresh produce over the next few weeks. Northwest Strawberries Delivered Daily …
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Another Thanksgiving holiday is in the history books. I am so thankful for everyone who works so hard year-round to make it happen – my deepest appreciation, gratitude and thanks to all. Picks of the Orchard – Cosmic & Sugarbee Cosmic Crisp Apples Now a look ahead to the next several weeks through the end of the year.…
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Joe visits Bainbridge Community Broadcasting  every once in a while to have a conversation with BCB’s Bob Ross on his “Tastes of Bainbridge” show. In this session, Joe and Bob talk about early Sumo mandarins (!!!), the extraordinary 2019 chanterelle mushroom crop and a new and promising apple called the “Sugar Bee” (among other things!).  Give it a listen! …
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Autumn arrived in a flash – like throwing a switch. That huge lightning and thunderstorm a few weeks ago ushered summer out dramatically. It snowed in Spokane last weekend and here in the Puget Sound region we dropped to near freezing this morning. Some Northwest row crops seemed to have ended overnight. Lettuce, for instance. Sterino Farm in Puyallup got a freeze and Dharma …
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Seedless grapes are moving into their peak-of-the-season quality. Some of the best varieties are arriving now from California – red, green and black seedless grapes are big, sweet and crunchy. Candy Stripe Figs Fresh figs are coming into their peak of season, as well. …
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August already? That means there is a lot happening in your market’s Produce Market! We’ll soon see the Northwest cherries come to an end.  Variety berries from Sterino Farms in Puyallup are all but finished for the year, although we’ll have some blackberries over the next three to four weeks. Albion …
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The summer fruit season is well under way as we move into the last week of June. The Independence Day holiday will be here and gone before we know! The good news is we are moving into peak-of-season season for California stone fruit and we’re on the brink of a whole variety of Northwest berries. Local Cherry Season Short But Sweet First and foremost let’s talk about cherries. The Northwest cherry season is only here for a short time and the peak of that short season is now upon us. …
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Spring (ahead) is here! When we set our clocks ahead this weekend, it’s proof that spring is just about here, even though below-normal temperatures persist (as I write this it is actually SNOWING). This cool pattern is not exclusive to the Northwest. We are seeing cooler, wet weather patterns up and down the entire West Coast. We’ve even seen freezing temperatures in Arizona and Mexico. What does all this mean? This volatility in the weather right now has an immediate – and potentially a future — effect. …
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‘Tis the season for challenges when it comes to fresh produce. A couple of heavy rain events in California and Arizona have created challenges in row-crop vegetables like lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro and more.  Also affected significantly are packaged salads. When so much rain falls so fast, flooded fields make it virtually impossible to harvest until the water recedes. Two other crops hit hard by rain at this time of year are California strawberries and organic satsumas. For the berries, significant rain means growers must strip off all the …
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