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Stone Fruit Straight From the Farm

6/18/2014

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How can you resist fruit with the names “Honeykist”, “Diamond Ray”, “Snow Princess” or “Ice Princess”?  These are some of the varieties of nectarines and peaches coming straight from Paul Buxman’s Home Sweet Ranch near Fresno.  And sweet is just what this fruit is!  The flavors are a delight for the taste buds.  I had the pleasure to interview Paul about his farm and unique growing techniques.  Once you learn about his farming practices, you will appreciate these local, intense fruits even more!

Large peaches and nectarines have just 68 calories and no sodium or cholesterol.  They both are high in fiber, providing about 10% of the RDA.  In addition, they are also rich in vitamin C and vitamin A, providing support for our immune systems, skin and bone health.  Both inside and out, peaches and nectarines are filled with significant antioxidants that help combat harmful free radicals.  For more about the benefits of these stone fruits, click here. 

To the interview with Paul…

How did he get into farming?

Farming has been in his family’s blood for three generations.  He inherited the family ranch, now at 55 acres, and feels a strong relationship with the earth.  The farm grows peaches, nectarines, plums, persimmons, mandarins and seedless concord grapes.  In addition, they have set aside a plot of land where other produce is grown for the community. 

With so many different fruits, tell us about the running of Home Sweet Ranch?

The farm has 30-35 different fruit varieties.  Fortunately, the different fruits ripen sequentially so that each variety can get the attention it needs.  In addition, Paul and his wife, Ruth, use any overripe fruit that can’t be sold commercially to make fruit preserves that are then hand signed.  The days are long—5 am to 9 pm with Sundays off.  They employ about 10 people some of whom have been with them for 20-25 years.  They treat their workers like their own family and their welfare is paramount.  They would much rather lose some fruit than have their workers be sick from working in 110-degree weather.

Having tasted the peaches and nectarines, they are truly delicious.  What’s involved in knowing when the fruit is ready for harvest?

Judging the fruit is not an exact science.  The riper fruit will be at the top of the tree.  If it has a green tinge, then it is not ready.  Unlike commercial growers who pick the fruit up to three weeks early and let it ripen while in transit, Paul and his crew pick the fruit when it is ripe since they don’t have to account for the extra time to get from the farm to the store.  In fact, his fruit is delivered within 24 hours of picking.  Wow—that is so fresh!  It is also the reason that the varieties that he grows are so sweet and delicate.  They can opt for varieties that are less durable but taste “honey kissed”.  He looks for overripe fruit on the ground and then picks 10 pieces of fruit.  If two are overripe, then the picking can begin.  Any overripe fruit is not thrown away.  It is used to make their signature homemade preserves. 

What’s the process of growing a wonderful product without the use of pesticides?

After a lot of experimentation, he developed a process called integrated pest management (IPM) allowing the beneficial bugs and insects to do the work in ridding the fruit trees of harmful pests. In fact, the farm received the EPA’s first IPM Innovator’s Award for the reduction of pesticide use.  Weeds are encouraged to attract the beneficial insects that will fight off the pests that can wreck havoc on the fruit trees. 

With California in a serious drought, tell the readers what the farm is doing to reduce water usage?

Home Sweet Ranch is using 75% less water now than it did five years ago.  Instead of drip irrigation that only gets water to the upper level of soil by the root ball, they water via furrows of pumped ground water that extend to the drip line thus optimizing our precious water.  In addition, mulch is used extensively.  Not only will mulch lower weeds in unwanted areas, it adds important nutrients back into the soil.

Compare the peaches and nectarines grown at the farm with the big commercial supermarkets?

If you eat the farm’s fruits, you will know with the first bite that you are having something special.  They are infinitely sweeter.  In terms of nutrition, the USDA level of vitamin C is 200% above conventionally grown peaches and nectarines.  In addition, other nutrient levels are much higher as well.  For instance, calcium is much enhanced due to the compost used.  The compost is partially comprised of chicken bones and eggshells that are rich in calcium, which then leaches over time into the soil and is then taken up by the roots of the tree.  Also, when you get fruit picked the day before, the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants haven’t had the chance to degrade as those that have been sitting for 2-3 weeks.  To appreciate more fully about eating as locally as possible, click here.   

 What’s the process to get the different varieties and flavors in the fruit?

The different varieties of peaches and nectarines are a result of pollination.  The farmer can act as the pollinator instead of bees and birds.  In fact, “every good farmer is a geneticist.”  To create a new variety, it takes years of experimentation.  Grafting may be used on trees that are past their prime.  Alternatively, the farmer may pollinate the fruit by hand to get exactly the characteristics desired.  Flavors are tricky.  It is dependent on the genes.  White peaches or nectarines are typically less acidic and have floral notes.  They are very sweet and easy to digest.  These are sometimes referred to as “sub acid”.  The acid fruits are those with yellow flesh.  The acid (this includes vitamin C which is also called ascorbic acid) acts as a flavor carrier. 

Farming these fruits is a labor of love.  As Paul so eloquently states “Anything not about love is not anything”.  Here’s to our local farmers and the products of their love!
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Chock Full of Cherries

6/4/2014

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Memorial Day has just passed and summer is around the corner which means that we are in the beginning of cherry season.  Since cherry season is short, be sure to take full advantage of the three months when you can purchase the freshest and sweetest of these little gems. 

Cherries date back to 300 BCE, and likely originated in an ancient Turkish town called Cerasus.  They arrived in America with our earlier settlers in the 1600s.  Cherries are known as drupes; they are fruit with a thin skin, fleshy pulp and a stone containing the seed.  Cherries are part of the rose family, which also contains apricots, plums and peaches.  There are two primary types of cherries grown—sweet or sour.  Sweet cherries, the most noted of which are Bing, come in more than 500 varieties and have enough innate sugar that eating them raw is a favorite sweet treat.  In the US, about 85% of sweet cherries are grown in Washington, Oregon and California.  Sour cherries are too tart for most of us to eat raw.  They are typically used in pies or sauces.  The majority of US-grown sour cherries are produced in Michigan.

Both types of cherries have more innate sugar than many other fruits.  Keep the sugar content in mind when choosing what fruit to consume.  While not significant, sweet cherries are higher in calories than sour due to their increased sugar content.  For example, one cup of sweet cherries has 87 calories compared to 77 calories for sour cherries.  This difference in sugar amount may be moot, as most sour cherries will be used in recipes that call for added sugars.  Another significant difference is that sour cherries are loaded with vitamin A—they have a whopping 2000 IU in a cup versus sweet cherries that have just under 100 IU per cup.  Vitamin A supports our vision, skin health, immune system and red blood cell production.  Both types of cherries are very good sources of vitamin C, copper and manganese.  In addition, the antioxidants in cherries make them a “go to” food for certain conditions.

The darker the color of the fruit, the more antioxidants it possesses.  So the deep purple color of Bing cherries is an indication of its powerful antioxidants, specifically the flavonoids.  Antioxidants help the body repair damage done by free radicals that may be generated during metabolic processes or from environmental sources.  For more about antioxidants, click here.  Let’s look at some of the benefits we may obtain by adding cherries into our diet.

·      Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when the body accumulates excess uric acid in the blood causing inflammation and swelling.  Cherries (both types) and cherry juice have been used to relieve gout symptoms.  In fact, a Boston University study showed that consuming ½ cup of cherries (about 10-12 cherries) for just two days resulted in a 35% lower risk of a gout attack.

·      Tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, the hormone that helps the body regulate its circadian rhythms (sleep and awake cycles).  Two tablespoons of tart cherry juice have been shown to be as effective as a melatonin supplement.  How exciting that you can have a natural sleep aid right in your refrigerator!

·      Both types of cherries are loaded with potassium, which is a natural blood pressure reducer.  Potassium works by offsetting salt and regulating the body fluids.  As a reference point, one cup of cherries is about equivalent in potassium content as one small banana.  In addition, cherries also contain quercitin that supports the blood vessels by allowing them to be more relaxed and elastic.  For more about salt content in food, click here.  Note that excess sodium or potassium can present problems.  Of course, if you have high blood pressure, consult with your physician before making any dietary changes. 

·      Tart cherries may also relieve exercise-induced pain.  The antioxidants found in these cherries may be protecting the muscles from damage as well as exerting an anti-inflammatory response.

·      Osteoarthritis has also shown improvement with both sweet and tart cherry intake.  The anthocyanins, responsible for the deep purple color, are antioxidants that can relieve inflammation by affecting the same pathways used by ibuprofen and naproxen without any adverse stomach effects.  A lowering of the anti-inflammatory blood markers was used to validate the anti-inflammatory properties of cherries.

·      The unique composition of antioxidants in cherries has been studied for their anti-cancer properties.  The anthocyanins, beta-carotene (found in sweet cherries), vitamin C and quercitin may act synergistically to help fight cancer cells that have formed in the body. 

Pick your cherries with care.  Cherries should have bright and glossy skin.  The darker the skin, the more health benefits you obtain.  The fruit should have a little give and not be too hard.  Cherries will not ripen after picking so choose cherries that look ready to eat.  Place unwashed cherries loosely in a plastic bag to minimize any damage.  Refrigerate for up to a week.  Be aware that cherries are typically sprayed with pesticides multiple times during their growth cycle.  Try to buy cherries organically or without pesticides or wash to remove any pesticide residue.  For a guide on washing conventional produce, click here. 

Enjoy these summertime treats and reap their powerful benefits!


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