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for apples We’re first Many think of apple season as beginning in September. But in California, the first apples are starting to hit markets about
now—three to five weeks before fruit from Washington state, the nation’s top apple producer. Farmers here grow four main commercial varieties: Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and Pink Lady, with Galas available first. So, instead of buying apples shipped in from the Pacific Northwest that were picked last season and have been stored for months, why not seek out some of California’s fresh, new crop?
It’s time for California Farm Bureau members to gather up the photographs they’ve taken throughout 2022 and 2023 that depict life on their farms and ranches and submit them for the annual photo contest. The deadline is Sept. 30. Past contest entries have featured all kinds of crops, machinery, animals, landscapes and employees at work. Cash prizes totaling $2,500 will be awarded to winners in two categories: adults and youths under age 14. Learn more at cfbf.com/ag-events/photo-contest. Photo contest returns
It’s now tomatillo time! Need to add a tangy, tart and slightly herbal bite to a dish? Reach for tomatillos. Despite its name and appearance, a tomatillo is not a little green tomato. In fact, while both are part of the nightshade family—which also includes potatoes, eggplant and peppers—the two fruits are not closely related. Grown in California in the summer and early fall, these natives of Mexico are versatile, can be eaten raw or cooked and often are used in sauces, curries and stews. They are perhaps best known for being the main ingredient in salsa verde, commonly used in Mexican cooking.
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