His fami ly keeps some prunes right out of the dehydrator and gives some to friends and fami ly members. “That’s called a natural-conditioned prune. It has the pit inside and it’s drier than what you’d buy in a bag in a store,” Vasey said. When the family supply runs out or they just want the convenience of a pitted prune, they buy packaged prunes. A longtime human resources manager, Vasey became part of a farming family 30 years ago when he married Hi l lary Lindauer, whose fami ly has been growing prunes for 85 years. After the couple moved to the farm to help out about 18 years ago, Vasey began learning the ropes from his father-in-law, Ken Lindauer, before eventua l ly taking over. He’s now the only fami ly member who works on the farm, still owned by family board members descended from the founding couple, George and Sydney Lindauer. Vasey’s two sons, Aaron and Josiah, in their mid-20s, have launched other careers, so, about two years ago, Vasey hired a non-family member tapped to take over management when he retires in the next few years. Fac tor s l i ke weather incons i s tenc y, drought , regulations, finding labor and market-value f luctuation make farming for a living challenging, Vasey said. To cut costs and increase eff iciency, he uses solar arrays to power equipment and underground irrigation lines that send water directly to the trees’ roots. Rather than burning waste, he tries to recycle it as mulch. He’s also diversified, adding 280 acres of walnut trees. Hour s c an be long : round-t he - c lock dur i ng harvest season. But he enjoys the variety found in farming and says it’s much more rewarding than the corporate world. “I’ve had a varied career. I worked in the defense industry and high-tech industries and the potato chip industry. I’ve gone from things that weren’t, in my mind, great for the world, l ike making MX missi les, to producing healthy food for the world—and there’s a tremendous satisfaction in that.”
Prunes are high in nutrients benefiting the heart, nerves, muscles, bones and immune system. Prune farmer Michael Vasey can rattle off numerous nutritional attributes: “They’ve got more potassium pound for pound than bananas and more antioxidants pound for pound than blueberries,” he said. “They also have a low-glycemic index, so, despite being sweet, they don’t ramp up your sugar really fast. And recent research has shown that they also improve bone health. It’s one of the few foods that they can say that about. “And there’s been a lot of jokes about it, but they really are good for your digestion.” Prunes also can provide a boost for athletes in training, according to Leslie Bonci, a registered dietitian for the California Prune Board and a sports nutritionist. “Nutritional strategies that minimize inflammation are a big topic of conversation,” she said. Prunes have anti- inflammatory properties that can reduce pain during workouts, thus making training sessions more effective. “Fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamin D (found in prunes) are under-consumed by most Americans, and not getting enough of these nutrients can cause health issues,” she added. Prunes also can provide an alternative to refined sugar. They work well in cakes, muffins, tortes and other desserts or breakfast breads. They can be used in dinner entrées that call for sweetening, including teriyaki bowls, pulled pork, meatballs and baked beans, and make a succulent meat or fish sauce. They can even add an interesting spin to pizza, tacos or burgers.
Linda DuBois ldubois@californiabountiful.com
10
January/February 2022
Powered by FlippingBook