Images of tall, tight bunches of purple-tinged, green and white asparagus in the grocery store signal the arrival of spring. There are only a few organic asparagus growers left in California.

The California Hass avocado season historically starts as early as January/February in San Diego and works its way north as each area of California finishes their harvest and another area begins.  The beginning of the year is when the California Hass Avocado must pass the minimum allowed level of oil content before being picked. Understanding the geography of where your Hass avocado is grown will help you choose the best flavor.

High temperatures and humidity for an extended period of time create the perfect conditions for aphids and mildew quality issues. This week temperatures in the California desert regions moved into the low 80’s and all desert vendors are seeing increasing mildew and aphid pressure on warm veg items.

Apples and pears are enjoyed long after being harvested in October/November by keeping them in storage. Storage delays the normal ripening and aging process. As we move into the New Year most of the fresh storage supply has run out and we can expect most apples and pears from the Pacific Northwest to be coming out of controlled atmosphere storage (CA Storage). Think of sleeping beauty under a spell and how she never aged a day until she woke up.

Here at Earl’s we support a better banana: we offer superior flavor, in-house conditioning to order, and daily photos so you can make the right choice. Meet Coliman Bananas, a family business.

The large Intennza Papaya has a melon-like flavor, fragrant aroma and beautiful salmon red interior. The flesh is firm, but juicy, with one of the sweetest and least acidic flavors of any papaya variety. Read on to learn how to cut and enjoy papayas, more health benefits and storage and ripening tips.

It is a volatile citrus market with more rain coming in and here to stay through Christmas week. That, added to the cooler temps across California, makes for slower growth on most items. Expect citrus to remain a challenge for the time being. 

Cold and wet weather is affecting the volume and quality of citrus across all growing regions. We are tap dancing through clear rot, which doesn’t show up until after harvest, on all citrus varieties.

Look for pomegranates with a full bright red to dark red color that feels heavy for their size, which means they are super juicy. Drastic changes in temperature from cold to hot or rain can cause the fruit to crack. This is not a bad thing! In fact the fruit will be bursting with juice and ready to go! Read on to find out how to easily open a pomegranate and remove the arils.