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The rain began in this region late Saturday and continued through Monday with totals amounting to 2.5-3 inches of rain. The moisture in the fields led to a slow week for our local region. Next week may be slow as well until we really ramp up our production the following week and clean fields. No rain is forecasted for the rest of the month so we are looking forward to a very rapid increase in production with good weather conditions. Our blackberry and raspberry season will also kick off come May and into June. With raspberries set to begin the middle of May, and blackberries ready for harvest come middle of June.
Santa Maria has been cool and wet, receiving about 2 inches of rain the past few days and light showers remaining yesterday morning. Temperatures have been in the high 50s with nighttime lows in the 30s-40s. Next week appears to be dry and slightly warmer, with temperatures in the 60s-70s and nights in the 40s. We are relying on the warmer weather ahead to quickly recover any damages in the fields from these recent rains. Fronteras are 16-18 count with nice color, shape and good taste. San Andreas is holding up very well at 12-14 count and looks very clean in the pack. Monterey is 10-14 count and we’re seeing minor green shoulder here and there but nothing significant. Our main concern is keeping any water damage from this week out of the packs. Organic fields look strong and both San Andreas and Fronteras have heavy volume ahead – counts are 14-16 count among both varieties. As of now, labor continues to not be an issue and we are moving forward with daily tailgate meetings, trainings and transparent communications regarding the pandemic with our field crews.
Oxnard:
It was a challenging week in our Oxnard region with the rain and moisture. We are forecasting a dry, warm pattern ahead for the next 7-10 days with no rain in sight. Fruit looks good despite the rain and we are primarily focusing on cleaning fields. Color is 90-95% and size is holding well. Berries have good sheen and large counts at mostly 14-16. Volume is expected to pick up with improved weather conditions. Our Oxnard team is also continuing to enforce social distancing, implementing tailgate meetings and frequent communications with all field personnel.
Mexico:
Weather continues to remain consistent among all growing regions – mostly sunny with high temperatures in the 90s and lows in the 50s.
Blueberries
Blueberry production is decreasing, and most growers have already passed their peak. The temperatures during the day reach up to 95-104 degrees and growers are beginning to irrigate more to ensure quality persists. We are not having a problem with the absence of hand labor.
Organic Blueberries
Organic blueberry volume is decreasing in general, and quality remains consistent.
Raspberries
Extreme temperature fluctuations are affecting raspberry production at this time, which has also resulted in minor quality concerns that we are addressing.
Organic Raspberries
Organic raspberry production is decreasing, and this will remain consistent through the end of the season. Warm weather is affecting quality in our conventional crop but field personnel are doing a great job of maintaining clean packs.
Blackberries
Blackberry production continues to increase. However, the warm temperatures are affecting the production of the fruit due to quality concerns in the field.
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Blueberries:
Mexico:
Weather has been very hot in the blueberry growing regions in Mexico. High temperatures are in the mid- 90s. Growers are trying to manipulate temperatures under the high tunnels by pulling upside plastic to improve ventilation and utilizing shade cloth over the plants. Quality is still good – the warmer temperatures have led to smaller berries here and there, but overall crews are doing an excellent job of keeping packs clean.
Oxnard Organics:
Oxnard production is increasing week by week. Fruit quality is mostly good and we’re beginning to move into the later varieties like Jewel and Emerald. Blueberries are looking excellent in this region.
Florida:
Quality out of Florida is excellent. Weather is good for fruit quality and production, with highs in the mid-high 80s, and lows in the low-mid 60s. The extended forecast shows that there will be some wet weather ahead in mid-April. Production will remain consistent the next few weeks.
Georgia:
South Georgia weather has been similar to our Central Florida growing region. Quality out of Georgia is very good at this time and production is starting to increase.
Central Valley California:
Our ranch in Stockton began harvesting the Snowchaser variety last week with small volumes looking great at this time. The first organic fruit from this region is expected to be packed later this month, and our large conventional volume out of the Central Valley will not arrive until mid-May.
For up-to-date weather conditions in all of our growing regions, click on the region below. Wunderground.com is our go-to weather resource for fast and reliable weather updates.
We are less than a month away from our recipe submission deadline and can’t wait to hear from industry chefs! We encourage and challenge each of you to continue to innovate and create at home in your kitchens and submit your very best berry-inspired entrée or dessert recipe(s) for a chance to be selected as a Chef Finalist in this year’s 3rd Annual California Giant Chef Invitational.
15 clamshells later...this Walmart shopper clearly loves their sweet California Giant strawberries!
“I normally shop local for strawberries but found yours at Walmart one day and couldn’t pass up how colorful and big they were, so I bought a clamshell and couldn’t stop eating them until it was empty. That said, I went back to Walmart and bought all they had left which was 15 clamshells!! Thank you for the great product.”
This Grocery Outlet is buzzing with springtime California Giant strawberries!
