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MR. GREENS "FRESH TIPS"
September 28, 2001
Our last PRODUCE MAN PUZZZZLE dealt with a fall fruit: If it is not ripe,
it will drive a man’s mouth awry with much torment, but when it is ripe,
it is as delicious as an apricot. What is it? Bugs Bunny used to drive
Daffy Duck crazy by giving him this unripe fruit, to which Daffy Duck would
reply, “Pucker up for a…Persimmon!” An unripe persimmon, particularly the
Haychia variety, is extremely astringent. It will definitely make your mouth
pucker. It’s more astringent than a lemon. But when fully ripened, oh what
flavor. This week’s PUZZZZLE deals with another fall fruit: Koko, Stanford
University’s “talking” gorilla, used sign language to describe this fruit
as “red, juice, corn, seeds.” What is it? See next week’s “Fresh Tips”
for the answer.
CROP DUSTERS: Since September 11, the FAA has grounded crop dusters several
times, based upon threats that terrorists could use the planes to spread
germ or chemical warfare. What used to be called “crop dusting” is now called
“aerial application”, and the pilots are called “agricultural aviators.”
About 10% of the nation’s $139 billion food and fiber, is attributed to
agricultural aviation. About 65% of all crop protection chemicals are applied
by aircraft, including helicopters. There are about 6,000 aircraft nationwide
used in aerial application. The main use is to apply chemicals (fungicides,
herbicides and insecticides), seeds and fertilizer. Rice and alfalfa are
seeded through aerial application. Some of the fruit and vegetable crops
using aerial application are blueberries, citrus, cherries, apples, vineyards,
carrots, celery, onions, radishes, lettuce, cucumbers, potatoes, broccoli,
tomatoes and sweet corn. Most of the aerial application for fresh crops,
however, are used mainly in the Spring and early Summer. For example, following
a rain in the late Spring, blossoming and early fruit on trees and vineyards
are very susceptible to mold, so farmers will spray fungicide to prevent
mold and fungus from destroying the fruit. Many times, the ground is too
wet to use ground application from tractors, so aerial application from
aircraft has to be used. This time of year, there is very little aerial
application going on. About the only need for aerial application is for
defoliation of cotton plants, preparing the plants for harvest. By next
Spring, when crop dusters will be needed again, the FAA will have sufficient
rules to help limit the risk of a terrorist being in the cockpit.
 STRAWBERRIES:
Rain on Strawberries is like water on the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of
Oz. It makes ‘em melt. About 95% of the nation’s Strawberries are coming
from Watsonville this time of year. Fields there received about ¼” of rain
earlier this week when thunderstorms drove across Northern California. Fields
are old and tired, so rains and winds this time of year will really slow
down growth and production. We should see some lighter colored berries,
softer, some bruising and wet berries, a shorter shelf life, and higher
prices. Buy just before you use them. |