Last week’s YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S PRODUCE PUZZZZLE still dealt with summer melons: What are “Westside” Melons? The Westside of what? Well, unlike some other geographical growing regions, the “Westside” region is not one specific area. It refers to the “west side” of the San Joaquin Valley, 170 miles long and 20 – 40 miles wide. It’s southern border is at the foot of the Tahachapi Mountains and runs north through Kings, Fresno, Madera and Merced Counties, from growing regions like Huron and Mendota in the south, Firebaugh in the central area and Turlock in the north. This week's YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S PRODUCE PUZZZZLE deals with summer Bartlett Pears: What are “River” or “Mountain” Pears? See next week’s Fresh Tips for the answer.

Hurricane Frances, the size of Texas, before hitting Florida Grapefruit orchards.

Florida growers were just two weeks away from harvesting Grapefruit. After Hurricane Frances, around 60 – 70% of the crop was floating in floodwaters in the orchards.

The Indian River District grows more Grapefruit than anywhere else in the world. It became Ground Zero for Hurricane Frances.

FLORIDA GRAPEFRUIT (Monday, September 20): Hurricane Frances caused more damage to Florida agriculture than the $150 million citrus loss inflicted by Hurricane Charley, Florida Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson told us last week. Agriculture officials were still assessing the damage and said they wouldn't have solid estimates until this week, but some growers reported losing all of their grapefruit and orange crops to winds that literally blew the fruit to the ground. "We know that on the citrus side, that the fresh fruit industry is probably looking at some severe losses," Bronson told us. "On the grapefruit side, a lot of people think that they may lose their whole grapefruit crop," Bronson said. Frances made landfall in the heart of the Indian River Citrus District on the Atlantic Coast where most of Florida's $105 million grapefruit crop is grown. Because it's larger and heavier, grapefruit is more vulnerable to high winds than are oranges. Florida produces 75% of the grapefruit in the United States, and is the world's largest producer of the fruit, accounting for about 45% of the world supply. "Some growers are reporting to us that they lost 80 – 100% of their fruit," said Casey Pace, a spokeswoman for Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's largest grower's group. Doug Bournique, executive vice president of the Indian River Citrus League, told us that “there’s a lot of fruit on the ground. It’s very sad to see…just two weeks away from harvest.” State officials and most growers are placing the Grapefruit losses to around 60 –70% of the crop, but the figure could change. The Indian River District was ground zero for Hurricane Frances, with St. Lucie and Indian River counties being the hardest hit. The Indian River growing district is the largest in the world, accounting for 70% of Florida’s total Grapefruit crop. Bournique said he had seen little injury to trees, which was a problem in southwest Florida after stronger Hurricane Charley tore through orange groves there in August. Tree damage could hurt growers in future seasons since it takes five to seven years for new trees to bear fruit. "The trees that have seen damage were trees that were old," Bournique said. The damage inflicted by Frances may not be over. Standing water has flooded many groves. "If they do have trees that are soaking in water, the growing fruit will suck up so much water that the fruit will become bloated…and split," Bronson said. "Even the fruit that is left on the tree may not be pickable." The flooding could also keep oxygen from reaching the root system, killing the tree. Every day, growers are pumping the fields, but every day, it continues to rain. Several days after the storm, many growers in the Indian River district couldn’t be contacted because power was still not restored. "I have not seen this much water statewide in my lifetime," Bronson said. The Indian River Citrus District was mapped out for citrus groves because of the excellent soil and water conditions that prevail on the eastern seaboard of Florida. It is precisely these reasons that make "Indian River" grapefruit among the finest eating grapefruit in the world today. Underneath the Indian River Citrus District is the distinctive Anastasia formation, composed of coquina limestone, which the root system of the citrus trees tap for essential minerals and nutrients during their growing cycle. The District, generally, is extremely flat. This flatness, in concert with a high water table only two to three feet below the surface of the land, provides the trees with enough moisture to obtain the highest quality of texture, shape and flavor. Indian River soil is rich in calcium and other minerals that abet citrus groves. The nearness to the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean also has a major bearing on the exceptionally good taste of Indian River citrus. Most importantly, citrus trees need approximately one inch of water per week to bear good citrus. Another plus for the growing conditions is that the average annual rainfall over the majority of the Indian River Citrus District is approximately 52 inches per year. These natural elements combined with excellent production skills and improved scientific research, produces very high quality citrus that is thin skinned, has a high sugar content and flavor that is recognized around the world. One of the most significant examples of the environmental benefits derived from research has been the massive conversion from flood irrigation to microirrigation systems. About 85% of the 225,000 acres of citrus in the Indian River Area have been converted to microirrigation systems. The benefits of reduced water requirements have enhanced citrus production and provided conservation benefits for other agricultural and non-agricultural water users in the region. All of the Indian River Area groves planted in the last decade have been developed with onsite retention, which limits both the rate and volume of surface water discharged, which helps reduce soil erosion. This practice requires large land areas plus additional investment for construction and maintenance of ditches, pumps, dikes, control structures, and access roads. With fewer Grapefruit this winter, we’ll have to pay more money for the very healthy piece of fruit. About 75% of American women under the age of 50 are iron deficient. Consuming citrus foods like grapefruit and grapefruit juice can help boost the absorption of non-heme iron (the iron found in plants—not meat products). What this means is that if you drink a glass of grapefruit juice before you eat a spinach salad – your body absorbs two to four times as much iron. This is great news for young women, female athletes and vegetarians – all susceptible to iron deficiencies. Florida Grapefruit is the first fresh produce item to receive the American Heart Association heart-check mark – designating foods low in sodium, cholesterol and fat. Americans trying to lose weight should consume fruits and vegetables with high fiber and water content—like grapefruit. Grapefruit is fat free and contains 60 calories per serving and actually takes the "edge" off your appetite to avoid overeating. When you get a cold it’s important to give your body the fluids and nutrients that it needs. A serving of grapefruit provides more than 100 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, which is important to support a healthy immune system. In fact, some research suggests that vitamin C may shorten the duration and/or lessen the severity of colds. Citrus trees are not native to Florida. The first citrus was brought to the New World in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. The early Spanish explorers, probably Ponce de Leon, planted the first orange trees around St. Augustine, Florida, sometime between 1513 and 1565. Grapefruit was a relative late-comer, arriving in Florida in 1806 courtesy of the French Count, Odet Philippe, who planted the first grove of grapefruit near Tampa, Florida, in 1823. By the 19th century, citrus trees could be found growing wild throughout many of Florida's forests, and cultivated oranges groves could be found along the St. Johns River and around Tampa. Florida's unique sandy soil and subtropical climate have proven to be ideal for growing the seeds that early settlers planted. However, it took nearly 400 years before enough citrus was grown in the state to turn it into a profitable business venture. Soon after the Civil War, Florida's annual commercial citrus production totaled one million boxes; it climbed to more than five million boxes by 1893. With the development of improved means of transportation, new markets were opened in the northeastern United States and demand for the refreshing, healthy benefits of Florida citrus started to expand slowly. The Great Freeze of 1894-95 ruined many of the groves throughout Florida. As a result, growers began their gradual move to locations farther south in the state. By 1910, the crops had returned to pre-freeze production levels. By 1915, production reached 10 million boxes. In 1950, the state's citrus industry picked its first total citrus crop of 100 million boxes. In 1971, Florida's citrus growers harvested the first crop to exceed 200 million boxes of fruit. Although Florida's citrus industry has encountered more freezing temperatures during the 20th century, the industry has continued to thrive as new groves are planted farther south after each freeze. Today, there are more than 12,000 citrus growers cultivating a record 107 million citrus trees on more than 858,000 acres of land in Florida. More then 100,000 other people also work in the citrus industry or in related businesses. The state produces more oranges than any other region of the world, except Brazil, and leads the world in grapefruit production. All told, the citrus industry generates more than $9.1 billion in economic activity in Florida. The Indian River district accounted for $2 billion of that economic activity.

Hurricane Frances, the size of Texas, before hitting Florida Grapefruit orchards.

TOMATOES (Tuesday, September 21): The storms in Florida not only affect supplies right now, but they also affect tomato supplies right into the fall. Florida growers were just laying plastic for most of their fall/winter crop of tomatoes. Florida grows about 50,000 acres of field tomatoes, accounting for over $500 million in sales, with about 1.65 billion pounds of Tomatoes. One grower says, “We thought we dodged a bullet with Hurricane Charley. We thought we would simply go back and re-lay some plastic, delaying our crops by only a week or so. But then along came Frances. It changed everything. These fields were loaded with new plantings when Frances hit. Now we have to wait for the ground to dry so we can get tractors back into the fields, re-laser level the fields, re-lay plastic and plant more seedlings. We’re already out a lot of money, and now our crops will be several weeks late.” Hurricane Andrew hit Florida with a vengeance on Monday, Aug. 24, 1992, producing more than $25 billion in damages, including about $4 billion in agricultural damage to Florida State, the #2 agriculture producing state in the Union. “It was a modern day apocalypse,” one grower said, “but then along came Frances.” Florida Tomatoes account for 95% of all U.S. grown tomatoes eaten by Americans October to June. And 45% of all tomatoes consumed in the U.S. year-round are Florida Tomatoes. During the winter months, Florida growers supply roughly half of the nation’s Tomatoes, with Mexico picking up the other half. Even though Florida is not producing yet, why are prices already jumping? Well, East Coast buyers know that in October and into November, if the Florida crop is 3 – 4 weeks late, those buyers will have to use West Coast supplies. Instead of waiting until October, East Coast buyers are trying to establish relationships now with West Coast suppliers. So they are buying now, putting more demand pressure on our West Coast tomato supplies, raising prices on most types of tomatoes. We expect a pretty volatile market on Tomatoes right into the Fall and holidays. It may not straighten out until early next year.

VEGETABLES (Wednesday, September 22): Tomatoes are not the only crop being affected by Hurricane Frances. This includes crops like Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green Beans and Squash. In Florida, where about half of the winter row crops are grown for the United States, growers were just preparing soil with plastic, after they dodged a bullet called Hurricane Charley. Most growers expressed relief that Charley hit when it did…before a lot of soil prep and crop planting had been done. Charley delayed planting schedules about one week. But then along came Frances. Growers who had started the soil prep and laying plastic and irrigation lines have lost all of that work…and the cost associated with it. Now growers throughout southern and central Florida will have to wait for rains to stop so that pumps can drain the floodwaters from Hurricane Frances. Then they will have to wait for dry weather to help dry the land, allowing growers to get tractors into the fields to first, re-laser level the fields for drainage, prepare the soil, and finally lay the plastic and irrigation drip lines. This will mean about a three-week delay in the planting schedule. Whenever you disrupt the planting schedule, you also disrupt the harvest schedule. Because of this long delay, this could push harvest right back to the holidays, which will mean very tight supplies during the strongest demand of the season, Thanksgiving and Christmas. If weather cooperates from here on out, growers could pick up some time, but it will still be close for the holidays. This will put demand pressure on Mexican row crop vegetables. In the state of Sinaloa, growers are doing the same thing as Florida growers, preparing soil, laying plastic and putting tiny seedlings into the ground. Hopefully, Mexico will have better weather than Florida, leading to early harvests and excellent yields, which should help in pricing.

Grab a Gravenstein!

Gravenstein apples make the best… Applesauce.

GRAVENSTEIN APPLES (Thursday, September 23): When the Gold Rush 49ers came to California, there were no Red Delicious apples, no Goldens, no Grannies, no Fujis. But there was the Gravenstein, an old variety that was prized for making applesauce, cakes, butter and cider. Back then, people weren’t as concerned about eating apples out of hand. They needed apples that could make preserves, butter and drinks, to get them through the long winter months. The Gravenstein was the perfect apple for that. Even today, if you want an apple for applesauce or an apple cake, grab a Grav. Right now, the Gravenstein is being harvested in the Santa Rosa area in California. There are two main types, red and green. Both are great. These Gravensteins won’t last long. They don’t have a long shelf life. Buy them, eat them, bake them into a cake or turn them into applesauce. The Gravenstein reportedly originated in Germany in the gardens of the Duke Augustenberg, Castle Graefenstein, Schleswig-Holstein. Others think the apple originated in Denmark. They say the apple was first described in 1797. They also say that although the apple is widely known as "Gravenstein" in English-speaking countries, the correct name is "Graassten" since they believe the mother tree was raised at Graasten Castle in southern Jutland, Denmark. The Russians at Fort Ross along the northern California coast, grew grape cuttings from Peru and peaches from Monterey and San Francisco and they also had Gravenstein apples. Henderson Lewelling, an Iowa nurseryman set off on the Oregon Trail in 1847 with 700 grafted fruit trees. Lewelling’s cherry orchard in Oregon became the home of the Bing Cherry. Even though half of the trees did not survive the trek, in a few years, he and his brother, Seth, had grafted 20,000 trees. They brought many trees to Sacramento and sold them for five dollars. Eventually the Lewellings moved their nursery business to California. Apples are the most widely cultivated of fruit trees around the world. Europeans worked to improve apple varieties more than 2,000 years ago. The largest producers now are the United States, China, France, Italy and Turkey with a world crop of 32 million tons a year. One half of the U.S. crop is eaten fresh, one-fifth is made into vinegar, juice, jelly and apple butter and one-sixth is canned for pies and applesauce. Luther Burbank commented that the “Gravenstein cannot be successfully raised in the hot valleys of Southern California. Sonoma County seems to be its home.” And that’s where most of the Gravs from California are grown. Burbank lent a hand in planting the first Gravensteins in Sonoma County in 1883. Today, growers in Sonoma County grow 95% of the U.S. supply of Gravenstein apples. Wherever they originated, it doesn’t matter. It’s Gravenstein time…from Gravenstein headquarters in Sonoma County, California.

A healthy lunch helps your kids learn better.

SCHOOL LUNCHES (Friday, September 24): School bells are ringing. School doors are opening. All around the country, kids are heading back to school. For kids, when they head back to school, it’s once again time for the 3 R’s, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. For parents and grandparents, we also need to head back to school, back to the basic, back to the 3 R’s of healthy diets. The first “R” is “Role Model.” If want our kids to eat healthy, to live healthy, to exercise, then we have to model it for our kids. More is “caught” then “taught” when it comes to kids. It’s very difficult to teach your kids to eat healthier snacks when they watch you gain weight by not eating right, or eating too much of the wrong things. You, as the parent or grandparent, have to take this serious before your kids will. The second “R” is “Reduce Fats and Sugars.” There are a lot of little tiny steps you can do here without really turning your child’s world upside down. For example, why does your child need a whole donut, or a whole candy bar? They are about half the size of you. Why don’t you give them half of a donut, half of a candy bar? How about French fries? For our little Claire, we simply took her age, doubled that, and that became the number of French fries she could have. Ten French fries for a little 5-year-old is just fine. The third “R” is “Remember 5-a-Day and Exercise.” Less than 15% of kids in America eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The average child in America today eats less than two servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Here we are, in the most industrialized country in the world, where the fruits and vegetables are the most plentiful, the cheapest and the safest, and yet, we are facing obesity as one of the largest health issues of the century. How does that happen? I talk to a lot of parents who tell me their kids don’t eat fruits and vegetables. Why are you making it an option? If your kids have to go to the doctor or the dentist, does the child have a say whether they go or not? Of course not. Take the same attitude in eating fruits and vegetables. It’s not an option. It’s mandatory. To help the process along, get your kids involved in what they eat. Take them to the grocery store and have them pick out the bananas for the week, the apples for the week. Have the produce manager give your kids samples of the different apples so your kids will begin learning some of the different flavors. And don’t forget exercise. It’s not an option. It’s mandatory. Walk more. Take the time for your kids to exercise. Sometimes it’s as simple as turning off those silly kid’s programs and turning the computer off. Get your kids involved in sports, either an individual or a team sport. Get back to the 3 R’s. When it comes to making lunches for the kids, here are 10 easy ways to make the lunch healthy, foodsafe and appealing to your kids:

1. Start all sandwiches with a healthy wheat bread made from natural ingredients and whole grains.
2. Switch from ham, bologna, salami, pastrami or corned beef, or other fatty luncheon meats, to low-fat alternatives like turkey breast or roasted chicken. Leave the cheese off sandwiches, unless it's low-fat of fat-free cheese.
3. Sneak vegetables -- like lettuce or slices of cucumber, tomato, green pepper, roasted peppers, zucchini or sweet onion - onto sandwiches.
4. Encourage your child to choose 1% or fat-free milk.
5. Include at least two servings of fruit in every lunch. I will cut my child’s apple and tell her to eat it at the first recess so that the apple still looks appealing. You can add orange slices to the apple slices to keep the apples fresh. The point is to cut them up. It’s a fact: kids will eat the entire apple or orange if it is sliced. I then add a banana, which doesn’t have to be sliced. That becomes her lunch fruit. I then add some dried fruit for an afternoon snack. That’s three servings of fruits in her lunch. A box of 100% fruit juice makes it four servings.
6. Limit cookies, snack cakes, doughnuts, brownies and other sweet baked goods.
7. Pack baked chips, pretzels, Cheerios, bread sticks or other low-fat crackers instead of potato, corn, tortilla or other chips made with oil.
8. If you pack juice, make sure it’s 100% juice, without sugar or corn syrup added. You can freeze it the night before to help keep things cold.
9. Include a bottle of water. Encourage your children to choose water whenever possible. You can freeze the water bottle the night before to help keep things cold.
10. Use an insulated lunch box that has an ice compartment to keep foods cold. Use a thermos for hot soups, leftover spaghetti or macaroni and cheese. Ask your child to store the lunch box in an area out of direct sunlight and away from some heat source.
    Oh, one other thing about lunches. Be sure to write a “love note” to your child and slip it into the lunch. Make sure Dad writes a note too. It only takes 30 seconds. I’ve timed it. “Dear Claire. I’ll be thinking of you today and hope you have a super day. Can’t wait to see you tonight. Love, Dad.”

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