| Avocados are truly one of California’s crown jewels. While you can find them in grocery stores year-round, California-grown avocados are actually seasonal, with harvest typically running from spring through fall and peaking in the summer months. Thanks to the abundant sunshine and cool coastal breezes of Southern California, avocados thrive in our local growing conditions.
When most people think of avocados, they think of the beloved Hass avocado and for good reason! Here at Talley Farms, we grow 100 acres of Hass avocados, with most of our crop harvested and sent to Mission Produce packing houses. This is the variety you’ll see most often in your Talley Farms box and at the grocery store, due to having the highest oil content percentage by weight. To spot a ripe Hass avocado, look for its signature pebbly skin to darken and gently yield to pressure. In recent years, we’ve kicked off avocado season in our boxes with a lesser-known variety: the Zutano avocado. We source these from Hampton Farming Company, where they’re grown alongside Hass avocados to support natural pollination. Zutano trees are a Type B flowering variety, meaning their flowers open as female in the afternoon and male the following morning, the opposite of Type A Hass flowers, making them excellent pollination partners. Zutanos are easy to identify thanks to their glossy yellow-green skin. They’re also one of the most cold-tolerant varieties, able to withstand temperatures as low as 25°F. A key ripening difference from Hass avocados, is that their skin stays green even when ripe and they have a lighter, more watery taste. Another favorite you may come across is the Bacon avocado. A common choice for home growers, Bacon avocados are known for their smooth skin and ability to handle cooler climates better than Hass. They have a mild, slightly nutty flavor and lower oil content, which helps them hold their shape. They’re perfect for slicing into salads, layering on sandwiches, or topping your morning avocado toast with. Supporting California farmers means enjoying avocados at their seasonal best. We’re excited to share a couple of these varieties with you in the months ahead – each one offering its own unique flavor, texture, and story from the field. |
