With every passing month that brings longer days and warmer weather, new fruits and vegetables are popping up for us to enjoy. There’s one fruit in particular that waits all year for its seasonal debut in May and then is gone in a flash until next year’s harvest. We’re anticipating cherries to be in the boxes next month! According to our grower, the overall crop outlook for cherries was impacted adversely from inconsistent weather patterns during the bloom period. As a result, there will be less cherries to harvest overall, but the quality and size should be above average. We are expecting peak cherry season to hit around Memorial Day, so enjoy them while they last!
Another exciting fruit to look forward to in May are apricots, which also have a short window of opportunity to be enjoyed before the summer heat ramps up. Apricots make the most wonderful jam to be used on toast, in vinaigrettes, and glazed on meat. We are offering a jam-making seminar this month with Christiana of Christiana’s Preserves, which is a great opportunity to dive into jam-making and learn how to extend the life of your favorite summer fruits.
May is also the season for our beloved artichokes. Here at Talley Farms, we grow a specialty variety of artichoke known as “Lyon,” which thrives in the Central coast Mediterranean climate. Our Lyon artichokes are renowned for their large size, meaty leaves, and nutty flavored heart. They are truly a farm favorite that we look forward to every year.
While these specialty items have a short harvest window, there are plenty more fruits and vegetables hitting their stride to be enjoyed for months to come. Strawberries and blueberries are in their prime, as well as peas and asparagus, so we’ll continue to enjoy them while the weather stays mild. Carrots and potatoes are producing wonderfully, and avocados and cucumbers are just entering the scene for a long summer harvest. Eating with the seasons brings so much variety and excitement from the farm to the table. We hope you enjoy the spring harvest as much as we do!
